During Canada’s unprecedented 2023 wildfire season, 6,500 individual fires burned more than 18.4 million hectares of land — and wildland firefighters bore the brunt of it all. “The working conditions are extremely dangerous and they’re getting more dangerous as fires become larger and more intense, and, in many cases, are going through communities,” says Bert […]
The majority (93 per cent) of global employees believe well-being is equally important to salary, a significant increase of 10 per cent year over year, according to a recent survey by Gympass. The survey, which polled more than 5,100 employees, found 87 per cent said they’d consider leaving a company that doesn’t focus on employee […]
The organization’s chief mental-health officer discusses sharing lived experiences, a new employee and family assistance program and maintaining his own mountain biking trail. Q: What top challenges do you face in your role? A: In a professional services firm, where the demands on people’s time are significant, it can be challenging to find the proper […]
Data analysis, education and early intervention are the key components of First West Credit Union’s Live Well employee health program, according to Liz Bailey-Connor, the organization’s chief people and culture officer, speaking during a session at Benefits Canada’s 2023 Mental Health Summit. “We were hearing from employees that they felt overwhelmed and, in some cases, […]
Hydro Ottawa Holding Inc. is tailoring its benefits and wellness programs to its unique demographics to more effectively support employee well-being, said Donna Burnett Vachon, the company’s director of change and organization development, during Benefits Canada‘s 2023 Healthy Outcomes Conference in October. The company has four subsidiaries, with each doing slightly different types of work, […]
As Canadians face the dual effects of the rapidly rising cost of living and interest rates, the resulting financial stress has major implications for plan sponsors, said Valérie Fernandez, senior advisor of workplace health best practices and strategic support for group insurance at Beneva, during Benefits Canada‘s 2023 Healthy Outcomes Conference in October. Indeed, employers […]
As the proportion of Canadians living with one or more chronic disease continues to rise, plan sponsors have the opportunity to provide specific solutions to some of the most common conditions in their employee population, said Karen Callaghan, senior director of chronic disease education and patient support at Novo Nordisk, during Benefits Canada‘s 2023 Healthy […]
Three-quarters (74 per cent) of U.S. employers say they increased their communications about compensation and benefits in 2023, according to a new survey by Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. The survey, which polled more than 4,000 U.S. companies, found roughly half (53 per cent) rated their employees’ understanding of compensation and benefits as excellent or good. […]
Plan members with a workplace wellness culture are much more likely (89 per cent) to be satisfied with their jobs compared to those without one (59 per cent), according to the 2023 Benefits Canada Healthcare Survey. It found plan members with a workplace wellness culture were also more satisfied with their health benefits plan (81 per cent […]
A third (34 per cent) of benefits plan members say they’ve received health-care services virtually by phone or computer over the past year, down from 41 per cent in 2022 and 43 per cent in 2021, according to the 2023 Benefits Canada Healthcare Survey. It found members recovering from a major injury (68 per cent) were […]