The coronavirus pandemic has pushed women’s participation in the labour force down to its lowest level in three decades and rebounding won’t be easy, according to a new study by the Royal Bank of Canada. The report showed 1.5 million Canadian women lost their jobs in the first two months of the pandemic and said […]
Japan Tobacco International is launching a global equal family leave policy for all of its employees. The new global strategy, which goes beyond the national family leave provisions in 80 per cent of the 81 countries in which the multinational is located, offers a minimum of 20 weeks fully paid leave for employees, regardless of […]
Organizations all over the world are pledging their commitments to anti-Black racism as global protests over the police killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and many others, move into their fifth week. While the outcomes of these numerous pledges remain to be seen, discussions on the topics of race and racism are being held in boardrooms and […]
Employers across Canada were forced to adjust their Pride celebrations in June as the coronavirus pandemic necessitated social distancing and most traditional parades and events were cancelled. “[The coronavirus] forced us to think about how to still create these communities we’re trying to build,” says Meryem Benslimane, equity education advisor at McGill University in Montreal. This year, the university took […]
Manulife Financial and its U.S. division John Hancock are investing more than $3.5 million over the next two years to promote diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace and in the communities they serve. In a press release, the organizations said the goals of these investments are three-fold: to increase the representation of diverse talent […]
The Ontario Pension Board has released a statement addressing the role it plays in standing against anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism. “I know some of you may be wondering why we didn’t share a message of support sooner,” read the letter from Mark Fuller, the OPB’s president and chief executive officer. “While statements of support matter, […]
In June 2017, the federal government amended the Canadian Human Rights Act to strengthen protections against employment discrimination for LGBTQ+ individuals, forbidding employers across all jurisdictions to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. While the protections and language used by organizations can vary, the intent of the protections is […]
Competitive total rewards programs are a critical component of Canadian organizations’ human resources and corporate strategy, according to a new survey by WorldatWork. The survey, which polled 150 Canadian employers in February, found 96 per cent offer drug, dental, life insurance/accidental death and dismemberment, long-term disability and employee assistance programs. Additionally, 93 per cent of […]
In 2019, Telus Communications Inc. bumped up its combined lifetime plan maximum per employee for fertility benefits to $15,000 for both treatment procedures and drugs. “More than anything, it’s just recognizing that we want to be a good place for women to work,” says Carol Craig, director of pensions and benefits at Telus. Generally, Canadian […]
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 […]