After several years of development, two long-awaited national health-care initiatives are finally taking shape, raising questions about their impact to employer-sponsored benefits plans. In May, the Canadian Dental Care Plan was officially rolled out, providing dental coverage to Canadians who don’t have access to private dental insurance and whose annual net family income is less […]
One actuary says social and technological factors are changing the concept of retirement, while another notes the fundamentals remain the same. Michel St-Germain, retired actuary, fellow and past president of the Canadian Institute of Actuaries Yogi Berra once said: “The future ain’t what it used to be.” Millennials will be retiring in 25 years, but not […]
While the coronavirus pandemic’s impact on public health and the global economy dominated the news cycle in recent years, there has been no shortage of incidents that draw awareness to social disparities the world over, from the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor in 2020 to the ongoing discovery of unmarked graves at Canada’s […]
One consultant says these campaigns are informing employers’ strategic decision-making, while another stresses the importance of ensuring employees understand the reason for marking these occasions. Michelle Grocholsky, founder and chief executive officer, Empowered EDI Many employers are aligning these monthly campaigns to support and advance strategic diversity, equity and inclusion actions. For example, employee storytelling campaigns […]
While employers in the financial services industry have made some progress in attracting diverse talent across the traditionally male-dominated sector, there’s still a long way to go. To this end, BNP Paribas is widening its talent pool and supporting a diverse workforce through a comprehensive diversity, equity and inclusion strategy that encompasses recruitment, leadership training […]
Flight Centre Travel Group’s pair of wins in the 2023 Workplace Benefits Awards is reminding employees of the mental and physical wellness offerings available through the company’s benefits plan, says Anna Fisher, the organization’s health and wellness director. “I think, too, that the awards have provided validation for our employees that we do want to […]
Four years ago, as the coronavirus pandemic entered its third month, I unknowingly — and unwittingly — took my first steps towards a new chapter in my career. As a writer for a Canadian travel trade publication, I was suddenly without work as the health crisis brought the global travel industry to a screeching halt. […]
A consultant says location is one of many factors determining pay, while a human resources specialist argues it shouldn’t be a consideration. Cissy Pau, principal consultant, Clear HR Consulting Inc. Work location is certainly a factor to consider when determining pay for remote workers. When conducting compensation benchmarking, it’s common practice to look at pay […]
At the 2024 Defined Contribution Plan Summit, which was hosted in Vancouver on Feb. 27-29, attendees learned about the various challenges and solutions for DC plan sponsors across the accumulation and decumulation phases, including how to cater to different generations’ needs and innovative investment and drawdown options, through expert thought leadership and employer case studies […]
While artificial intelligence may one day be able to remove human bias from financial decision-making, that development remains far in the future, said Lisa Kramer, a professor of finance at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management, during the keynote session at Benefits Canada’s 2024 Defined Contribution Plan Summit in February. “Human nature is […]