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 […]
Cancer rates among Canadian women age 50 and younger are twice as high as those of men in the same age group, according to a new report by Sun Life Financial Inc. The report analyzed health claims data from more than three million plan members and 20,000 employers. It found cancer continued to drive a […]
Two-thirds (67 per cent) of Canadian employees say help with forecasting retirement income is the No. 1 way that employers can provide financial support to workers, according to a new survey by Manulife Financial Corp. The survey, which polled more than 1,600 employees, found more than half (57 per cent) of Canadian employees said their […]
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. […]
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 […]
The organization’s senior manager of employee benefits talks voluntary benefits, balancing costs with flexibility and travelling around the world. Q: What new programs or initiatives are you looking to implement? A: We’re currently focused on building a more streamlined and centralized benefits experience across 123Dentist. A key initiative is moving to a more integrated platform […]
Flight Centre Travel Group’s all-encompassing approach to supporting employee mental health landed a win in Benefits Canada’s 2025 Workplace Benefits Awards in the Mental Health Program category for employers with fewer than 1,000 employees. The organization’s ‘deep health model’ focuses on the intersections of mental, emotional, physical, relational, existential and environmental well-being. In particular, mental […]
Pratt & Whitney Canada’s holistic approach to employee mental-health support resulted in a win in the Mental Health Program category for employers with more than 1,000 employees at Benefits Canada’s 2025 Workplace Benefits Awards. In November 2020, the organization launched a comprehensive mental-health strategy that can detect employees at risk of health issues and support […]