The Ottawa Community Housing Corp. is continuing to see employee engagement in its health and wellness programs following its win in Benefits Canada’s 2022 Workplace Benefits Awards. The organization’s flexible well-being strategy won in the Health/Wellness program category for employers with fewer than 1,000 employees. In 2021, the OCH added more flexibility to its wellness programs by overhauling […]
When Amazon Inc. employees in Toronto and Vancouver head to the office, they’ll be able to bring their fur babies with them. The technology company’s ‘Dogs at Work’ program provides dog owners and their four-legged friends with special perks, including a welcome package, designated spaces for their dogs to play, dog-friendly events, discounted pet insurance […]
More than half of generation Z (56 per cent) and millennial employees (65 per cent) say their current benefits package makes them somewhat more likely to remain with their employer, according to a new survey by LIMRA. The survey, which polled more than 4,000 U.S. employees, found 54 per cent of workers said they view their benefits […]
Federally regulated workplaces are expected to begin offering free menstrual products to workers by the end of 2023. On Wednesday, Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan announced changes to the Canada Labour Code that would ensure access to such products beginning Dec. 15. The changes would require federally regulated workplaces to provide menstrual products to workers at […]
The Alberta Investment Management Corp.’s chief human resources officer discusses the evolving employee life cycle, autonomous working and competitive weightlifting. Q: What top challenges do you face in your role? A: The talent environment is complex right now. There’s an increase in retirements and workers are more transient than before. To ensure we’re rebuilding for […]
Sun Life Financial Inc. is supporting employees working in a hybrid arrangement with its new activity-based, people-focused workspace in Waterloo, Ont. “We’ve been on a journey of rethinking work since before the [coronavirus] pandemic,” says Helena Pagano, executive vice-president, chief people and culture officer at Sun Life. “We knew with changing employee expectations, increasing competition for […]
Yukon is the first jurisdiction in Canada to provide government-funded paid sick leave with a program targeting workers who are most likely to suffer from taking unpaid time off. Retroactive to April 1, 2023, employees without paid sick leave through their employer and who are making less than or equal to $33.94 per hour, will […]
More than four in 10 (42 per cent) global employees consider the availability of fertility benefits through their employer a ‘deal breaker’ in accepting a job, according to a new survey by Carrot Fertility. The survey, which polled 5,000 people across Canada, India, Mexico, the U.K. and the U.S., also found two-thirds (65 per cent) of […]
The annual spend per private drug plan member increased by 6.3 per cent in 2022, according to Express Scripts Canada’s annual drug trends report. Across both traditional and specialty drugs, the increase was primarily driven by a 5.4 per cent rise in plan members making a claim, which reversed the trend seen in 2020 and […]
A 2023 federal budget proposal to require employers to report dental coverage as part of the national dental-care program will be onerous on plan sponsors and still leaves more questions than answers, says Pam Martin, vice-president and senior consultant at Baynes & White Inc. Since dental benefits are important to an individual’s mental health, the federal government […]