Alethea Spiridon

Sun Life named among most sustainable global companies

Sun Life Financial Inc. is among the most sustainable companies globally for the tenth consecutive year. The 2019 ranking, published by media company Corporate Knights, is based on sustainability performance criteria in areas such as financial and employee management, clean revenue and supplier performance. Sun Life’s commitment to sustainability focuses on making progress in four key areas: organizational resilience, environmental responsibility, […]

January 25, 2019 January 12, 2021
15:15

Employers, insurers have role in managing benefits plan sustainability

While insurers are consistently providing innovative plan design options for employers, that doesn’t detract from the reality that it’s a difficult time for employers, according to the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association’s Karen Voin. “At the heart of it, they want to ensure they’re not impacting their employees, and are really conscious of what the impact […]

January 25, 2019 September 13, 2019
10:40

More innovative, intensive approach to medication management required

Treating mental health with medications is very different from treating an infection, so why do many people, and many employers, treat them like they’re one and the same? When enhancing communications around wellness programs, plan sponsors should seek innovative ways to support employees with how they use medications and help them understand the interactions between drugs and mental […]

January 25, 2019 September 13, 2019
08:00

Specific solutions required to move dial on mental-health treatment, costs

A significant disconnect exists between the degree of mental-health problems facing Canadians today, the costs of workplace mental health and the solutions in place to address and reduce those costs. Organizations are doing more than ever before around workplace mental health, said Georgia Pomaki, leader of Manulife’s mental-health specialists team, at the 2018 Mental Health Summit Vancouver […]

January 25, 2019 September 13, 2019
08:00

Mental health is everyone’s business and workplaces have role to play

Mental health is everyone’s business and workplaces have a role to play in this conversation, according to Krista Benes, program manager of workplace mental health at the Mental Health Commission of Canada. “Mental health is a predominant issue, not only in the workplace, but for all of us,” she said, speaking at the 2018 Mental Health Summit […]

January 25, 2019 September 13, 2019
08:00

Dealing with stigma of returning to work after mental-health leave

Depression is pervasive and creates problems within individual relationships, but also within workplace relationships. Looking at how to have more affective conversations about depression is important to ensure people have better access to the skill-based care they need at work. But how can employers create an environment where people get help before they need to take […]

January 25, 2019 September 13, 2019
07:59

How Coast Capital is normalizing workplace attitudes about mental illness

Employers have an integral role to play in managing workplace attitudes around mental illness, a plan sponsor told attendees at the 2018 Mental Health Summit Vancouver on Dec. 11. According to Lyne Moussa, manager of safety, wellness and disability at Coast Capital Savings, it’s important to remember we’re all humans in relationships with other humans when trying to […]

January 25, 2019 September 13, 2019
07:54

Northwest Territories considering legislated domestic violence leave

The Northwest Territories is considering adding domestic violence leave legislation to its Employment Standards Act. “We have not yet determined what a potential domestic violence leave provision might include,” says Cherish Winsor, senior communications advisor at the government of the Northwest Territories. “The federal government’s plans to introduce changes to leave provisions under the Canada Labour Code […]

January 14, 2019 September 13, 2019
15:45

Hamilton Health Sciences takes part in mental-health pilot project

Hamilton Health Sciences was one of 26 Canadian organizations that participated in a two-year mental-health pilot project that wrapped up in 2018. Developed by Mindful Employer Canada and supported by the Ontario Ministry of Labour’s occupational health, safety and prevention innovation program, the project included interactive, peer-led education sessions for the health care organization’s workforce. “We […]

January 10, 2019 September 13, 2019
08:45

American Academy of Sleep Medicine rolls out employee program tracking sleep habits

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine is tying its professional focus into its employee benefits offering, piloting an online program to help employees get more out of the time they spend sleeping. In November, the U.S.-based Welltrinsic Sleep Network, a subsidiary of the academy, rolled out the program with the aim of helping employees track, monitor and […]

December 17, 2018 September 13, 2019
09:25