Plan sponsors are facing the perfect storm of rising benefits costs, a surge in chronic disease prevalence and fierce competition for top talent. All the while, 55 per cent of Canadian workers feel their employee benefits plan doesn’t fully meet their needs, according to Telus Health’s mental-health index. More than 50 per cent of plan members […]
Admiral Insurance’s award-winning benefits program is demonstrating how employers can use versatility to strike a fine balance between finding innovative solutions and maintaining plan sustainability. The organization was the winner in the Drug/Benefits Plan Innovation category of the 2024 Workplace Benefits Awards. “We’re honoured to win this award and be nominated in three categories,” says Allison Jost […]
TD Synnex Canada is modernizing its employee benefits plan by getting the best value for money while still protecting employees from a mental-health and well-being perspective, according to Shana Kapustin, the global information technology company’s senior director of human resources, speaking during an event hosted last week by the Group Insurance and Pharmaceutical Committee. “We’ve gone […]
After years of viewing diversity, equity and inclusion as a side-of-the-desk issue, Canadian employers are increasingly considering it a top priority and integrating their organizational DEI goals into their benefits plans. While employers have been introducing DEI initiatives for years, incorporating these goals into benefits plans had been neglected, according to multiple panellists during Benefits Canada’s […]
Canadian employers are investing in innovative financial, physical and mental-health benefits to drive their attraction and retention efforts, according to a new survey by Mercer. The survey, which polled more than 300 employers, found 59 per cent said they’ve invested in employee discount programs, followed by budgeting and other financial wellness education and supports (51 […]
Working on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic day in and day out, health-care workers experienced significant mental-health challenges over the past two and a half years — and while the most acute phases of the pandemic may have passed, the sector is preparing for the psychological fallout. Employers in the sector have responded proactively […]
One in five Canadians will experience a mental illness in their lifetime and by age 40 about 50 per cent of the population will have or have had one. Mental illness includes conditions such as depression, schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, which “can really affect the ability of an individual to function,” said Nida Mian, senior […]
Pharmacogenetic testing has become a popular addition to employee benefits packages, primarily because of its ability to inform personalized drug treatment, especially in mental health where it can be challenging to find an appropriate treatment and dosage that’s effective without causing side-effects. Many patients end up trying multiple medications and dosages without achieving improved outcomes, […]
The Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board is investing in a Toronto-based artificial intelligence company. The CPPIB entered a $125 million funding round for a Untether AI Corp., a company that creates software and hardware used in AI platforms. The new funding will be used to enhance its software offerings and build a new generation of products, […]
In the last 17 months, workplaces are prioritizing their employees’ physical health above all else. But what happens when employees’ mental health falls to the wayside? “Depression is a constellation of symptoms — and one must show five out of nine symptoms with some of the symptoms in question as slight as a change in […]