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 […]
As part of efforts to add to its mental-health training for staff and faculty, the University of British Columbia is in the process of rolling out a mindfulness program from technology giant Google Inc. The Search Inside Yourself program, an effort launched internally at Google in 2007, follows the research of leading experts in the fields of mindfulness, neuroscience and […]
While many Canadian organizations continue to search for solutions to rising health-care costs, most are falling short. That’s why they must investigate any opportunity to find substantial savings and then take action. One health-related cost that hasn’t gained much attention is absenteeism. As issue often linked to mental-health issues, it’s costing Canadian organizations billions of dollars in payroll costs, […]
More than half (57 per cent) of Canadian employees and managers are currently suffering from a mental-health problem or sleeping disorder, or have done so in the past, according to new research by Morneau Shepell Ltd. However, 27 per cent of employees and 32 per cent of managers surveyed said they’re able to go through their daily work […]
The Co-operators Group Ltd. is expanding its mental-health support for employees by increasing its annual coverage of mental-health services to $5,000 a year per family member. It’s also expanding the number of eligible practitioners covered by its plan, beyond psychologists and social workers to include family therapists, clinical counsellors and psychotherapists. The company is also introducing a new […]