Among the 21 million Canadians in the workforce, eight million are women over the age of 40. “We have a large workforce that’s going through the journey of menopause,” said Shawna O’Hearn, co-director and founder at Menopause Society of Nova Scotia, in a session sponsored by Astellas during Benefits Canada’s 2025 Healthy Outcomes Conference. A 2023 […]
Implementing a wellness strategy during the pandemic helped Montreal-based automotive and heavy parts distributor UAP Inc. boost employee engagement, reduce the stigma around mental health for its predominantly male workforce and improve plan members’ financial well-being. In a session during Benefits Canada’s 2025 Healthy Outcomes Conference, Geneviève Hébert (pictured right), the organization’s senior director of […]
Plan sponsors have far more access to benefits utilization and organizational health data than in recent years, but challenges persist with fragmentation and consistency across providers, as well as as difficulty turning data into action, according to a panel discussion at Benefits Canada’s 2025 Healthy Outcomes Conference. “We have 12 sources of data [from external […]
Despite growing awareness of reproductive health, two-thirds (67 per cent) of global employees who have experienced fertility challenges say their workplaces don’t offer support for employees undergoing fertility treatment, according to a new survey by Fertility Matters. The survey — which polled more than 3,600 employees in Australia, France, Japan, Poland and the U.K. — […]
With travel to the U.S. becoming anxious, if not risky, for many Canadians, employers are facing the prospect of employees refusing to travel south of the border. But can employers require employees to do so, and do employees have a basis on which to refuse? “My advice to employers is not to assume that employees […]
Venn Software Inc. is encouraging employees to take care of their physical and mental health through nudges and friendly competitions. The Toronto-based fintech company’s benefits platform, provided by Alan Inc., includes an app that periodically reminds employees to be active or take care of their mental health, says Ahmed Shafik, Venn’s co-founder. “The team likes […]
Canadian employees with caregivering responsibilities are facing rising levels of stress, lost income and workplace strain, according to a new survey by virtual-care platform Maple Corp. The survey, which polled more than 1,500 employees, found working caregivers were almost twice as likely as non-caregivers to miss work due to mental-health reasons (10 per cent compared […]
An article on proposed changes to preferred pharmacy networks outlined in the Ontario government’s fall economic statement 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. Ontario taking steps to end preferred pharmacy networks, introducing VPLA framework 2. […]
When CSA Group rolled out its global wellness incentive program in April, it was aiming to see whether cash rewards could kick start healthier habits and keep employees motivated. “We noticed a significant uptick in participation whenever we ran global step challenges with prizes,” says Aaron Snaith, director of total rewards at CSA Group. “That […]
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 […]