Employees’ parental leave has “no measurable effect” on their company’s profits, output or survival, nor does it have a negative impact on the well-being of those employees’ colleagues, according to a study by the U.S.-based National Bureau of Economic Research. The paper, which looked at data from small firms in Denmark, compared organizations where female employees were […]
In 2018, 25 per cent of Canadians, or 7.8 million people, aged 15 and older provided care to a family member or friend with a long-term health condition, a physical or mental disability or problems related to aging, according to data published this week by Statistics Canada. This compares to 8.1 million people, or 28 […]
When Mark Henick, principal and chief executive officer at Strategic Mental Health Solutions, was younger, he felt he had no choice but to take his own life. In the small Cape Breton community where he grew up, few support systems were available for a young person suffering from what turned out to be severe and […]
When my husband got a new job in Pickering, Ont., it became clear that a four-hour return commute from our west-end neighbourhood on public transit wasn’t sustainable for him. We weighed the pros and cons of either moving or buying a car. The car won out, but only if we could both use it as […]
Two-thirds (66 per cent) of working Canadians said they expect to do extra work either before or after their vacation, according to a survey by ADP Canada Co. The survey, which polled more than 1,500 Canadians, found employees who put in extra time said they expect to spend an average of 16 additional hours before vacation and […]
While nearly two-thirds (63 per cent) of Canadian plan sponsors believe their benefits plans meet current workforce diversity needs, 87 per cent noted employee expectations for benefits and the workplace have changed, according to a survey from Aon. Today’s employees expect more flexible working hours (84 per cent), support to achieve work-life balance (79 per […]
Canadian employers are going beyond traditional health benefits to address all the facets of their employees’ well-being, according to a new survey by global staffing firm Robert Half. The survey found employers are offering physical (63 per cent), financial (65 per cent) and mental (73 per cent) wellness programs. As well, organizations are covering at least some of the […]
Since Grace Palombo joined Great-West Lifeco Inc. five years ago, she’s seen a shift at the company. Back then, in her role as executive vice-president and chief human resources officer, she was the only woman in a group of 12 executives who reported to the chief executive officer. Today, the company’s leadership includes eight members […]
Pethealth Inc.’s senior vice-president of HR talks flexible working, mental health and crime fiction. Q. What top challenges do you face in your role? A. A key challenge is balancing between the needs and wants of employees. For example, employees at different life stages value different benefits — some employees want more vacation time, while […]
Working Canadians are negatively impacted by the demands of caring for an elderly relative, according to a new study from Ryerson University. Michael Halinski, assistant professor of organizational behaviour and human resource management at the university’s Ted Rogers School of Management, found the demands of elder care results in less sleep and time to pursue […]