Eight months into the coronavirus pandemic, employees continue to face a myriad of stressors, including health anxiety, isolation, financial concerns, family issues and increased workloads. This prolonged stress is impacting sleep, energy and motivation, while driving a heightened demand for mental-health services and medication. “If you think of a classic disaster, . . . [like] an […]
The costs of employer-provided health plans in Canada are expected to rise seven per cent next year, outpacing general inflation by more than five per cent, according to a new report by Aon Canada. Contributing factors include higher drug prices, the impact of non-communicable health risks and the continued introduction of new and expensive therapies. Indeed, […]
After nine months of uncertainty in the financial markets and with no end in sight to the coronavirus pandemic, more and more Canadian workers are worrying about life after retirement, according to a new survey by Manulife Investment Management. It found financial woes are taking a toll on workers, with a 16 per cent rise […]
A third (33 per cent) of employees said they’re more burned out on the job these days compared to 2019, according to a new survey by Robert Half Canada Inc. The staffing firm, which surveyed 500 Canadian employees this summer, found that, among this group, 40 per cent pointed to having a fuller plate at work as […]
MindBeacon Group is launching a digital mental-health option to support all Canadians through heightened anxiety and stress related to the coronavirus pandemic. The organization found nearly half (46 per cent) of people starting therapy since the beginning of the pandemic via its Beacon digital platform indicated anxiety as their primary mental-health concern, which was up by 12 per cent when […]
At IBM Canada Ltd, if an employee joins a meeting, but doesn’t turn on their camera, the solution is simple: don’t worry about it. This is one attitude the company has formalized during the coronavirus pandemic to safeguard the mental well-being of its staff, says Katherine Faichnie, the technology company’s director of human resources. From a technology perspective, […]
While the coronavirus pandemic is increasing employee burnout globally, the impact differs across countries, according to a new work trends index by Microsoft Corp. The survey, which polled more than 6,000 information and frontline workers in eight countries, including Australia, Brazil, Germany, Japan, India, Singapore, the U.K. and the U.S., found more than 30 per […]
Canadians who’ve experienced mental-health challenges, or have taken time off for disabilities, are more likely to view a mental-health illness as a disability, according to a new survey by RBC Insurance. Half (51 per cent) of Canadians said they see mental-health issues, such as depression or anxiety, as a disability. That number rose to 59 per cent among those familiar […]
While 62 per cent of working Canadians said they’re able to save more than five per cent of their paycheque in 2020, compared to 59 per cent in 2019, more are financially stressed than in previous years, according to a new survey by the Canadian Payroll Association. The survey, along with an analysis of its […]
U.S. employers are planning to maintain core health benefits but are exploring other changes to preserve jobs and manage expenses, according to new a new survey by Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. The survey, which looked at data from nearly 4,000 employers over several months, found close to half have planned salary freezes for management and executives (43 per cent) and non-management […]