With healthcare costs rising, employees are expected to be more accountable for maintaining their own health and monitoring their expenses, says Aon Hewitt. According to the consulting firm, overall U.S. healthcare costs are expected to rise 7% in 2012 to US$10,475 per employee, compared with US$9,792 per employee in 2011. While employers will likely continue […]
A new online resource is offering Canadian business leaders access to resources and tools designed to encourage workplace health. was launched by the Health Work & Wellness Group, and is Canada’s first independent organizational health library. It features information on healthy workplace practices, tools, reports, models, case studies, research and education programs in the field […]
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most prevalent form of arthritis, affecting approximately three million Canadians. And while it’s commonly believed that arthritis is a disease of the elderly, 58% of arthritis patients are under the age of 65—which means, they’re still in the workforce. If you have employees with OA, you likely know that their workplace […]
Sun Life Financial has launched a new website that provides tips and tools for financial planning, health management and maintaining work/life balance. BrighterLife.ca includes articles, blogs, videos and discussions about topics that range from returning to work after maternity leave, to elder care, to preparing your kids for university. The site also features a series […]
The benefits of promoting healthy lifestyles in the workplace have been proven; good employee health boosts productivity, stimulates creativity and reduces company insurance costs. Creating a structured wellness program prepares businesses and their employees to meet the demands of the new economy, which requires high levels of creativity, immediate responsiveness and ever-shorter turnaround times. Studies […]
Stress-free employees work harder and better. Asking employees to rate their stress levels and incorporating anti-stress treatments into your wellness program may help boost employee health and resiliency, according to a recent Mayo Clinic study published in The American Journal of Health Promotion. While wellness programs can help cut health care costs and boost productivity, […]
The Face to Face Disability Management Forum, held on May 25, 2011, at Toronto’s Fairmont Royal York Hotel, brought together more than 100 plan sponsors, group insurers, benefits consultants, pharmaceutical representatives and other stakeholders to discuss effective disability management strategies. Read Part 1 of our coverage. Chronic pain is one of the most common causes […]
Over the last 20 years, we have seen the emergence of a major trend in North America: employee health and wellness are suffering. In Canada and the United States, there have been alarming increases of hypertension, diabetes and obesity. Between 1994 and 2005, the rates of arterial hypertension among Canadians increased by 77%, diabetes by […]
Reader Alert: This is Part 1 in a two-part series. Read Part 2. Addiction, mental illness, unhealthy lifestyles…employee disability can stem from a number of causes. Workplace absences related to these disabilities place a significant burden on Canadian employers, accounting for an estimated 4% to 12% of payroll costs, according to 2002 research from Wilson, Joffe […]
Watch this video While most plan sponsors—and employees—will agree that people should take control of their own health, Chris Bonnett, president of H3 Consulting, suggests employers should also recognize the role they can plan in maintaining and encouraging employee health. “Sometimes it’s surprising for organizations to learn how much is in their control,” he says. […]