We live in an information ecosystem — especially when talking about obesity — that’s full of misinformation, fads and gimmicks, said Ian Patton, director of advocacy and public engagement at Obesity Canada, during a session at Benefits Canada’s 2023 Chronic Disease at Work conference in early February. In the session, supported by Desjardins Insurance, he noted […]
As employers increasingly see four generations represented in their workforces and a diverse range of employee needs, customization and flexibility in benefits and wellness plans are becoming key to creating healthy outcomes for all employees. The result of these offerings was “peace of mind for employees and their families and a sense of belonging in […]
Employers planning to incentivize non-smoking employees should align these perks with a broader health and well-being strategy and ensure the rewards are significant enough to make behaviour change appealing for smokers, says Kim Siddall, vice-president of enterprise consulting for the West at People Corporation. Possible incentives include additional vacation time, increased credits in a health-care […]
The Alberta School Employee Benefit Plan’s extensive mental-health strategy led to a win in the Mental health program category for an employer with fewer than 1,000 employees at Benefits Canada‘s 2022 Workplace Benefits Awards on Oct. 18. In 2021, the Alberta School Employee Benefit Plan launched a campaign called It Takes a Village, which emphasizes the importance of […]
The Ottawa Community Housing Corp.’s flexible employee well-being strategy led to a win in the Health/wellness program category for employers with fewer than 1,000 employees at Benefits Canada‘s 2022 Workplace Benefits Awards on Oct. 18. “Our organization is happy about the win because this journey in terms of supporting employee health started about two to three years back,” […]
Telus Communications Inc. was recognized for supporting employees’ holistic well-being as it took home the award for Health/wellness program for an employer with more than 1,000 employees at Benefits Canada‘s 2022 Workplace Benefits Awards on Oct. 18. Acknowledging its staff are all somewhere on the well-being continuum and that each person’s situation and goals are […]
The TD Bank Group’s inclusive benefits offerings resulted in a win in the Drug and benefits plan innovation category at Benefits Canada’s 2022 Workplace Benefits Awards on Oct. 18. In March, the bank enhanced coverage to include fertility and reproductive treatments and introduced new surrogacy and adoption benefits, with a $20,000 lifetime maximum for each benefit. “We heard […]
The Alberta School Employee Benefit Plan’s response to the coronavirus pandemic led to a win in the Coronavirus and benefits category for an employer with fewer than 1,000 employees at Benefits Canada‘s 2022 Workplace Benefits Awards on Oct. 18. When the pandemic was declared in March 2020, the organization quickly responded with measures such as […]
Scotiabank is supporting employees with elderly relatives by providing five back-up days for elder care. The benefit provides in-home visits by personal support workers and was modelled after an existing program providing the bank’s employees with back-up childcare days, says Dominic Cole-Morgan, senior vice-president of total rewards. “It was about understanding sources of potential mental-health […]
The provision of employer-sponsored benefits has evolved significantly over the last 45 years, with the past decade ushering in the most consequential changes, fueled by technology, increased competition and demand. In the 80s and 90s, benefits plans were very siloed and one size fits all, says Chris Pryce, founder and president of Human Capital Benefits, […]