While the dawn of 2022 brings hope of the coronavirus pandemic becoming endemic, the year ahead is also filled with many unknowns for both employers and employees to navigate. Many organizations, including the City of Toronto, are planning on bringing white-collar staff back to the office after some spent nearly two years working from home. […]
As 2021 winds down, I have a few predictions of the human resources trends for employers to keep top of mind in 2022. Employers finding ways to improve diversity, equity and inclusion will continue to be a vital area of focus. While some employers have drafted or adopted DEI policies in recent years, it’s important […]
Several Canadian financial institutions are delaying their return-to-office plans as concerns increase about the highly-transmissible Omicron coronavirus variant. Scotiabank is pausing a planned return to the workplace for head office employees, following the latest coronavirus pandemic guidance from the Ontario government. In an emailed statement to Benefits Canada, a spokesperson from the bank said timing […]
With the shift to working from home during the coronavirus pandemic, some leaders are concerned about what employees are actually doing, or not doing, during the workday. Howard Levitt, senior partner at Levitt Sheikh LLP Yes, time theft is a concern when it comes to remote work. A study by Aternity Inc. found overall productivity […]
Employers of all sizes are rethinking their plans to send workers back to the office as the new Omicron variant adds another layer of uncertainty. Google and Ford Motor Co. are among those once again delaying their return-to-office plans, while other businesses whose employees have already returned are considering adding extra precautions like requiring masks. […]
Supporting employees’ mental health while teleworking will take on new importance as employers increasingly adjust their return-to-office plans to include some level of remote or hybrid work, said Simon Coloumbe, associate professor in the department of industrial relations at Université Laval. Speaking at Benefits Canada’s 2021 Mental Health Summit, Coloumbe said employers can do this […]
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure — and nowhere is that more true than when it comes to workplace mental-health supports, said Colleen Adams, manager of health and digital product solutions at Medavie Blue Cross, during a session at Benefits Canada’s 2021 Mental Health Summit. Even before the pandemic, the cost […]
All fully-vaccinated office-based employees with the City of Toronto are set to be back in the workplace, at least some of the time, starting on Jan. 4, 2022. In a press release, the city said, as of Nov. 30, each of its office buildings will be open to the maximum occupancy possible, based on physical […]
Hootsuite Inc. is emphasizing wellness, inclusion and collaboration with its redesigned Vancouver office, as employees begin their return to the workplace. In addition to features such as work pods for teams and individuals, the social media marketing and management company has introduced amenities like wellness rooms for nursing mothers or prayer, gender-inclusive washrooms, a fully-accessible […]
For months, Canadian employers have been creaking under the strain of a labour crunch. Finding top talent has always been one of leaders’ most pressing issues and there has often been a shortage of talent for key roles. In addition, Canada — as a whole, in my opinion — has never fully unlocked the skills […]