More than three-quarters (79 per cent) of executives said they expect contingent and freelance workers to substantially replace full-time employees in the coming years, according to Mercer’s latest survey on global talent trends. While predictions vary by industry, the survey found the financial services industry is expected to have a workforce that’s 80 per cent freelance in […]
The industrial revolution has shaped the world, demonstrated by three dimensions: communications, energy and transportation, according to one futurist. However, the lifeblood of a new industrial revolution will be data, says Nikolas Badminton, futurist speaker, researcher and chief executive officer of Exponential Minds, noting all industries will be touched by the momentum this has created. “The signals of […]
Over the past several years, companies have focused on cost-cutting, but the scope to do this has been declining. At the same time, productivity growth is low and global competition has intensified. But companies still need to improve margins. “All this points toward the corporate world looking more to innovation as the only way left […]
The Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec is making investments totalling $127 million to two new funds formed by iNovia Capital, a Quebec venture capital firm. Initially, the Caisse will invest $100 million towards the fund targeting growing technology companies, while the remaining $27 million will be set aside for iNovia Capital’s startup fund. Read: […]
From banks to insurers to the federal government, retirement calculators are a regular feature of the financial planning landscape. At their most basic, they use data, such as age, income and current assets, to provide recommendations for how an individual can aim to meet their retirement goals. But can these tools truly provide a reliable […]
Two-thirds (62 per cent) of global employees said they’d exchange their work-related data for more customized benefits, rewards and compensation, according to a new survey by Accenture. The global survey, which polled 1,400 corporate executives and 10,000 employees across 13 industries, also found 92 per cent of employees are open to their employers collecting data […]
iA Financial Group is introducing a virtual assistant to help personalize group benefits and pension plan member experience. The virtual assistant can be accessed using Google Assistant on a cell phone, tablet or via Google Home. It can calculate how much a group registered retirement savings plan member should contribute or estimate the amount saved when they retire, […]
OMERS Ventures, the venture capital arm of the Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System, is expanding into the U.S. with an office in Silicon Valley, California. The firm is hiring Michael Yang, an experienced venture capital investor who’s especially familiar with investing in startup e-commerce and emerging technologies. “We are thrilled to expand our physical footprint with dedicated resources to deploy additional capital […]
With technology disrupting various industries, the opportunities are clear. But how can companies ensure they’re adopting new technology responsibly, while minimizing risks? A paper published by MFS Investment Management outlines a framework for how to review the ethics of technology when looking at companies as investments. “We don’t really look at any company as being […]
Pharmacogenetic testing can produce significant results for plan members, but it isn’t appropriate for everyone and should never be looked at in isolation, according to a panel discussion at Benefits Canada‘s Face to Face Drug Plan Management Forum. Speaking on the panel in Toronto on Dec. 5, Mark Faiz, chief executive officer of Personalized Prescribing Inc., said […]