“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 […]
As the number of in-office days is set to increase for many of Canada’s hybrid workers, return-to-office mandates are setting the stage for tension between employees and employers. Remote and hybrid work spurred by the coronavirus pandemic is giving way to arrangements more closely aligned with traditional office norms now that labour market conditions have […]
Canadian employers in sectors that have been hardest hit by the U.S. trade war can support employees’ mental and financial wellness by communicating clearly about the potential impact and available benefits and resources. A recent survey of 400 Canadian employers by Mercer Canada found while half (48 per cent) of all respondents are still determining […]
An article on how Canada’s federal election could impact employees’ retirement savings was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com this past week. Here are the top five human resources, benefits, pension and investment stories of the last week: 1. How Canada’s federal election could impact retirement savings 2. How the coronavirus pandemic shifted employees’ retirement planning […]