For Canadians and people around the world, the current news stream can be particularly bleak. While a brief ceasefire between Israeli forces and Hamas punctuated the conflict in Gaza last week, the war’s wider impact on people’s mental health and psychological safety will likely last far into the future. Meanwhile, Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine […]
The head of a group that represents psychotherapists and counsellors says Ottawa’s plan to lift federal taxes on those services is a good start to addressing barriers to mental-health support, but many people still can’t afford to pay for care that should be publicly funded. Carrie Foster, a couples and family therapist and president of […]
Even as signs emerge that the labour market is starting to shift in employers’ favour, employee attraction, retention and engagement remain top priorities. During Benefits Canada’s inaugural Future of Work Summit in October, a panel of employers, insurers and academics weighed in on the results of Benefits Canada’s 2023 Future of Work Survey. Almost two-thirds […]
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 […]
In its 2023 fall economic statement, the federal government said it will consider removing the rule that restricts Canadian pension funds from holding more than 30 per cent of the voting shares of most corporations. The move is part of an effort “to create an environment that encourages and identifies more opportunities for investments in […]
Two-thirds (65 per cent) of U.S. employees rank flexible work options as the No. 1 component of compensation beyond salary, down from 71 per cent in 2022, according to a new report by the Conference Board Inc. The survey, which polled more than 1,500 workers, found employees in hybrid (68 per cent) and fully remote […]
While three-quarters (76 per cent) of U.S. employers say they provide coverage of glucagon-like peptide-1 drugs for diabetes management, about a quarter (27 per cent) provide coverage of these drugs for weight loss, according to a new survey by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans. The survey, which polled more than 200 U.S. benefits […]
Nearly 50 employers gathered at the Omni King Edward Hotel in Toronto on Oct. 20 for Benefits Canada’s 2023 Healthy Outcomes Conference, a premier event for employers to exchange ideas and best practices for achieving improved employee health outcomes and enhanced organizational performance. Through several presentations, delegates heard about chronic disease, health and disabilities trends, […]
Many plan members are experiencing risk factors related to poor mental, physical and financial well-being, but often don’t know they can turn to their benefits plans for help. Indeed, when Canada Life’s disability claims report asked plan members going on disability whether they sought out counselling through their benefits plans, more than half said they […]
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 […]