Jennifer Paterson

As employers increasingly customize their human resources, benefits and pension communications campaigns, how are these methods connecting with employees? Long gone are the days of chunky tomes of group benefits and pension information. Once the norm, those pages and pages of minutiae have gradually been replaced by more personalized and targeted communications. “Direct communication is […]

  • May 13, 2022 May 13, 2022
  • 08:55

Earlier this year, I received an email from a Canadian National Railway Co. employee who had recently learned their defined benefit pension plan was winding up and they’d be moved into a defined contribution plan. According to the plan member — who will remain anonymous — CN closed the DB plan to new hires more […]

  • April 14, 2022 April 14, 2022
  • 09:00

In 2021, Foresters Financial redesigned its retirement and benefits plans to be more flexible, relevant and competitive, modernizing the plans with the recognition that employees have varying financial priorities. “Overall, we have a very diverse employee base,” says Ken Adams, the financial services company’s vice-president of total rewards. “Someone who is a few years out […]

  • April 14, 2022 April 14, 2022
  • 08:58

With two of Ontario’s government parties promising to develop portable benefits plans, it’s important to remember that plan sponsors need the freedom to design and price their benefits packages, as well as stability in terms of government processes, says one expert. “Plan sponsors are already delivering programs to a large proportion of the workforce and […]

  • April 5, 2022 April 4, 2022
  • 09:00

This month marks the two-year anniversary of the World Health Organization declaring the coronavirus a global pandemic. In some ways, we’ve come a long way since then, but in others, we’re hovering close to where it all started. One thing is for sure: the pandemic continues to create a through line in Benefits Canada’s content […]

  • March 18, 2022 March 18, 2022
  • 09:00

While global employers are introducing inclusive benefits and programs to support employees across all life stages, many U.K.-based companies are shifting their focus to one life stage that has typically been taboo. Cereal manufacturer Kellogg Co. is training managers on how to talk about menopause. Multi-national telecommunications firm Vodafone Group is introducing a toolkit focused […]

  • March 18, 2022 March 23, 2022
  • 08:52

It’s a Catch-22, this rise in the focus on mental health. Nearly two years after the coronavirus became a household name, employers are still ramping up their mental-health supports, a testament to the sustained attention to making people’s mental wellness a focal point — in the workplace, at home and in society at large. But […]

  • February 11, 2022 February 10, 2022
  • 09:00

Nearly two years into the coronavirus pandemic, leading Canadian employers are demonstrating their unwavering commitment to supporting their employees’ mental health. In fact, Benefits Canada’s 2021 Workplace Benefits Awards’ mental-health category was so packed with standout entries that it was split into two categories based on company size. The four finalists and two winners have […]

  • February 11, 2022 February 10, 2022
  • 08:58

Sobeys Inc.’s mental-health program manager discusses simplifying support, the echo pandemic and the joys of new parenthood. Q: What top challenges do you face in your role? A: My role was created during the pandemic, so it’s probably no surprise that [mental health] tops the list. Sobeys’ workforce is made up primarily of essential workers […]

  • February 11, 2022 February 10, 2022
  • 08:51

Once again, the end of year is near. Besides the extraordinary presence of vaccines and the movements in public health restrictions across the country, most Canadians are likely experiencing a significant déjà vu of late 2020. But despite a rather stagnant 2021, this year’s December issue heralds several promising signposts for the year ahead. We […]

  • December 17, 2021 December 16, 2021
  • 09:00