Canadian employers are investing in innovative financial, physical and mental-health benefits to drive their attraction and retention efforts, according to a new survey by Mercer. The survey, which polled more than 300 employers, found 59 per cent said they’ve invested in employee discount programs, followed by budgeting and other financial wellness education and support (51 […]
Ottawa-based Ross Video Ltd. is supporting employee mental health through a virtual health-care platform. The platform, provided by Telus Health, allows employees and their dependants to connect with mental-health professionals in real time and fills a gap in local health-care services, says Hannah Barkley, the organization’s director of human resources operations. Virtual health care also […]
In three short years, the relationship between Canadian employers and employees has changed dramatically as a result of the coronavirus pandemic’s impact on health, finances and overall sense of security. While there’s a lot of talk about the world settling into a new normal in 2023, it’s not clear what that will look like. The […]
The Ottawa Community Housing Corp. is continuing to see employee engagement in its health and wellness programs following its win in Benefits Canada’s 2022 Workplace Benefits Awards. The organization’s flexible well-being strategy won in the Health/Wellness program category for employers with fewer than 1,000 employees. In 2021, the OCH added more flexibility to its wellness programs by overhauling […]
American Express Canada is supporting employee well-being with onsite counselling and enhanced mental-health resources. Employees can register for free in-office counselling sessions with a registered psychotherapist or virtual sessions with licensed counsellors. The company also upgraded its digital mental-health resources, including access to meditation and breathing exercises via a wellness app. Annette Kingsley, Amex Canada’s […]
Once rooted in mental-health support, employee assistance programs have evolved exponentially in recent years to meet the changing needs of employees. During the coronavirus pandemic, the use of virtual care exploded as most people were forced to stay at home, so EAPs had to adapt quickly to provide virtual support to many struggling Canadians. “By […]
Around a third of Canadians report their physical health (30 per cent), mental health (32 per cent) and financial situations (34 per cent) have worsened or significantly worsened over the past two years, according to a new survey conducted by Environics Research and commissioned by Dialogue Health Technologies Inc. The survey, which polled more than 1,500 Canadians, […]
While gender affirmation and fertility benefits coverage still isn’t included in all group benefits plans, around half of Canada’s group benefits providers include gender affirmation coverage (50 per cent) or fertility benefits coverage (59 per cent) in some of their plan offers, according to an exclusive survey by Benefits Canada. The survey, which polled Canada’s […]
As technology advances and plan members’ needs become more diverse, the relationship between benefits plan sponsors and providers is adapting to fit these changes. Sarah Beech, chief executive officer of benefits and consulting at Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., believes the trend of employees wanting more from their employers is the starting point for this […]
Schneider Electric’s senior compensation and benefits leader talks about adapting benefits to flex work, artificial intelligence and time spent gardening. Q: What top challenges do you face in your role? A: Labour market trends over the last two years have had a pronounced impact on expectations around rewards, leading to a greater emphasis on staying […]