Alongside its financial impact, extreme weather takes a toll on absenteeism, mental health and disability claims, according to a new study by the Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation at the University of Waterloo. The research, funded by Manulife Financial Corp. and Intact Financial Corp., looked at homeowners in Burlington, Ont., after a storm in August 2014 left […]
CGI Group Inc. hosted its annual mental-health month in May, focusing this year on the support that employees can receive from their employer and their colleagues, as well as how to build a support network. Although the global information technology company has been running its wellness program since 2004, it began to address mental health in the […]
It’s a familiar scene for many workers: you’re sitting at your desk, your neck is tight, your stomach feels funny and you’re feeling the telltale signs of stress. How do you combat it? The Canadian Mental Health Association has come up with some strategies through its workplace mental-health program, Not Myself Today. Many of its […]
Around 80 per cent of Canadian employees surveyed feel their employer has a responsibility to keep them mentally and physically healthy, according to findings from a survey released by Staples Inc. The survey, which queried more than 500 full-time Canadian employees, also found that 36 per cent had taken a mental-health day and 72 per […]
May is the perfect time of year to address employees’ financial health, as they’ve just gone through the stress of filing their tax returns. As well, May 7-13 is Mental Health Week in Canada, so employees will be seeing an abundance of resources to support their challenges, encourage new behaviours and improve their situations. Good financial health […]
More than a third (41 per cent) of Canadians rank money as their greatest stress, according to a new survey commissioned by the Financial Planning Standards Council. The survey, which asked 1,106 Canadians — excluding those in Quebec — about their financial stresses, also found that 51 per cent of respondents are embarrassed about lacking control over […]
With studies showing high levels of employee stress about their finances that’s translating into lost productivity, absenteeism or health issues, the time is right for financial wellness programs in the workplace. There’s an opportunity for employers to step in and offer much-needed guidance, but they could (and should) be helping workers with far more than the basic advice about […]
Almost 40 per cent of Canadian employees are suffering sleepless nights due to work-related anxiety, according to a survey by staffing firm Accountemps. The survey, which asked more than 500 Canadian employees how often they lose sleep over work, found just 12 per cent of respondents said they never lose sleep over work. Of those who do miss […]
Organizations that involve organizational leadership in their wellness programs and offer stress management within the program are more likely to notice a positive effect on health-care costs and higher employee participation rates, according to a new report by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans. Looking at specific actions, the report compared successful wellness programs with those that are less successful. Among the […]
Any job applicant knows that in an interview, it’s important to sit up straight, lean in and make eye contact. But body language isn’t crucial only for potential employees — it also counts for current staff members. Body language is very important in the workplace, according to Kristin Coulombe, director of human resources at Jones […]