When Nasreen, a 32-year-old marketing manager at a Toronto firm, started to suffer from anxiety and depression related to her isolation during the coronavirus pandemic, her manager and colleagues took notice. Nasreen, whose name has been changed to protect her privacy, was experiencing increased presenteeism and absenteeism as she suffered from an increasing number of […]
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure — and nowhere is that more true than when it comes to workplace mental-health supports, said Colleen Adams, manager of health and digital product solutions at Medavie Blue Cross, during a session at Benefits Canada’s 2021 Mental Health Summit. Even before the pandemic, the cost […]
When the coronavirus pandemic hit in March 2020, Fluor Canada was ready with ample mental-health supports for its employees, all thanks to a mental-health strategy the company had put in place years ago and has continued to build on. It began in 2018 when Fluor Canada’s newly appointed senior management team wanted to renew the […]
Benefits plans with a wide range of mental-health supports are taking on new importance as employers look to attract and retain key talent in a tight labour market, said Julie Gaudry, head of group insurance at RBC Insurance Inc., during Benefits Canada’s 2021 Mental Health Summit. One third of Canadian businesses are currently grappling with […]
KPMG in Canada is supporting its transgender, non-binary and gender-diverse employees with a new gender affirmation policy. Stephanie Braid, director of inclusion, diversity and equity at KPMG in Canada, says the policy provides employees who are in the process of affirming their gender with a complete support plan, including how to announce a name change […]
Nevada will be the first state in the U.S. to charge state workers enrolled in public employee health insurance plans a surcharge if they aren’t vaccinated against the coronavirus. Earlier this month, the state Public Employees’ Benefit Program Board voted to charge unvaccinated workers up to US$55 per month to offset the costs of testing that those who […]
About 2,000 workers at the Cargill Inc. beef plant in High River, Alta., are calling off a strike after reaching a deal this weekend that includes a six-year collective agreement featuring retroactive pay, signing bonuses, a 21 per cent wage increase over the life of the contract and improved health benefits. The deal also gives employees […]
With climate change impacting the lives of Canadian employees, there’s a range of things employers can do to tackle the issue head on. As people in the southern and coastal regions of B.C. cope with catastrophic atmospheric rivers, SAP Labs Canada is among the employers that’s ready to support workers. Agnes Garaba, chief operating officer […]
As inflation hits a record high in Canada, employers are helping workers weather the storm through various benefits and compensation offerings, according to several experts. In October, the Canadian inflation rate increased year over year by a record 4.7 per cent, the largest increase since February 2003, according to Statistics Canada. The Bank of Canada […]
For months, Canadian employers have been creaking under the strain of a labour crunch. Finding top talent has always been one of leaders’ most pressing issues and there has often been a shortage of talent for key roles. In addition, Canada — as a whole, in my opinion — has never fully unlocked the skills […]