Employees at several Indigo Books & Music Inc. stores across Canada are unionizing, as the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has “highlighted the precarity of retail work in general and how little say workers have in rapidly changing work environments. “Joining [United Food and Commercial Workers Canada] provided security and gave workers a voice without fear of retaliation,” […]
While 72 per cent of institutional investors are currently integrating environmental, social and governance factors into their investment strategies, 29 per cent are placing greater emphasis on ESG considerations as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new survey by RBC Global Asset Management. The survey, which polled 800 global institutional investors, found […]
Employer-provided medical benefits costs in Canada will rise seven per cent in 2022, according to a new survey by Aon. The annual global medical trend rates survey found the expected increase for Canadian employer-sponsored medical plan costs is due to a combination of higher costs for dental care, paramedical expenses and prescription drugs. It was conducted […]
Any return to the workplace, whether it’s after a medical or parental leave — or say, following a global pandemic — requires consideration and care to ensure the psychological health and safety of employees. Every back-to-workplace plan, regardless of the context, should be developed in partnership with each individual employee and driven by their physical […]
With many employers currently planning where employees will work post-coronavirus pandemic, our story on the Royal Bank of Canada’s hybrid work model piqued the interest of Benefits Canada‘s readers, taking the top spot as the most-read story over the past seven days on BenefitsCanada.com. Here are the five most popular news stories of the week: 1. RBC banking […]
Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, mental health was viewed as a workplace challenge waiting in the wings, but it’s moving to centre stage for many employers as companies across the globe prepare to mark a second World Mental Health Day on Oct. 10 in the clutches of this public health crisis. “The pandemic has created […]
The core public service, as well as air travel and rail employees, must all be fully vaccinated against the coronavirus by Oct. 29, according to Canada’s new mandatory vaccine policy. The federal government announced Wednesday that public servants must attest they’re fully vaccinated against the coronavirus by Oct. 29 or be put on unpaid administrative […]
The Royal Bank of Canada is applying the lessons it learned during the coronavirus pandemic to develop a hybrid work model for a wide range of employees and departments. “When we were all forced to work remotely in the spring of 2020, we realized we can do this and still get our work done,” says Lauren […]
A majority (62 per cent) of Canadians want to continue working from home at least 40 per cent of the work week once the coronavirus pandemic recedes, according to a global survey by LHH and the Adecco Group. The survey — which polled 14,800 workers in 25 countries, including 1,000 Canadians — also found more than […]
When employees are financially stressed, they’re distracted and less productive at work and more likely to leave their jobs, according to a new survey by the Canadian Payroll Association. Though the survey found personal finances have improved for many Canadians in 2020 and 2021, 30 per cent of respondents who indicated they experience financial stress […]