In the 30 years since Symcor’s inception, it has brought in many employees with diverse ages, backgrounds, cultures and experiences. “We want to make sure that, with a workforce as diverse as ours, to have programs that are inclusive, meaningful, relevant and supportive,” said Rachel Wong, the organization’s vice-president of total rewards and human resources […]
Fewer than half of people leaders say they feel equipped to address employee mental-health issues, according to a new report by Telus Health. The report, which analyzed findings from the organization’s 2025 mental-health indexes, found only 62 per cent of workers rate their managers as ‘strongly humane’ and workers who rate their managers as ‘weak’ […]
This year marks Benefits Canada’s fifth annual Mental Health Issue, an initiative introduced in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic as employers ramped up their focus on this crucial topic. It hasn’t slowed down since. In fact, I’d argue employers’ attention to creating thoughtful and relevant mental-health resources and support for employees will continue its […]
In these uncertain times, there are strategic opportunities to implement mental-health polices, programs and services that provide tangible benefits for both employers and employees. Rebecca Gewurtz, occupational therapist and associate professor in the School of Rehabilitation Science at McMaster University Even during a challenging labour market, it’s important for employers to invest in employee mental-health […]
The construction services company’s director of mental health discusses bringing psychological health and safety to an industry she grew up in, women’s health and road trips with her senior dog. Q: What new programs or initiatives are you looking to implement? A: At the end of 2025, we launched company-wide mental-health compliance training to raise […]
While more than half (57 per cent) of Canadian women agree that International Women’s Day initiatives can have a meaningful impact in the workplace, 64 per cent believe employers treat the day as a celebration rather than an opportunity to assess how they support women, according to a new survey by Benchmark Benefits Solutions Inc. […]
London Drugs is supporting employee well-being through several mental-health training programs. Through a mobile app, the pharmacy chain offers employees group and individual learning sessions that focus on resilience in the workplace. Kristi Loewen, manager of employee relations, says the decision to offer the program was inspired by the challenges that employees faced during the […]
GreenShield Canada is acquiring Kii Health’s Canadian mental-health services segment. The acquisition encompasses Kii’s employee assistance program, student assistance program, cognitive behavioural therapy associates and internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy services. Read: 2025 Healthy Outcomes Conference: How payor, provider integration can improve plan member health outcomes In addition to expanding its mental-health offerings, GreenShield will also expand […]
Generation Z workers are facing greater mental-health difficulties and increasing rates of chronic disease compared to other age groups, according to a new report by Sun Life Financial Inc. The report, which drew data from more than 20,000 employers and more than three million plan members, found more than 50 per cent of gen-Zers’ long-term […]
Employers can appoint mental-health champions, use engaging communications and schedule learning sessions with their employee assistance programs to provide support during Blue Monday and year-round, says Chris Gory, employee benefits advisor at Orchard Benefits. It’s important to appoint a mental-health champion within the company to promote the EAP, notes Gory. Additionally, employers can create informative […]