Landing in the emergency room in the middle of the night was a wake-up call for Margaret Eaton. She started a new job as the Canadian Mental Health Association’s national chief executive officer in January 2020. Then, about two months into her new gig, the coronavirus pandemic hit. As the pandemic’s finish line kept moving […]
Making mental health and well-being the foundation of an organization’s culture wields success for employers. Well before the coronavirus pandemic put mental health in the spotlight, Schneider Electric was taking a proactive approach to psychological safety in the workplace by naming it as a priority and building a culture of inclusion that allows employees to […]
IKEA Canada’s diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives are helping employees step into the shoes of their fellow workers and highlighting how DEI and employee mental health are inextricably tied. “A big part of who we are is stories,” says John Williams, the organization’s DEI lead. “We really believe stories matter because they shape how we […]
Sobeys Inc.’s mental-health program manager discusses simplifying support, the echo pandemic and the joys of new parenthood. Q: What top challenges do you face in your role? A: My role was created during the pandemic, so it’s probably no surprise that [mental health] tops the list. Sobeys’ workforce is made up primarily of essential workers […]
Sally Phuong took a four-week sabbatical from her job as an account executive at Sun Life Financial Inc. last year so she could participate in a professional floral design program at the Canadian Institute of Floral Design in Toronto. Phuong, 37, plans to retire at 55 from Sun Life and open her own floral store. […]
The Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan’s focus on diversity, equity and inclusion issues is an increasingly key part of its long-term strategic vision. The pension fund is embedding DEI initiatives into its latest enterprise strategy and is guiding the plan’s global growth and expansion, says Beth Tyndall, its chief people officer. “For the first time ever in [our] […]
While 85 per cent of employees believe workplace perks are as important or more important to them now than before the coronavirus pandemic, 65 per cent said their employer hasn’t added any new perks since the pandemic’s onset, according to a new survey by workplace management platform Robin Powered Inc. The survey, which polled nearly 600 full-time employees, […]
A deep dive into how AstraZeneca is helping employees keep socially connected and engaged as year three of the coronavirus pandemic looms took the top spot over the past week on BenefitsCanada.com. Here are the five most popular news stories of the week: 1. How AstraZeneca is boosting employee connection, engagement amid pandemic 2. Survey finds majority of […]
More than half (56 per cent) of U.S. white-collar employees reported improvements to their mental health as a result of a hybrid work environment, according to a new survey by ergonomics manufacturer Ergotron Inc. The survey, which polled 1,000 U.S. employees working in a hybrid environment, found 76 per cent of employers offer wellness programs […]
The majority (69 per cent) of employed generation Z and millennial Canadians are struggling with anxiety, while 59 per cent are dealing with depression, according to a new survey by Ipsos for RBC Insurance. The survey, which polled more than 1,500 employed Canadians aged 18 and over, found those aged 18 to 34 were significantly […]