In the months following the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, anxiety is on the rise over other mental-health conditions, overtaking depression as the No. 1 mental-health concern Canadians are seeking treatment for, according to a new analysis by MindBeacon Group. The organization’s clinical team, led by Dr. Peter Farvolden, its chief science officer, took a […]
Texas-based Insurance Zebra is stepping up for employee wellness by helping them welcome furry friends into their lives. The insurer has added a $300 annual benefit for employees adopting a new dog or cat and encouraging staff to take paid time off for “paw-ternity” leave. “There was a time a while ago when I took my […]
Best Buy Canada Ltd. has had a well-used on-site gym at its Burnaby, B.C. head office for a decade. But when employees started working from home during the pandemic, the company decided to bring the gym to their laptops with a virtual fitness program. “We realized that staying fit and staying active was something we […]
With financial worries swirling through the minds of many employees as the economic impacts of the pandemic rage, some segments of employee populations may be feeling worse about their finances than others and it’s important for employers to be able to discern who’s struggling the most, according to a new report from U.S.-based think tank Financial […]
Four in five (80 per cent) Canadian employers believe they have the appropriate programs and practices in place to support employees’ mental, physical, emotional and financial well-being as they return to the workplace and settle into a new normal, according to a new survey by Mercer Canada. The survey, which examined Canadian organizations’ preparedness for returning to […]
More than half (58 per cent) of working Canadians said they feel more concerned about their financial situation due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new survey by the Canadian Payroll Association. The survey, which polled more than 4,000 employed Canadians, found 54 per cent said their company is facing serious economic impacts from […]
Even before the coronavirus pandemic, U.S. employers were beefing up their financial well-being offerings and starting to see positive results, according to a new survey by Buck. The survey, which polled more than 150 U.S. organizations, found employees’ financial stress is a top motivator for companies to invest in financial well-being programs. As well, 40 […]
In this unprecedented time, it’s more evident the physical, psychological and financial components of health are all interconnected, said Charmaine Alexander, senior disability management advisor at Desjardins Insurance, during a webinar hosted by Benefits Canada. Prior to the pandemic, in May 2018, Desjardins conducted a survey to measure these interactions to better understand how they […]
iA Financial Group is launching a service for its group plan members to target major mental-health issues that contribute to absenteeism and disability claims. The new mental-health coaching service, which will be managed by health services provider Novus Health, is set to launch on Aug. 1, 2020 and will be provided to plan members for […]
The coronavirus pandemic has prompted a spike in the use of prescription medication for mental-health concerns, according to an analysis by Express Scripts Canada. The analysis found an 11 per cent increase in plan members making claims for antidepressants between January and June 2020, compared to the same period in 2019. As well, 61 per […]