It’s not supposed to be fun — that’s why they call it work. It’s a common adage, but it’s one that may be past its due date as more companies are focusing on employee experience and even hiring for positions that emphasize the issue. “In the vast majority of organizations, you’re still looking at a […]
The federal government has announced the appointment of the remaining members of its advisory council on the implementation of national pharmacare. Besides former Ontario health minister Dr. Eric Hoskins, who’s the chair of the advisory council, the members are: Mia Homsy, director general of the Institut du Québec, who will serve as vice-chair of the […]
From pharmacare to analytics, plan sponsors heard about the big issues on the horizon for their benefits plans at Benefits Canada‘s Calgary Benefits Summit. Presenters at the May 29 event took the audience through a range of topics, including the implications of marijuana legalization and new developments in health-care delivery. And two years after the […]
The Great-West Life Assurance Co. is providing a bike pavilion to employees who commute on two wheels to its head office in Winnipeg. With storage for up to 162 bicycles, the covered pavilion spans 1,800 square feet. It features a two-tier rack system to store the bikes, a pneumatic lift to help employees get their bicycle to […]
Canadian employees and plan sponsors are on the same page when it comes to the quality of their health benefits plans, according to the 2018 Sanofi Canada health-care survey. This year’s survey found that 58 per cent of plan members describe their benefits plan as excellent or very good, up from 48 per cent a […]
The majority (81 per cent) of plan sponsors said they have a philosophy or long-term view that defines why they offer benefits plans and that guides their decision-making, according to the 2018 Sanofi Canada health-care survey. Employers with a wellness culture are more likely (88 per cent) to have a philosophy around their benefits plan, compared […]
A quarter (26 per cent) of Canadian workers said the biggest downside of remote working is feeling isolated or missing out on the team environment, according to a new survey by staffing firm Robert Half Canada Inc. Other drawbacks included people abusing the benefit and not sticking to working hours (20 per cent); interpersonal relationships suffering because […]
Alongside its financial impact, extreme weather takes a toll on absenteeism, mental health and disability claims, according to a new study by the Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation at the University of Waterloo. The research, funded by Manulife Financial Corp. and Intact Financial Corp., looked at homeowners in Burlington, Ont., after a storm in August 2014 left […]
Walmart Inc. is introducing an education benefit for its employees in the United States and Puerto Rico, allowing workers to pursue degrees in business and supply chain management. “We’ve been very deliberate about our investment in our associates over the past few years,” wrote Erica Jones, senior manager of corporate communications, in an email to […]
More than 85 per cent of Canadian organizations offer flexible working options to employees, according to a new survey by the Conference Board of Canada. The survey, which questioned more than 320 employers, found that among those that provide such arrangements, flexible hours (93 per cent) is the most commonly offered option, followed by part-time remote work (55 […]