Offering a nine-day fortnight to employees can significantly improve flexibility and work-life balance, says Kim Siddall, national vice-president of account management of mid- and large-sized markets at People Corporation. The concept of a nine-day fortnight, which involves condensing the regular workweek by working five days one week and four days the next, has started to gain popularity […]
Sun Life Financial Inc. is supporting employees working in a hybrid arrangement with its new activity-based, people-focused workspace in Waterloo, Ont. “We’ve been on a journey of rethinking work since before the [coronavirus] pandemic,” says Helena Pagano, executive vice-president, chief people and culture officer at Sun Life. “We knew with changing employee expectations, increasing competition for […]
KPMG in Canada is continuing its Summer Splash program this year to help employees recharge and focus on their well-being. The professional services firm is once again providing eligible employees with five additional paid days off during the summer. However, this year, the extra days off will be in conjunction with long weekends — starting […]
With Yukon implementing a transitioning policy on April 3 to expand the use of biosimilar medicines in its public drug plan, it’s important for benefits plan sponsors that create a similar policy for their workplace plans to be clear in their communication and education with employees. “It’s never easy to switch a medication, especially when […]
Recent amendments to the Quebec Pension Plan to encourage people to work past age 65 offer more flexibility on contributions and retirement age, says Bonnie-Jeanne MacDonald, director of financial security research for the National Institute on Ageing at Toronto Metropolitan University. “If people are accumulating a pension, working longer could potentially increase their pension,” says MacDonald, who […]
Thomson Reuters Corp. is introducing a minimum 16-week paid leave for all employees who are welcoming a new child, regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status or family role. The global policy is part of a wider Thomson Reuters initiative to promote a healthy work-life balance through its Flex My Way program, which also […]
As technology advances and plan members’ needs become more diverse, the relationship between benefits plan sponsors and providers is adapting to fit these changes. Sarah Beech, chief executive officer of benefits and consulting at Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., believes the trend of employees wanting more from their employers is the starting point for this […]
The union representing 70 employees at Northern Transformer in Vaughan, Ont. has ratified a four-year collective agreement that includes pension and benefits gains. The agreement introduces a group registered retirement savings plan and a deferred profit-sharing plan in which the company will provide a matching contribution of three per cent of regular earnings, capped at […]
While nearly two-thirds (61 per cent) of Canadian human resources leaders say employee mental health is an important challenge to manage this year, 48 per cent say their employer’s benefits program doesn’t provide access to a mental-health professional, according to a new survey conducted by Environics Research for Dialogue Health Technologies Inc. Sylvain Beauséjour, vice-president […]
Increased flexibility, enhanced digitization and a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion are among the trends shaping 3M Canada’s benefits plan in 2023, says Jacqueline McLennan, a benefits specialist at the company. In particular, 3M’s wellness program offers employees the flexibility to support their personal health and well-being. “We don’t have it narrowed down to only use […]