Rise People Inc. is partnering with Sun Life Assurance Co. of Canada to launch a human resources platform that aims to simplify administration and provides payroll and benefits solutions for plan sponsors. Built in collaboration with Sun Life, the platform integrates access to the insurer’s plan member site using a single sign-in feature so users don’t have to log in […]
LifeScan Inc. is launching a mobile app for benefits plan members living with diabetes. Diabetes, which is a growing health concern for Canadians, ranks second in drug spending by employer-sponsored health plans. The app, which is licensed by Health Canada, works by transmitting blood glucose data from a compatible monitoring system to the app using Bluetooth. […]
Though I don’t consider myself particularly tech-savvy, I use my smartphone and laptop in every avenue of my life. I communicate via email, text, social media and FaceTime. I shop online with the click of a mouse. I arrange travel through my smartphone, whether ordering a car or booking and boarding a flight. I use […]
With the availability of more than 318,000 digital apps, and the development of more than 80,000 new ones each year, it’s a wonder Canada’s workplace health benefits plans haven’t moved more quickly to digital. This is likely due to the country’s siloed health-care system, with each province and jurisdiction taking its own approach. Streamlining the […]
On the eve of his retirement, with more than 40 years in benefits under his belt, Aon’s Art Babcock considers the industry’s move to technology, health-care spending accounts and drone piloting Q. How did you get into the group benefits industry? A. I began my career in the insurance industry out of university, with Metropolitan […]
Since the British Columbia Teachers’ Federation introduced online cognitive behavioural therapy, nearly 3,000 plan members have signed up to use it. The mobile-friendly program is provided by B.C.-based Starling Minds. It found those who’ve used the online CBT reported reduced anxiety, sadness and worry. As well, some 71 per cent indicated they were less likely to spend time away from work as a […]
Green Shield Canada is partnering with HBM+’s health benefits management solutions provider division to introduce an artificial intelligence-based fraud detection strategy. Under the new Claim Watch banner, the new platform finds and compiles data, identifying patterns to unearth suspicious activity. “We’re very proud of what GSC and HBM+ do in the fraud detection and prevention […]
Two-thirds (62 per cent) of global employees said they’d exchange their work-related data for more customized benefits, rewards and compensation, according to a new survey by Accenture. The global survey, which polled 1,400 corporate executives and 10,000 employees across 13 industries, also found 92 per cent of employees are open to their employers collecting data […]
On Dec. 11, the Mental Health Summit Vancouver highlighted how the stigma surrounding mental illness can be removed from the workplace and what employers can do to help facilitate a comfortable return to work for those with mental-health issues. Here are some of the highlights of the sessions: Dealing with stigma of returning to work […]
A significant disconnect exists between the degree of mental-health problems facing Canadians today, the costs of workplace mental health and the solutions in place to address and reduce those costs. Organizations are doing more than ever before around workplace mental health, said Georgia Pomaki, leader of Manulife’s mental-health specialists team, at the 2018 Mental Health Summit Vancouver […]