The new year will bring some big changes to the rules on in-office work for many employees across the country — including tens of thousands of provincial government staff in Ontario and Alberta who will be required back in the office full time. As of Jan. 5, Ontario provincial government employees will be expected to […]
Most Canadian employees support a hybrid approach to office work, with 80 per cent preferring some in-office time and only one in five favouring fully remote work, according to a new survey by Indeed. The survey, which polled more than 1,000 full-time Canadian employees, found a sharp shift from pre-pandemic office norms, with just 34 […]
The Alberta School Employee Benefit Plan is continuing to embrace a hybrid working arrangement for employees following positive feedback gathered through internal surveys. In the years since the organization introduced a hybrid arrangement in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, employee satisfaction and happiness has continually increased, says Anna MacDonald, the ASEBP’s director of human […]
“The saying ‘change or die’ has been around forever, but right now, that’s more true than ever,” said Linda Duxbury, a professor at Carleton University’s Sprott School of Business, during the keynote session at Benefits Canada’s 2025 Healthy Outcomes Conference. “We are in extremely unsettled times. The pandemic shook our foundations of how we do a […]
Canadian Baptist Ministries is supporting employee health and managing costs through a flexible benefits plan model that will be introduced at the end of 2025. The new model has been in the works for several years, following feedback from plan members on the current benefits offering, says Rob Jackett, senior director of finance and administration. […]
Despite the World Health Organization declaring the coronavirus pandemic over in May 2023, the health crisis continues to shape workplaces around the globe. “Before the pandemic, workplaces were more structured and, if something occurred in an employee’s life that meant they couldn’t get into the office, they weren’t working,” says Erin Evans, a benefits and […]
While climate change is exacerbating employees’ pre-existing health challenges, workers aren’t always making the link between these health impacts and the support provided in their group benefits plan, says Marie-Chantal Côté, senior vice-president at Sun Life Health. “Employers have a great opportunity to continue to support employees by raising awareness of the supports available. A […]
A record number of benefits plan members are dealing with extreme levels of daily stress, according to the 2025 Benefits Canada Healthcare Survey. The 27th edition of the survey, which polled 1,000 Canadian group benefits plan members and 500 plan sponsors earlier this year, found two in five (39 per cent) members said they experience […]
Employers can support workers impacted by this summer’s wildfires through flexible working arrangements, mental-health resources and clear communication, says Kim Siddall, national vice-president of client strategy at People Corporation. “Employers are looking at different ways to support people, both on the mental health and physical health side, because of disruption and displacement [from evacuation] as […]
Starbucks Corp. is requiring some remote workers to return to its headquarters and increasing the number of days that corporate employees are required to work in an office. In a letter to employees, Starbucks chairman and chief executive officer Brian Niccol said corporate employees would need to be in the office four days a week […]