As employers across the globe adjust their work environments to help slow down the spread of the coronavirus, one thing that shouldn’t get lost in the fray is a focus on supporting employees’ mental health. Employees are facing a myriad of stressors right now, including financial worries about the effects of the volatile market on […]
While many retailers are maintaining pay and benefits for their store-based staff amid temporary closures caused by the coronavirus crisis, what about employees who are still coming into work and serving the public? Loblaw Companies Ltd. is stepping up. Following discussions with the United Food and Commercial Workers union, it’s adding $2 to the hourly […]
Over the past couple of years, I’ve been relentlessly pestered by my dentist’s office. I’ve lost track of the frequency of texts, emails and phone calls. When the overt neediness increased even more at the end of last year, I realized it had barely been six months since our last date. Is it just me […]
Dr. Jennifer Wild, consultant clinical psychologist and associate professor at the University of Oxford When we’re feeling ill, we want to be seen quickly by our doctors. Earlier access to treatment means less suffering, whether we’re dealing with a chest infection or something more debilitating like depression. Telemedicine eases access to assessment and treatment, which […]
Taking a look at private drug plans in 2020, a number of trends are converging: spending on specialty drugs is continuing its upward trajectory, advancements in a number of lifechanging therapies are in the pipeline and policy developments are coming at both the federal and provincial levels. In the face of this potential storm, plan […]
With prescription drugs and paramedical benefits taking up an increasingly large portion of employers’ benefits spend, dental benefits often avoid the spotlight. But consultants and insurers are emphasizing a few dental issues for plan sponsors to consider in 2020. Over-billing Though GE Canada isn’t focusing on dental benefits in this year’s renewal process, Diana McNiven, […]
Nola Miller remembers the day she received 19 calls from her mother at work. As a group home co-ordinator for Winnipeg Child and Family Services, she’d mastered the demands of her job, but the stress of caring for her aging mother was weighing on her. “When you’re at work, and you’re getting calls like that, […]
Starbucks Coffee Co. is offering eligible employees in the U.S. access to 20 free mental-health sessions per year beginning April 6. Through provider Lyra Health Inc., employees will be able to meet with a therapist or coach in-person or via video. They’ll also be able to access self-guided online programs recommended by the provider based […]
The Aboriginal Peoples Television Network is working to make counselling from Indigenous elders available to employees in several provinces through its employee assistance program. The APTN has reached out to six elders in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and Nova Scotia, with three to date confirming they’ll participate. Once the APTN has sufficient elders on board, […]
Green Shield Canada is launching a benefits plan analytics tool to help plan sponsors take a closer look at their offerings. The tool, DATAleap, looks to provide insight on claims trends, key cost drivers and disease state data. It also provides benchmarking tools for plans and demographics analyses. Read: Harnessing analytics, data to support employee mental health “Users can […]