The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health has released a guide advising companies on how they can support employees facing mental-health challenges. The guide, which is based on a review of existing research on mental health in the workplace, offers five recommendations for Canadian employers: create a long-term mental-health strategy for the entire organization; implement […]
Morneau Shepell Ltd. is teaming up with Interaxon Inc. to test meditation-aid technology for use in workplace well-being programs. Interaxon makes the Muse meditation headband, a research-grade electroencephalography device that aims to help in the meditation process by providing visual and auditory feedback relating to the user’s brain activity. The feedback is an attempt to encourage mental behaviours associated […]
Major Canadian insurers are no longer resetting the long-term disability pre-existing condition clause for women whose benefits coverage lapsed during their maternity leave when they return to work. Women covered by these insurers — which include the Co-operators Group Ltd., Desjardins Insurance, Empire Life Insurance Co., iA Financial Group, Manulife Financial Corp., RBC Insurance and Sun Life — […]
On Nov. 29, the 2019 Toronto Mental Health Summit featured sessions on how employers can approach mental health in the workplace, including removing the stigma and facilitating positive return-to-work transitions. Here’s what you missed! Social connection can build or erode mental health, resilience Between 2017 and 2019, the number of individuals reporting mental-health issues has risen […]
Mental-health symptomology — such as difficulty concentrating, feelings of isolation and lack of motivation — is incredibly impactful in the workplace and makes it difficult for people to function at or return to work. “There’s no question that anxiety and depression are very prevalent in the Canadian workplace and are very relevant to plan sponsors,” […]
Internet-based programs are the future of mental-health therapy, according to Peter Gove, the former innovation leader in health management at Green Shield Canada, speaking during a session at Benefits Canada’s 2019 Toronto Mental Health Summit on Nov. 29. “Cognitive behavioural therapy is probably the most adaptable therapy to a digital environment because it’s very manualized — you […]
Mental health is the third largest health spend in terms of benefits plan management, according to Derek Weir, manager of health benefit solutions at Medavie Blue Cross. “Fifty-three per cent of Canadians consider anxiety and depression ‘epidemic’ in Canada and 85 per cent say mental-health services are among the most underfunded in health care,” he said […]
Among the ways employers can encourage better employee mental health is to focus on prevention by raising awareness, reduce structural barriers and provide mental-health education, said Manulife’s Gillian Wells during Benefits Canada‘s 2019 Mental Health Summit on Nov. 29 in Toronto. People often hide how they’re really feeling behind curtains of non-disclosure, which leaves them […]
Canadian workers and employers will enjoy a slight decrease in employment insurance premiums in the new year, resulting in about $1.1 billion in total reductions in 2020. Starting on Jan. 1, the premium for individual workers will be $1.58 per $100 of insurable earnings while their employers will pay $2.21 per $100 of the workers’ […]
The Swedish word “tack” translates to “thank you,” which is precisely what IKEA is saying to employees with its Tack! loyalty program. In Canada, the program operates as a deferred profit-sharing plan and is part of employees’ total rewards package. “The [program] was launched in 2013 based on the wish of IKEA founder Ingvar Kamprad […]