As the coronavirus pandemic switches to an endemic phase, employers are taking a more holistic approach to mental health to make sure everyone is well-equipped and feels supported, says Julie Cousineau, partner and health practice leader at Normandin Beaudry. Earlier this year, the consultancy conducted a study that found almost 50 per cent of Canadian […]
While nearly three-quarters (71 per cent) of global employees say they want a hybrid or remote working arrangement, just 43 per cent say they’re able to work in the location of their choice, according to a new survey by software company Ivanti. The survey, which polled more than 8,400 employees, found workers would be willing […]
As Canadians deal with an uncertain labour market, a public relations professional, who sought out a new job, and a marketing professional, who stayed with her employer, reflect on whether it’s better to stick it out at your current job or find a new one. Aaliyah Corbin, account coordinator at Media Profile A lot of […]
Once rooted in mental-health support, employee assistance programs have evolved exponentially in recent years to meet the changing needs of employees. During the coronavirus pandemic, the use of virtual care exploded as most people were forced to stay at home, so EAPs had to adapt quickly to provide virtual support to many struggling Canadians. “By […]
There’s something about the Arizona State Retirement System — a US$49.3-billion defined benefit-like hybrid pension plan for the state’s 600,000 current and former public sector workers — that feels downright Canadian. The resemblance is intentional. Canadian Paul Matson, executive director of the AZSRS, drew inspiration from his home country when establishing its approach, particularly in […]
The agreement on remote and flexible work between public sector workers and the federal government could set the stage for future union negotiations, according to labour experts. “We’re basically entering a brand new phase of what we talk about in collective agreements, which includes workers’ autonomy over their time,” says Armine Yalnizyan, an economist and […]
The Public Service Alliance of Canada and the federal government have reached a tentative agreement for more than 120,000 workers, which includes new protections around remote work and wage increases. The tentative agreement, which ends a two-week strike, includes negotiated language that requires managers to assess remote work requests individually — not by group — and […]
Defined benefit. Defined contribution. Target benefit. Shared risk. Collective. Multi-employer. Pooled. Canada’s pension and retirement landscape is littered with lingo that can often be confusing for the people who participate in these plans and count on them for their retirement income. As pension plans evolve and the terms describing them expand, does the industry have […]
Employees working from home during the worst part of the coronavirus pandemic were younger, more diverse and better educated, according to a new report from the U.S. Census Bureau. In many respects, the demographic makeup of people working from home between 2019 and 2021 became more like workers who were commuting, while the share of […]
Three years ago this month, the world was grappling with the early days of the coronavirus pandemic. Even then, with very little information available, people were beginning to turn their attention to the anticipated long-term ramifications of the public health crisis. With everyone experiencing this once-in-a-century moment simultaneously, no one had a response for how […]