Improved benefits and pensions are needed for wildland firefighters amid the unprecedented amount of wildfires in Canada this year, says Bert Blundon, president of the National Union of Public and General Employees. “Firefighters have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, pulmonary disease, mental-health concerns and cancer. That last one is the main source of contention for wildland […]
With hybrid working emerging as the frontrunner in the evolving workplace, ‘bare minimum’ workdays is one of many flexible working policies employers are testing to determine the arrangement that best suits the needs of their employees and businesses. Bare minimum workdays allow employees to work at a much more relaxed pace without distractions. More employers […]
Two-fifths (41 per cent) of Canadian employees say they’re either already looking or plan to look for a new job before the end of the year, according to a new survey by Robert Half Canada Inc. The survey, which polled more than 1,100 workers, found generation Z employees (64 per cent) were most likely to […]
Fidelity Canada is supporting the future financial well-being of young Canadians through a new video series hosted by the organization’s employees. The series, known as Money Gains, consists of 10 videos in both English and French, geared towards students and covering a range of investment and retirement topics, including interest, returns, risks and timelines. It […]
PricewaterhouseCoopers Canada is continuing to foster an inclusive work environment and sense of belonging with the addition of three new employee resource groups. The new ERGs, which the company refers to as inclusion networks, are the Muslim Inclusion Network, Middle Eastern and North African Inclusion Network and the Jewish Inclusion Network. “These groups were created […]
When Alaska switched its public education employees from two defined benefit pension plans to a 401(k)-style defined contribution plan, more staff left their positions, according to a new report by the National Institute on Retirement Security. The report benchmarks retirement benefit offerings among state-level plans in Alaska and nationwide, analyzing the evolution of public pension […]
Sixty per cent of Canadian employees say they’d consider leaving their jobs for a role that offers more inclusive benefits, according to a new survey by Medavie Blue Cross. The survey, which polled 1,000 employees and 500 employers in Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada, also found employees want to work for an organization that supports […]
Colliers North America is building a diverse workforce by promoting gender diversity and using feedback from its employee resource groups, says Muriel Thompson, the organization’s director of social impact and employee relations. “In commercial real estate, we’re all competing for clients who are increasingly interested in our commitments to diversity, equity and inclusion. Many of […]
Artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT are becoming critical in helping human resources leaders balance the necessary administration in recruitment processes, says Andrea Bartlett, vice-president of people at HR consultancy Humi. “What’s exciting to me is AI [is] another tool in the HR professionals’ tool belt that can enable them to offset the administrative tasks to […]
A new, six-year initiative is focusing on building the capacity of employers and workplaces to recruit, hire, onboard, accommodate, train, mentor and promote persons with disabilities. Funded by the federal government’s New Frontiers in Research Fund transformation stream, Inclusive Design for Employment Access is co-led by Emile Tompa, senior scientist at the Institute for Work […]