When do Canadian small business owners turn to their benefits or financial advisor? What type of retirement plan is most popular for small businesses across the country? What issues do owners struggle with while trying to grow their businesses? Find out the answer to these questions and how small business owners are managing day-to-day challenges […]
A trip to Paris. Pet insurance. Unlimited time off. Canada’s Top 100 Employers have been named for 2012, and they show that offering non-traditional benefits can have a positive impact on recruiting, engaging and retaining employees. The annual ranking, now in its 13th year, attempts to determine which employers are leaders in their industries when […]
Time and tools are the key factors in an effective benefits education program, according to research from Unum, a benefits services provider for the U.S. and the U.K. The firm’s study of more than 1,700 employed adults points to a “three-plus-three communication strategy,” in which members have at least three weeks to review at least […]
If you want to reduce benefits costs and get the best ROI from your employee wellness program, implement participation incentives and automation. That’s the finding from a study by bswift, a U.S. software provider for employee benefits administration. The report, 2011 Wellness and Benefits Administration Benchmarking Study, surveyed 150 companies, and found that of those […]
Watch this video For benefits plan sponsors worried about the increasing costs of their plans, the legislation regarding generic drug price reductions (currently implemented in five provinces) may seem like a saving grace. But not so fast, warns Shawn O’Brien, senior consultant, health and benefits, with Aon Hewitt. He warns that the savings might not […]
Early responses from a Mercer survey suggest the average growth in U.S. health benefits costs will slow to 5.4% in 2012, the smallest increase since 1997. However, cost growth remains well above both general inflation and growth in workers’ earnings. While this increase reflects cost-cutting changes employers plan to make to their benefits programs, such as […]
Lorna Willner, Steam Whistle’s HR manager, talks about the perks that keep employees interested. Explain Steam Whistle’s profit sharing and shareholder plans. Profit sharing is for everybody…even if, for the year, an employee does just 12 shifts, he or she would still be eligible to participate but on a pro-rated basis. Once an employee has […]
Watch this video Too often, benefits plan administration and costs take up a plan sponsor’s focus—leaving communication efforts to suffer, says Sarah Beech, region director, Central Canada, with Aon Hewitt. In this BenefitsCanadaTV interview, Beech discusses ways employers can make their benefits plans more engaging, by bringing plans “to a more personal level as opposed […]
Employee morale is down, but benefits education can be an effective way to boost workplace satisfaction, says a recent survey by U.S.-based benefits provider Unum. The survey of 1,712 working adults found that 63% of employees think their employer values their work, down from 70% in 2008, and that even fewer, 56%, feel that their […]
Mental health is on the radar of Canadian organizations. Numerous studies have been conducted on the occurrence of and costs associated with mental health issues. The unfortunate reality is that people are often not provided with the care they need, even though early intervention is a key factor in helping people address and treat mental […]