Last February, Vancouver-based iQmetrix Software Development Corp. gave employees a weeklong all-expense paid vacation to Hawaii. Adopting a theme of personal development, the company created a vacation itinerary that incorporated activities for the mind, body and spirit, says Krystal Ho, director of corporate relations. Staff members attended team-building workshops and took part in activities such […]
When a Hootsuite Media Inc. employee decided to send a branded T-shirt to a customer as a gift, he didn’t expect it to cost $200. But according to an article written by Hootsuite chief executive officer Ryan Holmes that appeared on the website of U.S. publication Fast Company earlier this year, that’s exactly how expensive […]
From encouraging open discussions around mental health in the workplace to reintegrating workers once they return from disability leave, a lot of information is available on how to support employees. But what are employers’ responsibilities before they even hire someone? “Certainly, mental-health conditions can be a concern for an employer if it impacts on the […]
The second episode of Benefits Canada’s new podcast, Human Resourcefulness, continues this week with a look at The Office‘s Dwight Schrute and Jim Halpert. Dwight cares a lot about his company, but his suspicion and lack of humour make him a difficult colleague to work with. Jim seems like a great guy to grab a beer with […]
This summer, Benefits Canada is launching a new podcast, Human Resourcefulness, that looks at problems presented in fictional workplaces and asks experts how they’d advise those companies to respond. The first episode looks at Michael Scott, regional manager at paper sales company Dunder Mifflin, from the U.S. version of the TV show The Office. Benefits Canada‘s Sara Tatelman and […]
Royal Bank of Canada, the Toronto Transit Commission and Telus Communications are among Canada’s 25 best places to work, according to a new ranking published by job search website Indeed Canada. The ranking, based on employee reviews, lauds employers for leading corporate cultures, work-life balance and great pay and benefits, among other factors. “Companies that are […]
Facing a number of challenges not experienced by their larger counterparts, medium-sized employers must leverage their strengths when it comes to employee recruitment, according to a new report by the Economist Intelligence Unit. The report examines the hiring challenges faced by medium-sized companies in Australia, Britain, Canada, France and the United States. In Canada, medium-sized […]
While the majority (84 per cent) of American employers say their workplace is friendly to caregivers, only 35 per cent offer employees paid leave specifically for caregiving responsibilities, according to a new survey by the Northeast Business Group on Health and the AARP. However, many respondents do offer other forms of support for caregivers, including: […]
Sears Canada’s plan to pay out millions in bonuses to keep executives and key staff on board while not paying severance to laid-off workers is being met with shock and disbelief. “It definitely should not go to them,” said Marinella Gonzalez, who worked as a planner at the retailer’s head office for 18 years before […]
TD Bank and Johns Hopkins University have launched new parental leave policies. The new policy for employees at TD Bank and TD Securities U.S. offers 16 weeks of paid leave to all new parents. It also provides primary and secondary caregiver eligibility, regardless of gender, as well as job protection during the leave. TD Bank […]