As employers continue to ramp up their focus on diversity, equity and inclusion, Benefits Canada is returning with its sophomore DEI issue. In my editorial at the front of last year’s June issue, I highlighted the overdue and rising attention on DEI in the workplace, but also pointed out the importance of going beyond ideas […]
Like other large employers, Ontario Power Generation Inc. has a diverse workforce that embodies the broader Canadian population across multiple demographics. The Crown corporation uses a variety of methods and measurements for gathering diversity, equity and inclusion data, including engagement surveys and focus groups to establish mental-health indicators by analyzing benefits usage, says Tanya Hickey, […]
At the beginning of April, the OPSEU Pension Trust made a change to a definition in its plan text that will have meaningful implications for plan members with disabled children who need to continue to rely on their parents into adulthood. The organization expanded the definition of a child eligible for survivor benefits to include […]
Two-thirds (65 per cent) of younger U.S. workers say paid time off is the No. 1 employer benefit that influences their job search, followed by a flexible work schedule (58 per cent), according to a new survey by the Bank of America and Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business. The survey, which polled more than […]
Environmental, social and governance investing is a powerful tool that can reveal systemic issues impacting all parts of institutional investors’ portfolios, said Aaron Bennett, chief investment officer of the University Pension Plan, during the 2023 Responsible Investment Association conference last week. Some of these issues can accrue over time — and, when they finally manifest, they can […]
Google is enforcing its hybrid working policy by tying required in-office days to employee performance reviews. In an internal email, the company said it would consider office attendance when reviewing employees who don’t come into the office a minimum of three days per week, according to a report by Fortune. The company also said it […]
An article on seven questions that employers should ask as the coronavirus pandemic moves into an endemic phase was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com over the last week. Here are the five most popular news stories of the week: 1. Expert panel: Seven important questions as pandemic moves into endemic phase 2. Just 14% of U.S. women say […]
The Alberta School Employee Benefit Plan is reporting increased employee engagement following a pair of wins in Benefits Canada’s 2022 Workplace Benefits Awards. The ASEBP’s extensive mental-health strategy led to a win in the Mental health program category for an employer with fewer than 1,000 employees. In 2021, the organization launched a campaign called It Takes a […]
Although there are many benefits to remote working arrangements, such as a reduced commute and improved work-life balance, younger employees who work remotely aren’t practising their soft skills and a lack of social interaction may negatively impact their professional lives in the long run, says Janet Candido, founder and principal of human resources consultancy Candido […]
In three short years, the relationship between Canadian employers and employees has changed dramatically as a result of the coronavirus pandemic’s impact on health, finances and overall sense of security. While there’s a lot of talk about the world settling into a new normal in 2023, it’s not clear what that will look like. The […]