Before the coronavirus pandemic, 20 per cent of BMO Financial Group’s 45,000 employees were working from home on a fairly regular basis. Since March, that’s jumped to 80 per cent. “We have, of course, people who are in branches who need to go in and serve customers face to face, but we have schooled up our work […]
The vast majority (86 per cent) of Canadians feel safe in their workplaces right now, according to a new survey. The survey, conducted by Angus Reid on behalf of ADP Canada, found 75 per cent of frontline workers and 97 per cent of those working remotely said they feel safe at work. Men (79 per […]
With the coronavirus continuing to affect businesses across North America, employers are eyeing a number of cost-containment strategies, including hiring freezes, wage freezes and delayed pay raises, according to a new survey by Willis Towers Watson. The survey, which polled more than 800 companies during the third week of March, found 42 per cent of […]
Ryerson University is taking a well-rounded approach toward supporting its staff and faculty who are working from home due to the coronavirus outbreak. The university has released a new guide to remote working, covering best practices such as developing a routine, setting up an ergonomic workspace and establishing an after-work ritual to signal the day […]
With the coronavirus pandemic rapidly evolving, the global employment landscape is facing unprecedented challenges. Looking at short-term disability programs, benefits plans, human resources policies and legal obligations, Benefits Canada hosted a panel of experts in a webinar on March 19 to answer plan sponsor questions. Click here to find out what you missed. For individuals […]
As employers across the globe adjust their work environments to help slow down the spread of the coronavirus, one thing that shouldn’t get lost in the fray is a focus on supporting employees’ mental health. Employees are facing a myriad of stressors right now, including financial worries about the effects of the volatile market on […]
Employees are mostly satisfied with employers’ communications around the coronavirus crisis, according to a new survey by Fierce Inc. The survey polled more than 1,000 people last week, prior to the World Health Organization declaring the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic. It found nearly 70 per cent felt their employer was very or somewhat clearly communicating […]
All Canadian employers should assume at least one employee will test positive for the coronavirus, said Dr. Wendy Smeltzer, medical director at virtual health-care company Wello, during a webinar this week. “We all have to brace for this new normal and we all have to brace for the moment when every [business] will have at […]
Across the country, public pension plans are releasing statements to assure members that their defined benefit pensions are secure and that they’re taking measures to protect the health and safety of their own staff. The Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology pension plan said it regularly tests operations and will continue to make pension payments. […]
Canadian politicians, public health officials and chief executive officers have all urged Canadians to practice social distancing in a bid to “flatten the curve” of the coronavirus pandemic. Many global technology companies, including Amazon.com Inc., Facebook Inc., Google and Twitter, ramped up work-from-home programs last week. And Ottawa-headquartered Shopify Inc. has emerged as a leader […]