Employers can help employees achieve an optimal work-life balance by embedding a right-to-disconnect policy into their overall business practices, says Lidia Pawlikowski, associate vice-president of Hub International Ltd. Last month, Ontario’s right-to-disconnect legislation took effect, requiring employers with 25 or more workers to have a written policy for employees to disconnect from their job at […]
More than two years after the coronavirus pandemic shifted many white-collar employees to remote working, some employers are planning their return to the office — even if it means bringing staff back kicking and screaming. Earlier this month, Tesla Inc. founder and chief executive officer Elon Musk made waves when, in internal emails, he demanded […]
As provinces across the country begin removing coronavirus pandemic restrictions over the coming weeks, some employers are already returning employees to their respective workplaces. But many employees are still hesitant to return to a shared office space, particularly while the country is still mired in the public health crisis. Although some employers may drop their […]
While Canadian employers have spent millions of dollars to address and support employee mental health during the coronavirus pandemic, the co-author of a new study says employee feedback is key to addressing gaps in the improvement of workplace psychological health and safety. “We’ve got random acts of wellness and we’re spending millions of dollars on […]
Musculoskeletal issues have a far-reaching impact on the mental, physical and emotional wellness of benefits plan members and their families — however, they also come at a cost to plan sponsors. According to Sun Life Assurance. Co.’s 2020 disability claims, 20 per cent were related to musculoskeletal health conditions and 30 per cent of these affected […]
A range of employers across Canada are starting to deal with some worker shortages as a result of a small percentage of employees not meeting deadlines for getting vaccinated against the coronavirus. Air Canada suspended more than 800 employees for not being fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, in line with federal rules. The vast majority of the airline’s […]
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,” […]
Transat A.T. Inc., like competitors Air Canada and WestJet Airlines, is requiring all of its employees to be fully vaccinated in accordance with a federal mandate for Canada’s air, rail and marine transportation sectors. “Everyone must do their part to ensure that we eventually overcome the virus,” said Annick Guerard, Transat’s chief executive officer and […]
Nearly four in 10 (39 per cent) U.S. employers said they don’t expect their organization will return to the workplace and end coronavirus pandemic-related policies and programs until the second quarter of 2022, according to new a survey by Willis Towers Watson. The survey, which tracked more than 900 American employers’ coronavirus pandemic reopening and vaccination […]
Air Canada is requiring all employees to be fully vaccinated against the coronavirus and to report their vaccination status by Oct. 30. While the company will accommodate employees who have valid exceptions, such as medical conditions, that prevent them from being vaccinated, failure to be fully vaccinated by Oct. 30 will have consequences — including unpaid leave or […]