Many employees are engaged in a challenging “juggling act,” with about one in four Canadians aged 15 and older providing ongoing care to a family member or friend and about one in five caregivers spending 20 or more hours a week in that role, according to Sherry Hnatyshyn, managing director of Carepath. During a Benefits […]
More than a third (38 per cent) of plan sponsors are planning to update their benefits plan design by the end of this year, on par with those that did so in 2020 (39 per cent), according to a survey by Arthur J. Gallagher Canada Ltd. The survey, which polled more than 500 Canadian plan […]
The shift to remote working due to the coronavirus pandemic is helping 77 per cent of employees with chronic conditions and/or chronic pain miss less work, according to the 2021 Benefits Canada Healthcare Survey. Just over a third (34 per cent) of plan members said remote working definitely helped them miss less work due to their […]
More than 19 months into the coronavirus pandemic, employers are focusing on enhanced mental-health offerings and streamlined communications for their benefits and pension plans. During a virtual roundtable on Oct. 14, the 2021 Workplace Benefits Awards finalists discussed the changes brought about by the pandemic and how they’ve adapted their benefits and pensions offerings, while looking […]
Refreshing and re-communicating its mental-health program during the coronavirus pandemic led to 3M Canada’s win at the 2021 Workplace Benefits Awards on Oct. 14. Back in 2013, the manufacturing company began a journey to “empower employees to refresh, re-energize and feel well,” according to its award entry. However, while the wellness program was effective, the […]
On the first day of her period, Amy Saunders says she’s often stuck in bed with a hot water bottle, downing painkillers and drinking tea. “I’ve always had painful periods,” she says. “I’ve definitely had to use sick days or vacation days in the past,” says Saunders, the communications director for Diva International Inc., who […]
With the Delta variant leading the coronavirus pandemic in a renewed surge, employers continue to have a surplus of challenges, regardless of whether or not they’re planning a return to the workplace. I discussed this latter challenge in my Editorial last month, but at the risk of heaping on more doom and gloom, it may […]
During the height of the coronavirus pandemic, the Ottawa Community Housing Corp. battened down the hatches and focused on addressing any absence management issues before they occurred. Now, Cindy Newell, the company’s director of human resources, says OCH is expecting to see fewer disability leaves post-pandemic, thanks to a proactive absence and disability management strategy […]
As the country began shutting down to focus on beating back the coronavirus at the height of the pandemic in March 2020, people with chronic health conditions fell to the back of the health-care line. “While all Canadians probably faced — to some extent — a negative impact due to some of the public health […]
While more than half (58 per cent) of Canadian employers provide top-up pay for maternity leave benefits, just 33 per cent offer top-ups for parental leave benefits, according to a new survey by Aon. The survey, conducted among 207 Canadian employers, found 53 per cent provide income replacement of 95 per cent to 100 per […]