More than a third (38 per cent) of plan sponsors are planning to update their benefits plan design by the end of this year, on par with those that did so in 2020 (39 per cent), according to a survey by Arthur J. Gallagher Canada Ltd. The survey, which polled more than 500 Canadian plan […]
Unilever Canada Inc.’s fulsome approach to diversity, equity and inclusion led to its win in the diversity program category at Benefits Canada’s 2021 Workplace Benefits Awards on Oct. 14. At the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, Unilever Canada adopted the mantra “we’re navigating the same ocean, in different boats.” The adage, which created a shared sense of […]
American Express Co. is eyeing January for the tentative launch of its hybrid working model. In an internal memo, Stephen J. Squeri, chairman and chief executive officer of American Express, said the model will go into effect only in locations where the company makes a full return to the office, likely starting with Germany, the […]
A Toronto-based software developer is offering additional workplace flexibility to employees, leading to increased productivity and growth. Marco Osso, vice-president of employee success at Tulip.io Inc., says the company launched a shortened work week in August, allowing employees to work four or 4.5 days depending on their personal schedules. Read: Employers prioritizing mental health, permanent hybrid […]
Shopify Inc. was awarded for its digital-first employee health and wellness strategy at Benefits Canada‘s 2021 Workplace Benefits Awards on Oct. 14. The technology company won the award in the Coronavirus and Benefits category for an employer with more than 5,000 employees. Although the organization already had a few remote workers, it swiftly transitioned all of its employees […]
Amazon.com Inc. is allowing many technology and corporate employees to continue working remotely indefinitely, as long as they can commute to the office when necessary. The new policy was announced in a blog post earlier this week. It’s a marked change from Amazon’s previous expectation that most employees would need to be in the office at […]
During the height of the coronavirus pandemic, the Ottawa Community Housing Corp. battened down the hatches and focused on addressing any absence management issues before they occurred. Now, Cindy Newell, the company’s director of human resources, says OCH is expecting to see fewer disability leaves post-pandemic, thanks to a proactive absence and disability management strategy […]
SAP Canada Inc.’s vice-president and head of human resources talks embracing flexible working, keeping the “human” in HR and winter sports. Q. What top challenges do you face in your role? A. SAP is a global organization, so everything we do must be within the context of what works for us in the country but […]
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 […]
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 […]