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 […]
The vast majority (94 per cent) of employers said they expect an increase in medical services in 2022 due to delayed care during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new survey by Business Group on Health. The survey, which polled 136 large employers that cover more than eight million plan members, asked about changes they […]
At the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in March 2020, Julie Gaudry and her colleagues in the industry braced themselves for a surge in disability claims that never came to fruition. “We didn’t know what the prevalence of this virus would be . . . and how significantly it would make people ill,” said Gaudry, head of group […]
While there seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel with respect to the coronavirus pandemic and the return to normal life, the stress response from such a rapid and necessary shift in lifestyle has had and will continue to have profound impacts on mental health. Before the pandemic, Canada was already […]
In hiring its first manager of accessibility, Rogers Communications Inc. isn’t only ensuring it’s compliant with federal legislation, the company is also integrating the practice into its diversity, equity and inclusion goals to remove barriers at a systemic level for employees with disabilities. “I myself am a person with a disability and so starting at […]
On April 15, Benefits Canada hosted 2021 Tech Insights: Spring Edition, an event designed to showcase the latest technology in benefits, administration and plan member offerings. This event specifically provides a forum for companies to sell you on the benefits of their technology. You can view the conference highlights below: The benefits of digital pharmacy for plan […]
The same technology advancements that allowed for hyper-personalized service in sectors from banking to food delivery were already in the process of remaking health-care access and delivery. And then the coronavirus pandemic hit, quickly accelerating the acceptance of digital health care in Canada. Surveys have shown 60 per cent of health-care visits are now taking […]
On Feb. 23-24, Benefits Canada hosted the annual Chronic Disease at Work conference, this year in a virtual format. The event explored what chronic disease looks like in 2021, including sessions on topics such as addiction, cancer, diabetes and obesity. Here’s what you missed: Assessing the mental-health offerings for plan members with moderate to severe […]