The concept of merit, excellence and intelligence — which is gaining traction in certain industries — can detract from the critical efforts employers are making with diversity, equity and inclusion, says Cerys Goodall, chief operating officer of Vetster. “MEI is an ideal — it sounds great, but DEI is the practice and we need to make […]
Over the past year, union negotiations have ramped up and wage settlements have reached new heights, mainly due to the fact that negotiations were set back by the coronavirus pandemic and the inflation that followed, says Douglas Porter, chief economist and managing director at BMO Financial Group. “Like night follows day, labour unrest and strike […]
Working grandparents who are providing financial support to children and/or grandchildren are risking their own plans for retirement, says Craig Bannon, director of financial planning centre of expertise at the Royal Bank of Canada. “[They might need to] delay their retirement to extend their earning years or continue to work on a part-time basis in […]
The consolidation of firms within the pension and benefits industries could pose a threat because there’s less choice available in terms of service providers, says Susan G. Seller, a pension and benefits lawyer at Bennett Jones LLP. “I think the evolution of the services they offer . . . poses a particular challenge for employers […]
Generation Z workers may be feeling more disconnected or isolated due to the effects of remote work, but employers can help by providing opportunities for connectivity, says Alexandra Duba, people experience advisor at Xero Ltd. “It has so much to do with how the [coronavirus] pandemic impacted in-person connection, as well as the impact technology […]
Vibrant Marketing is helping break down period stigma in the workplace by making sure free menstrual products are available for employees in its office washrooms. The organization recently teamed up with Alea Protection, a menstrual product manufacturer, to stock natural and sustainable feminine hygiene products and ensure they’re clearly displayed and easy to access in Vibrant’s washrooms. […]
Pizza Pizza Ltd. is constantly evolving its diversity, equity and inclusion and culture strategies to ensure they align with employees’ evolving needs as well as the company’s corporate strategies, says Amy Silverstein, senior director of people. “Over the last few years, we’ve really focused on evolving our DEI committee. We’ve leaned on our employee engagement […]
The federal government recently announced plans to introduce legislation in the fall that will expand pension eligibility to frontline public safety and law enforcement workers in Canada. The legislation is welcomed by the Public Service Alliance of Canada and the Customs and Immigration Union after they’ve advocated for more than a decade for equitable retirement […]
Amid an uncertain job market and cost-of-living worries, employers can harness the benefits of artificial intelligence to help employees with reskilling and career development, says Candy Ho, professor at Kwantlen Polytechnic University and board chair at non-profit organization CERIC. “I think we’ve got a huge opportunity ahead of us with AI and, not jobs being […]
The concept of “chronoworking” is an emerging flexibility trend that can help with employee engagement and productivity, as well as attraction and retention. Similar to autonomous working, chronoworking tailors an individual’s work schedule around their circadian rhythm and optimum times of productivity. In 2021, the Alberta Investment Management Corporation implemented its own results-oriented, flexible working […]