Lauren Bailey

3M’s 2021 Workplace Benefits Awards-winning programs empowering employees to take stock of their health, wellness

3M Canada’s two 2021 Workplace Benefits Awards wins are empowering employees to take control of their health and wellness journey, says Jacqueline McLennan, the company’s benefits specialist. The organization’s revamped, targeted mental-health strategy won the mental-health program award for employers with fewer than 5,000 employees. The strategy built on 3M’s existing mental-health programming and includes […]

  • June 10, 2022 June 10, 2022
  • 09:00

2022 GIC coverage: Relaxing constraints in liquid portfolios could lead to better investment outcomes

While institutional investors have likely relaxed leverage constraint in their private equity portfolios, they could realize better investment outcomes by taking the same approach with their public market exposures “Constraints [on leverage] prevent some of the most useful tools in portfolio management — namely, full diversification,” said Roberto Croce, head of risk parity and liquid […]

  • May 30, 2022 May 26, 2022
  • 08:53

2022 GIC coverage: Institutional investors seeking better risk-adjusted returns should turn to emerging market debt

Canadian institutional investors should have a strategic allocation to emerging market debt, Ward Brown, fixed income portfolio manager at MFS Investment Management, explained during his session. EM debt has two of the key characteristics needed for a strategic allocation. First, it is a good diversifier because it has low correlations with other assets commonly found […]

  • May 30, 2022 May 26, 2022
  • 08:50

2022 GIC coverage: Embedding DEI into business practice removes blind spots, barriers for institutional investors

Diversity, equity and inclusion is a business imperative that has a direct impact on institutional investors’ overall performance. While investors can have the best strategy and all the capital in the world, human capital is critical to executing the organization’s vision and generating returns, said Sunita Mahant, senior director of legal affairs and head of […]

  • May 30, 2022 May 26, 2022
  • 08:48

U.S. employers enhancing benefits plans with travel coverage for abortion

Many U.S. employers are adding travel coverage for employees travelling for an abortion, amid recent restrictions imposed by several states. Among the employers offering this coverage are Amazon.com Inc., Apple Inc., Citigroup Inc., Levi-Strauss & Co., Microsoft Inc. and Yelp Inc. Currently, 13 states have imposed restrictions to abortion access and, if the Supreme Court […]

  • May 17, 2022 May 16, 2022
  • 09:00

2022 Group Benefits Providers Report: Virtual platforms reshaping public, private health-care landscape

Four months ago, my daughter woke up with a stye in one eye. While my 10-year-old was handling her infection like a champ, I wasn’t. All I could think was, “I need to get her to a doctor as fast as humanly possible.” But it had been almost two years since we visited her physician’s […]

  • April 14, 2022 April 20, 2022
  • 08:55

Return-to-office plans should focus on flexibility, health and safety: experts

As provinces across the country begin removing coronavirus pandemic restrictions over the coming weeks, some employers are already returning employees to their respective workplaces. But many employees are still hesitant to return to a shared office space, particularly while the country is still mired in the public health crisis. Although some employers may drop their […]

  • March 25, 2022 March 24, 2022
  • 09:00

First Nations community providing Indigenous wellness benefits to plan members

Sagamok Anishnawbek, a First Nations community in northeastern Ontario, is participating in a pilot benefits plan program that provides plan members with access to traditional Indigenous medicines and services. Located along the north shore between Sudbury, Ont. and Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., the community’s employee base includes fire department workers, school teachers, community planners and […]

  • March 22, 2022 March 31, 2022
  • 09:00

Two years later: Employers leveraging health, wellness tools to prevent pandemic-fuelled burnout, disability leaves

As the second anniversary of the coronavirus pandemic approaches, Canadian employers are leveraging all the tools in their health and wellness toolbox to stave off employee burnout and a looming spike in disability leaves. Employers are still investing in virtual health-care supports in a bid to help employees manage burnout and other adverse effects of […]

  • March 10, 2022 March 10, 2022
  • 09:00

Two years later: Employers prioritizing social connection, employee engagement amid pandemic

It’s been two years since CGI Inc. held its last big in-person social event for employees. The Bollywood-themed extravaganza, hosted in March 2020, offered several activities, including henna painting, catered Indian cuisine and even Bollywood dancing lessons provided by the organization’s India office. The event was one of a few social engagements CGI has thrown […]

  • March 9, 2022 March 9, 2022
  • 09:00