Collaboration is the new competition when it comes to wellness, according to Lisa Bélanger, behavioural change expert and researcher, during the keynote session at Benefits Canada’s 2024 Healthy Outcomes Conference. People have an innate desire to belong and connecting with others is fundamental to the human experience, she added. “[Only] about five to 10 per […]
With Canada’s workforce in the midst of multiple significant demographic shifts, group benefits plans will need to evolve to meet the changing needs of workers, according to Shelley Sjoberg, assistant vice-president of group product development and support at Canada Life. Speaking during Benefits Canada’s 2024 Healthy Outcomes Conference, she pointed to Statistics Canada data that […]
As plan sponsors contend with high utilization of their drug plans and a host of costly new drugs coming to market, a variety of cost-containment measures can ensure plans remain sustainable while still supporting members. Plan sponsors’ annual drug plan spend has been steadily rising, said Martin Gascon, senior director of group benefits at Eckler […]
Plan sponsors are facing the perfect storm of rising benefits costs, a surge in chronic disease prevalence and fierce competition for top talent. All the while, 55 per cent of Canadian workers feel their employee benefits plan doesn’t fully meet their needs, according to Telus Health’s mental-health index. More than 50 per cent of plan members […]
While migraine is a complex neurological condition that can significantly impact patients’ quality of life and ability to work, it’s also poorly understood and often accompanied by the weight of stigma, said Elizabeth Leroux, faculty lecturer at McGill University, during a session sponsored by Lundbeck at Benefits Canada’s 2024 Healthy Outcomes Conference. One in 10 Canadians […]
During the coronavirus pandemic, McCarthy Tétrault elevated its well-being program and made sure employees had access to the resources they needed. But within a couple of years, Rita Apa (pictured right), the law firm’s chief human resources officer, said her team realized it was “deploying tactics instead of truly developing and implementing a coherent wellness […]
A significant share of Canadians with diabetes struggle to keep their glucose levels in check, a worrying trend given the growing prevalence of diabetes in the country. Roughly 75 per cent of Canadians who use insulin to manage their diabetes — and 40 per cent of those who don’t — aren’t hitting their glucose targets, […]
Plan sponsors are facing a chronic disease “tsunami” that is leading to higher benefits and drug plan spend and increasing disability claims. But the three root causes of this growing problem — undiagnosed health issues, the availability of primary and preventative health care and challenges navigating the health-care system — are issues plan sponsors are […]
PepsiCo Canada aims to ensure all employees have equitable coverage and access to resources by offering a competitive and flexible benefits program, as well as inclusive policies, said Jaye Calder (pictured left), the company’s manager of pension, benefits and wellness, during a panel discussion at Benefits Canada’s 2024 Healthy Outcomes Conference. “We’re taking it a […]
The weather is shifting, with the wet November wind blowing away the crisp October sunshine. While this time of year is characterized by the change of temperature and spectacular outdoor colours, the one constant at Benefits Canada and the Canadian Investment Review is that it’s our busiest time of year for events. In October, we […]