Employers are turning to virtual health care offerings to support employees’ physical wellness amid the ongoing pandemic. Since Alithya, a Montreal-based technology company, launched a wellness portal last July, a virtual fitness program has become one of the most utilized benefits offerings, says Catherine Bourque, its vice-president of human capital. The program — which allows employees to […]
The top three factors driving employee retention are benefits (34 per cent), a strong sense of culture (31 per cent) and belief in the senior leadership team (29 per cent), according to a new survey by the Predictive Index. The survey, which polled more than 300 U.S. executives, found career mobility (21 per cent), salary (17 […]
AstraZeneca is embracing belonging, inclusion and volunteering to keep its employees socially connected and engaged as the coronavirus pandemic rages on. The isolation that accompanies remote working due to the pandemic has been challenging for most employees, says Gena Restivo, the biopharmaceutical company’s vice-president of human resources, communications and sustainability in Canada. “We recognized early […]
Alberta’s nurses have a new collective bargaining agreement, which includes more mental-health support as the coronavirus pandemic drags on. In addition to more psychological and mental-health supports, the deal includes the creation of a union-employer workload advisory committee, $5 million a year toward recruitment and retention strategies in rural and remote areas and $2.5 million a […]
Toronto’s Sterling Capital Brokers Ltd. is acquiring Vancouver’s Barclay Insurance Services Inc. Founded in 1990 by Eric Barclay, Barclay Insurance Services focuses on small- to medium-size businesses, developing cost-effective strategies to support plan sponsors in the employee benefits, group retirement and individual insurance space in British Columbia. “We are excited and proud to be the newest addition to the […]
While 86 per cent of U.S. employers said mental health, stress and burnout are top priorities, only 25 per cent have already articulated and adopted a well-being strategy, according to a new survey by WTW. The survey, which polled 322 employers, found while 42 per cent redesigned their employee assistance program in 2021, 39 per […]
This year, Canadian employers are marking Bell Canada’s Let’s Talk Day by addressing the ongoing coronavirus pandemic’s impact on the mental health of employees. The annual event, which began in 2010 to encourage discussions about mental health, is built on four pillars: mental-health research, workplace leadership, ending stigmas around mental health and advocating for mental-health […]
As Canadian employees face rising inflation and interest rates, C.F. Crozier & Associates Inc. is helping ease employees’ financial worries by offering benefits that appeal to staff at every stage of their lives. The time employees spend at work is just one stop along their personal and professional growth journey, says Nick Mocan, president of Crozier. […]
Bhagyashri Pawar was surprised to see a previous employer make headlines last year for its investments in mental-health programs for its staff. “Having worked there, I never figured out where these efforts were made,” says the 31-year-old Toronto-based online marketing manager. Pawar says the company refused to allow employees to work remotely during coronavirus pandemic lockdown measures until several employees tested […]
As competition to attract talent continues to heat up amid a tight labour market, the vast majority (90 per cent) of U.S. employers are planning to invest more in employee mental-health support, according to a new survey by Wellable. The survey, which polled almost 200 U.S. health insurance brokers and wellness consultants, found slightly more than […]