In the midst of the coronavirus crisis, virtual health care is taking centre stage. But Ontario Power Generation was ahead of the curve, introducing a pilot project in 2019 to help employees with high mental-health incidences and absenteeism rates minimize their sick leave usage. The pilot, implemented on July 1, 2019, provides about 500 hydro […]
BMO Financial Group’s chief human resources officer and head of people and culture discusses mental health, leadership development and yoga. Q: What top challenges do you face in your role? A: We’re a people business . . . so [our challenges are] skills, the access to fantastic talent, making sure we’re developing our people. But […]
Financial markets are showing signs of concern about how well companies can weather the coronavirus economic crisis, the Bank of Canada said in a report outlining issues the pandemic is having on business and household debt. The central bank has spent the last two months making a flurry of policy decisions that include slashing the […]
At a time of uncertainty caused by the coronavirus crisis, active ownership is more important than ever, says Kevin Thomas, chief executive officer of the Shareholder Association for Research and Education. Many organizations are trying to influence companies and policy-makers, and those voices matter, he notes. “You don’t want to be sitting on the sidelines.” […]
Even as provinces prepare to gradually re-open, Canadians are feeling a little skittish about receiving in-person health care before a vaccine for the coronavirus is developed, according to a new survey by Green Shield Canada. The survey, which polled more than 500 benefits plan members, found that while 62 per cent said they’d be open to visiting […]
Three-quarters (74 per cent) of Canadian employees who are working remotely said their manager has clearly communicated their expectations around remote work, according to a new survey conducted by Angus Reid on behalf of ADP Canada Co. However, the survey, which polled 500 remote-working Canadians, found respondents are split on how they feel about the […]
Monetary and fiscal policy-makers around the world are taking different approaches to tackling the current economic crisis, but their actions today will pose challenges down the road, says Erik Weisman, chief economist at MFS Investment Management. Looking at combined monetary and fiscal policy responses, the U.S. is likely the most aggressive, while Europe and Japan […]
The novel coronavirus pandemic has been an enormous human tragedy and its ultimate impact on the global economy remains impossible to predict. For many companies, the damage is likely to be severe, perhaps permanent, and this has been justifiably reflected in depressed share prices. But a key lesson from previous crashes is that periods of […]
With employers around the world forced to move to a work-from-home model in the face of the coronavirus pandemic, Twitter Inc. says it will allow employees to continue to work from “forever.” In a blog post, Jennifer Christie, the organization’s vice-president of people, said Twitter was uniquely positioned to be able to respond quickly and […]
iA Financial Group is teaming up with Dialogue Technologies Inc. to improve health-care access for its group benefits plan members. The platform allows plan members and their families to speak with health-care professionals, anywhere in Canada, at any time. Available online or on any mobile device, its services include: prescription renewal and free delivery of […]