Canadian women are bearing the brunt of a gender health gap that has led to poor understanding and heightened stigma around their unique health needs and worse physical and mental-health outcomes over time. However, there are ways for employers to help, said Sam Mikail, director of mental-health solutions for group claims at Sun Life Financial Inc., […]
Many Canadians are dealing with mental-health challenges that require support beyond what’s available through an employee assistance program — that’s where intensive mental-health treatments could help, said Vahed Lokhand, business development operations and strategy at EHN Canada, during a fireside chat at Benefits Canada’s 2023 Mental Health Summit. “There is no one-size-fits-all approach that can work for […]
Ahead of Giving Tuesday, nearly two-thirds (61 per cent) of U.S. employers say they’ve seen an increase in employee volunteer activities this year, according to a new survey by the Association of Corporate Citizenship Professionals. However, despite this increase, the survey also found corporate social responsibility professionals have struggled to get participation levels back to a pre-pandemic […]
When Desjardins Insurance launched a study to redefine employee health and well-being, an unexpected finding came through loud and clear: Canadian employers and insurers should be paying much closer attention to millennial plan members. Millennials are a cohort of people born between 1980 and 1996. Since 2016, the generation has comprised the largest segment of […]
Pay transparency legislation is quickly gathering steam in Canada as provincial governments take steps towards shrinking the gender wage gap. Prince Edward Island was first to the post with pay transparency provisions in June 2022. While Newfoundland and Labrador’s Pay Equity and Transparency Act received royal assent in November 2022, its pay transparency provisions haven’t […]
As employers increasingly embrace diversity, equity and inclusion strategies, strong mental-health support can be a key pillar in those efforts, said Joby McKenzie, managing director for Canada at Teladoc Health, during Benefits Canada‘s 2023 Healthy Outcomes Conference in October. Highlighting statistics showing the mental-health disparities across diverse groups, she noted a third of Indigenous people […]
Hydro Ottawa Ltd. is marking Financial Literacy Month by promoting tools and resources for employees grappling with the rising cost of living, says Donna Burnett Vachon, the company’s director of change and organization development. “We see [the impact of the rising cost of living] every day from people who have increasing rental costs to even just […]
Amazon Canada is supporting deaf employees at its Edmonton fulfilment centre through enhanced accessibility measures and manager training. The online retailer’s site-specific initiatives include classes in American Sign Language, the addition of supplementary ASL videos on its intranet and designated safety vests that communicate deaf employees’ status to other workers. Amazon is also increasing its […]
Employees who have unlimited vacation are 43 per cent more likely to feel a sense of belonging at work, according to a new survey by Achievers Solutions Inc. The survey, which polled more than 3,500 employees in Australia, Canada, Singapore, the U.K. and the U.S., found employees with unlimited vacation also reported higher levels of […]
The Royal Bank of Canada and Bank of Montreal have committed to racial equity audits after facing pressure from shareholders. Jeff Lanthier, a spokesperson from RBC, says the bank will conduct a third-party audit of employment practices next year and another on business practices in 2025. “We remain focused on identifying and helping to address […]