Retirement is a notion fraught with paradox. For some, it resonates with the possibility of finally having more time to do, well, just about anything. For others, it triggers concern about whether they’ll have enough saved to retire comfortably and securely. And still, for others, it induces a kind of investment-anxiety paralysis filled with self-doubt. […]
Bob Bellamy started working as a handyman in 1947, when he was just 16 years old. Over the next 70 years, he moved up through the ranks at real estate development company Armel Corp. in Guelph, Ont., and continues to work there today as a construction manager. “He used to work for my father, and […]
Following the implementation of a workplace wellness program, there are two groups of employees that require followup and support. My last column covered how to help wellness champions maintain success. But participants who haven’t progressed also need extra attention. It’s not enough to be satisfied with a majority of participants improving. You should strive to […]
As part of its celebration of its 40th anniversary, Benefits Canada followed up on research undertaken five years ago into plan sponsors’ attitudes towards their pension and benefits plans. How do the results today compare to the 2012 findings? It’s no surprise that, according to Benefits Canada’s research, plan sponsors find costs the biggest challenge […]
As we celebrate Benefits Canada’s 40th anniversary, it’s a good time to look ahead to the next 40 years. Looking ahead, I see the inevitable trend of health benefits moving to a defined contribution approach from a defined benefit one. I expect the trend to mirror the developments in the pension area over the last […]
On one of the top floors of a non-descript building in downtown Toronto, Morneau Shepell Ltd.’s care access centre representatives are fielding intake calls, the first step in helping Canadian employees get help through their employee assistance program. Visually, it’s a typical call-centre environment, but the “magic happens on the phone,” says Lynn Pike, vice-president […]
While employees want good benefits, finding ways to effectively convey information about the plan can be a challenge, particularly when today’s workforce is far from homogeneous. Employees are different ages and at disparate stages of life. They may be from various ethnic backgrounds and speak different languages. Another distinction is union versus non-union settings where […]
Over the next decade, employers will have to create workplace programs that recognize employees’ careers beyond retirement, speakers on a panel at an event in Toronto suggested on Wednesday. “Stats Canada still ends [the definition of] working-age Canadian at age 64, and yet we know that people are working well beyond that age,” said Lisa […]
While the revitalized United States economy and strong financial markets are part of the story, the biggest factors affecting American employees’ financial optimism are tied to their personal situations, a study from Bank of America Merrill Lynch has found. The majority (87 per cent) of employees are optimistic about their financial future, including 48 per […]
Both plan sponsors and plan members are expressing an interest in personalized medicine that offers a targeted approach to prescribing based on patients’ genetic makeup, according to the 2017 Sanofi Canada health-care survey. These tests are becoming more accessible and more affordable, said Paula Allen, vice-president of research and integrative solutions at Morneau Shepell Ltd. […]