Three of the world’s largest organizations are joining up to form an independent health-care company with the aim of providing U.S. employees and their families with simple, reasonably priced and transparent health care. While the move by Amazon.com Inc., Berkshire Hathaway Inc. and JPMorgan Chase and Co. is in the early stages, its initial focus will be on […]
While Amazon.com Inc. has Alexa and Apple Inc. has Siri, Morneau Shepell Ltd. is introducing a new virtual assistant designed to help employees with their human resources needs. Ava, which stands for automated virtual assistant, uses artificial intelligence to answer human resources questions through platforms used by both Morneau Shepell and its employer clients. “An ever-increasing number of employees are […]
Employers should review their drug plans annually to make sure they’re getting value for money, according to a speaker at the recent Face to Face Drug Plan Management forum. “It’s good drug plan management hygiene,” said Kim MacFarlane, assistant vice-president of group benefit product at Manulife Financial Corp. Even if the unwieldy nature of drug […]
When it comes to workplace wellness, health and wealth must go hand in hand, according to a speaker at the recent Mental Health Summit in Toronto. Eric Pfeiffer, a senior health management consultant at Manulife Financial Corp., told attendees at the Nov. 7 event that dealing with financial fitness is similar to dealing with mental […]
The Canada Infrastructure Bank has created a lot of chatter among pension plans, parliamentarians and taxpayers alike. How will it achieve its goal of finding private investors, including pension funds, to throw their weight behind Canadian infrastructure projects? The bank will function as a Crown corporation used by the government to stretch public money further […]
More than two years ago, an Oakville, Ont.-based startup — a small technology company with nine employees — was looking to implement a benefits plan. Eager to attract and retain the best talent, its founder decided to go all out with a generous plan that saw the employer paying the full cost for 100 per […]
Plan sponsors may have the best intentions of keeping members engaged with their pension or benefits communications, but it’s easy to miss the mark. Here are three common communications mistakes and tips to help avoid them. 1. Choosing the wrong media (or just one): Plan sponsors will often say, “Our members aren’t on social media,” or, […]
Feelings of embarrassment and shame around personal financial struggles are affecting Canadians’ workplace productivity and there’s a role for employers to play, according to a new study by Manulife Financial Corp. The study, conducted in partnership with Homewood Health Inc., surveyed more than 200 employee assistance program counsellors. The vast majority (93 per cent) of respondents believe financial […]
While mental health is often a sensitive area, the Co-operators Group Ltd. aimed to bring the issue into the open by introducing an online Yammer group as a safe place for employees to talk, share information and support one another. “It’s a way for us to have those organic conversations crop up from our staff,” said Stacey Kennedy, […]
Aviva Investors has appointed Frank Vihant as head of infrastructure debt for Canada. In the new role, Vihant will be based in Toronto and will oversee the origination, structuring and execution of infrastructure debt transactions in Canada. Read: OMERS infrastructure arm undergoes name change With more than 20 years of industry experience, Vihant was most recently an […]