Canadian employers are projecting, on average, 3.3 per cent for merit increase budgets and 3.7 per cent for total increase budgets in 2024, compared to 3.6 per cent and 4.1 per cent, respectively, in 2023, according to a new survey by Mercer Canada. “In the face of economic uncertainty and reduced labour market pressure, employer […]
Nearly three-quarters (72 per cent) of Canadian benefits plan members say they appreciate their health benefits more today than they did before the coronavirus pandemic, according to the 2023 Benefits Canada Healthcare Survey. It found while this result is generally consistent across all cross tabulations, the biggest variation occurred regionally, with a high of 85 […]
While the Nova Scotia Pension Services Corp. isn’t currently invested in frontier markets, the institutional investor is set to take its first steps towards investing in the sector. “Step one is getting [the board] more comfortable with frontier markets,” says Steve Mahoney, the organization’s chief investment officer, which includes the N.S. Teachers’ Pension Plan, the […]
Canadian employers say competition for talent (84 per cent), rising mental-health issues (63 per cent) and a focus on inclusion and diversity (48 per cent) are the top factors influencing their benefits strategy, according to a new survey by WTW. The survey, which polled more than 5,200 employers representing 22.9 million employees around the world, found Canadian employers […]
Amid concerns of energy independence and rising costs, institutional investors are increasing their investments in U.S. power plants and electricity-generating assets, said Aleksandar Andonov, associate professor of finance at the University of Amsterdam, during a webinar hosted by the International Centre for Pension Management. Andonov shared the results of a study he conducted in partnership […]
U.S. employers are expecting health benefits costs to increase by an average of 8.5 per cent to more than $15,000 per employee in 2024, according to a new survey by Aon. The survey, which polled 800 U.S. employers, found the projected increase is nearly double the budgeted amount that employers experienced from 2022 to 2023 (4.5 per cent). […]
Fewer Canadians are working from home permanently in 2023, according to a new survey by Aviva Canada. Just 19 per cent of survey respondents said they’re doing so, compared to 27 per cent in 2022. However, the percentage of Canadian employees who said they’re working hybrid a few days each week increased to 29 per […]
An article on how artificial intelligence is impacting benefits communication was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com over the last week. Here are the five most popular news stories of the week: 1. ChatGPT a game-changer for benefits communication, but risks remain with full automation: expert 2. How employers can alleviate labour challenges by supporting older workers who want to […]
IKEA Canada is supporting employees amid the rising cost of living by offering emergency relief grants through its Ingka Social Fund and extra discounts on select products. “The establishment of the global social fund was triggered by the energy crisis and inflationary pressures that many are experiencing in markets around the world,” says Natasha Bagley, […]
I’m sitting down to write this on the hottest day so far in 2023. Environment Canada has issued a multi-day heat warning in my region — today, it’s 31 degrees Celsius but feels closer to 40, the humidity is 70 per cent, pressure is 101.3 kilopascal and the UV index is seven. This is the […]