By the end of 2018, Canadians are expected to leave more than 40 million vacation days on the table, according to new research by Expedia Group. While Canadians have an average of 17 vacation days to use per year, they manage to only take 15, on average. When they do use their vacation days, 55 per cent […]
Take the free money. This is my regular mantra for employees in employer-sponsored retirement plans. But many employees don’t enrol in company-sponsored plans or don’t take the maximum amount of free money available. When human resources professionals ask their employees why, their responses include: “I get a better return with my advisor, so I am contributing with her/him.” “The investment […]
Medavie Blue Cross and Medaca Health Group are introducing a virtual cognitive behavioural therapy pilot project to provide plan members easier access to mental-health care. Through a computer, smartphone or tablet, plan members diagnosed with anxiety or depression can log into the service’s digital platform to communicate with their therapist via video. The treatment will […]
Depression and alcoholism are the leading mental health and substance abuse conditions covered by employers, according to a report by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans. The survey, which polled nearly 300 Canadian and American organizations, found 84 per cent of employers cover depression and 82 per cent cover alcohol addiction. Anxiety disorders (78 per cent), […]
More than two-thirds (69 per cent) of Canadians would choose a new job with a group savings plan instead of staying at a current job without one, according to a new survey by Nest Wealth Asset Management Inc. The survey also found money is the leading stressor (42 per cent) for Canadian workers, cited ahead of work (23 […]
Eighty-five per cent of Canadians said mental-health services are among the most underfunded in the health-care system, according to a new survey commissioned by the Canadian Mental Health Association. The survey accompanies a national policy paper, which calls for new legislation to address unmet mental-health needs and bring mental-health care into balance with physical health care. It also found 86 […]
HumanaCare has completed the integration and re-launch of its virtual health platform TranQool. The platform, which the employee health services company acquired in May 2018, will be available to more than 1.3 million Canadians through partnerships with HumanaCare, and allows individuals to access virtual counselling and therapy services. Read: HumanaCare acquires virtual health-care platform “We are excited to […]
With a growing number of commuters in Britain using free Wifi on their journey to and from the workplace to catch up on work emails, is it time for the daily commute to be counted as part of the working day? A new study by the University of the West of England, Bristol surveyed 5,000 passengers on […]
When staff and faculty at Toronto’s Ryerson University kick back in their lounge, they can, at least in part, thank the institution’s mental-health co-ordinator for the luxury. Natalie Roach, the university’s mental-health co-ordinator, notes this year’s $500,000 rejuvenation of the staff and faculty lounge was part of efforts to help put people first, which is […]
Almost 70 per cent of Canadian employees said they have a good or excellent work-life balance, according to a new survey by staffing firm Robert Half. The survey, which queried more than 570 Canadian employees and more than 1,200 Canadians in leadership roles, found 35 per cent of respondents said their work-life balance has improved compared to […]