In a world flooded by media messages, how can employers cut through the noise to engage employees in their pension and benefits plans? This is an ongoing challenge for human resources professionals and communicators. Part of the solution lies in developing communications that are relevant and visually interesting. But perhaps most importantly, these communications should answer the question: […]
Two group benefits firms in the Greater Toronto Area have joined forces to strengthen growth and innovation in the benefits and insurance industry. The new joint venture between Etobicoke, Ont.-based Steven Cohen Insurance Agency Inc. and North York, Ont.-based RRJ Insurance Group Ltd. took effect on Jan. 1. Plan sponsor clients will have access to […]
Strong competition to attract and retain talent will drive employers to adopt holistic employee wellness strategies in 2020, according to the Workforce Institute at Kronos Inc.’s global workforce predictions for the year. “We have these war for talent issues going on everywhere,” says Joyce Maroney, executive director at the Workforce Institute. “One of the ways […]
Major Canadian insurers are no longer resetting the long-term disability pre-existing condition clause for women whose benefits coverage lapsed during their maternity leave when they return to work. Women covered by these insurers — which include the Co-operators Group Ltd., Desjardins Insurance, Empire Life Insurance Co., iA Financial Group, Manulife Financial Corp., RBC Insurance and Sun Life — […]
Starbucks Canada is giving its more than 23,000 employees a free subscription to meditation app Headspace. In total, more than 200,000 employees across North America are receiving access to the app, which offers guided meditations and videos, articles and animations around mental-health topics. “By arming [employees] with resources and support, they will be better able to curb and cope […]
Quebec employers can expect to face significant increases to their drug pooling premiums in 2020. The Quebec Drug Insurance Pooling Corp., which sets the annual pooling parameters for private drug plans in the province, has increased the cost that plan sponsors with Quebec employees must pay per plan member. Plan sponsors pay different rates for members with and […]
On Nov. 29, the 2019 Toronto Mental Health Summit featured sessions on how employers can approach mental health in the workplace, including removing the stigma and facilitating positive return-to-work transitions. Here’s what you missed! Social connection can build or erode mental health, resilience Between 2017 and 2019, the number of individuals reporting mental-health issues has risen […]
In recent years, advancements in technology have led to the development and cost-effective delivery of sophisticated digital mental-health programs, with burgeoning resources for common mental-health problems. Today, a Google search for ‘digital therapies for anxiety’ yields more than 67 million results, while ‘digital therapies for depression’ brings up more than 80 million results, said Dr. […]
When Mark Henick, principal and chief executive officer at Strategic Mental Health Solutions, was younger, he felt he had no choice but to take his own life. In the small Cape Breton community where he grew up, few support systems were available for a young person suffering from what turned out to be severe and […]
A migraine sufferer herself, Dr. Rose Giammarco, founder and director of Hamilton Headache Clinic, told the audience at Benefits Canada‘s 2019 Mental Health Summit that migraine can be very disabling and cause tremendous burden of disease. “Clinically, these patients come in with severe headaches, throbbing pain that can last hours or days, sometimes weeks at […]