While a transplant can be life-altering for a patient as a permanent cure for their underlying condition, it can also profoundly affect their immune system, according to Dr. Matthew Cheng, assistant professor in transplant infectious diseases and medical mycology at McGill University, speaking during a panel discussion at Benefits Canada’s Face to Face Drug Plan […]
About a million Canadians are impacted by rare diseases, which disproportionately affect younger patients — 70 per cent start in childhood and, sadly, half of these children won’t reach adulthood, said Suzanne Lepage, a private health plan strategist, during a session supported by Alexion Pharmaceuticals at Benefits Canada‘s 2022 Face to Face Drug Plan Management Forum […]
The third Monday in January, also known as ‘Blue Monday,’ is considered to be the saddest day of the year, as people contend with frigid weather and higher-than-normal credit card bills from the holiday season. Employers can use this occasion to check in with employees and plan their mental-health strategies for the year, says Janet […]
The costs of employer-sponsored medical benefits in Canada are expected to rise 7.5 per cent in 2023, according to a new report by Aon. The report analyzed responses from more than 100 Aon offices that broker, administer or advise on employer-sponsored medical plans across the world. Consistent with last year, it found the medical conditions […]
Approximately three million Canadians live with asthma, a chronic inflammatory disease that affects airways, limits airflow and makes breathing difficult, said Dr. Erika Penz, associate professor in respirology, critical care and sleep medicine at the University of Saskatchewan, during a webinar hosted by Benefits Canada and sponsored by GSK in November. Asthma, which affects people of […]
Nearly three-quarters (74 per cent) of U.S. employers say they offer hybrid work arrangements, according to a new survey by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans. The survey, which polled more than 500 employers, found 55 per cent said they offer fully remote working arrangements while 57 per cent offer flexible work hours. In […]
The autumn is typically a busy one for the industry, but this year was especially eventful over at Benefits Canada. After a brief hiatus, the long-standing Healthy Outcomes Conference returned in October. This year, it was an in-person event designed for employers to exchange ideas and best practices for achieving improved employee health outcomes. Nearly […]
Ten years ago, while BlackBerry Ltd. was moving from its head office near the University of Waterloo campus to a complex of three office buildings in the city, it took the opportunity to use feedback from employees to influence how it built its new space. A wellness room and a spirituality room were among the requests […]
The airport hospitality company’s executive vice-president and chief human resources officer talks attraction and retention, succession planning and making memories with family. Q: What top challenges do you face in your role? A: Finding and engaging people. Finding the right mix and opportunities for people and managing in the ever-changing world of human resources. We […]
After two and a half years of coronavirus pandemic-induced remote work, employers are attempting to bring employees back to the office, but many are failing to do so in a way that supports employees’ mental well-being and takes their desire for work-life balance into account, according to Linda Duxbury, a professor at Carleton University’s Sprott […]