When it comes to living through any stressful and uncertain time, routine is one of the unsung heroes. In a situation like the current coronavirus pandemic, routine provides reassurance that, even though entire countries are facing various degrees of hardship and uncertainty, we can still appreciate constants in our lives. The level of drastic change will […]
Shopify Inc. is moving the majority of its employees to permanent work-from-home arrangements and closing its offices until 2021. “Until recently, work happened in the office,” tweeted Tobi Lutke, chief executive officer of Shopify on Thursday. “We’ve always had some people remote, but they used the internet as a bridge to the office. This will […]
With the coronavirus pandemic set as the backdrop for the foreseeable future, employers are getting mixed signals about the best way to function safely and effectively. “You have to look at this from the perspective of [having] the federal government saying, ‘Here’s what we think you should do,'” says Kathleen Chevalier, partner at Stikeman Elliott […]
At PCL Construction Ltd., almost 90 per cent of eligible staff participate in the company’s employee share purchase plan. Offering employees the opportunity to buy shares in their employer is generally seen as a way to boost employee attraction, retention and engagement. Indeed, Mike Olsson, the construction company’s vice-president of human resources and professional development, […]
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 […]
Three-quarters (74 per cent) of Canadian employees who are working remotely said their manager has clearly communicated their expectations around remote work, according to a new survey conducted by Angus Reid on behalf of ADP Canada Co. However, the survey, which polled 500 remote-working Canadians, found respondents are split on how they feel about the […]
Many employers expect to maintain the flexible and remote-working policies they’ve recently put in place once the coronavirus pandemic is over, according to a new survey by Willis Towers Watson. The survey, which polled 200 U.S. employers, found 59 per cent said they expect their work-from-home policies will remain in effect after the pandemic, while […]
During an educational two days in Montreal, the 2020 DC Plan Summit, on Feb. 5-7, featured a range of sessions diving into today’s top issues for plan sponsors, including financial education and wellness, post-retirement solutions, sustainability, plan design and technology. Is your pension communication message getting through? A look at the different paths to ESG […]
At PCL Construction, employee ownership is built into the company culture and is a big part of total compensation. However, it’s created some apathy when it comes to the way employees approach their DC plans and prepare for retirement, according to Mike Olsson, the company’s vice-president of human resources and professional development. At the company’s […]
While physical well-being is vital during the coronavirus pandemic, the situation is raising multiple mental-health issues, including rising stress levels exacerbated by job uncertainty and social isolation. Looking at mental-health policies and tools, innovative practices and work-from-home protocols, Benefits Canada hosted a panel of experts in a webinar on March 31 to answer plan sponsor […]