A new year is bringing back old issues for employers and employees alike. The rise of the highly contagious Omicron coronavirus variant meant many students once again switched to online schooling. And while some schools across Canada are now reopening, employers continue to use a combination of flexible schedules and benefits offerings to support working […]
As the phenomenon of coronavirus long-haulers — individuals who display symptoms for months following infection — becomes more prominent amid the ongoing pandemic, plan sponsors are taking a flexible and individualized approach through their human resources practices and benefits offerings to support impacted plan members. Mike Mousseau, national well-being and engagement consultant at Arthur J. […]
With the Omicron coronavirus variant prompting school closures and a return to remote learning in several provinces, flexibility is key for employers supporting parents of school-age children, says Kim Siddall, vice-president of enterprise consulting for the west at People Corporation. “This means being flexible with the changing environment, because things are shifting without a lot […]
Ah, the sights and sounds of the holidays: trees and homes covered in lights, meticulously wrapped gifts piling ever higher and radios blaring the same Christmas songs since Nov. 1. What better time to think about making a will? Hear me out. As we head into another new year, we’re all taking stock of the […]
Significant disparities exist between U.S. employers’ and employees’ perceptions of workplace mental-health support, according to a new survey by Lighthouse Research & Advisory. When employers and employees were asked to rank their organization’s support for mental health on a scale of one to 10, the average employer ranking was 7.6, while the average employee ranking […]
Roughly a quarter (23 per cent) of Canadians working exclusively at physical workplaces said their working lives have worsened since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, according to LifeWorks Inc.’s latest mental-health index. The survey — which was conducted between Nov. 9 and Nov. 22, 2021 and prior to the spread of the Omicron variant […]
While many employers are offering bonuses or higher pay these days as a way to attract and retain workers, a central Florida organization is offering staff the chance to win two brand new and mortgage-free houses. Mechanical One will hold the draw next December, says Jason James, the air conditioning and plumbing company’s president and […]
The union representing employees at a Loblaw Co. Ltd. distribution centre in Ajax, Ont. has ratified a new four-year contract that will increase employer contributions to a group registered retirement savings plan. For workers with five or more years of service, the employer’s RRSP contribution match will increase to five per cent from 3.5 per […]
Almost all (94 per cent) small- to medium-sized Canadian employers offer a benefits plan, according to a new survey by Humi. The survey, which polled the organization’s employer clients, found slightly more than a third (42 per cent) of respondents said they’re paying for the full cost of benefits premiums. However, when it comes to […]
SAP Canada is launching a benefits platform to help guide employees who identify as women through their motherhood journey. Launched last month, the platform is available to women who’re expecting, including via birth, adoption and/or surrogacy. It’s designed to support female employees expecting children, from having/welcoming a baby to taking maternity leave to returning to […]