Employers can support workers impacted by this summer’s wildfires through flexible working arrangements, mental-health resources and clear communication, says Kim Siddall, national vice-president of client strategy at People Corporation. “Employers are looking at different ways to support people, both on the mental health and physical health side, because of disruption and displacement [from evacuation] as […]
Vancouver City Savings Credit Union is using its internal benefits and employee data to react to the financial realities that workers are facing amid the rising cost of living, says Ivana Afonso, the organization’s director of total rewards. “We know the cost-of-living crisis is hitting our core-aged employees hardest, especially those balancing housing, childcare and […]
Gender differences in mental health manifest through biology, gender roles and cultural expectations, according to Carmen Bellows, registered psychologist and director of mental health solutions at Sun Life Financial Inc., during a session at Benefits Canada’s 2025 Mental Health Summit. Taking all mental-health disorders into account, she said there are no gender differences in the […]
Women’s mental health has historically been underfunded and under-researched, with just three per cent of neuroscience and psychiatry studies between 2009 and 2019 conducted exclusively in females, compared to about 30 per cent in males, according to research cited by Manulife Canada’s Georgia Pomaki during a session at Benefits Canada’s 2025 Mental Health Summit. Yet, […]
Kraft Heinz Canada is reimagining family benefits to reflect a broader, more inclusive definition of caregiving and employee well-being. The company is reframing these benefits by ensuring male employees are seen, supported and included across all life stages. In late 2024, it launched a digital-first health platform offering 24-7 confidential access to expert-led care. The […]
Half (51 per cent) of U.S. employers with 500 or more employees say they’re likely or very likely to make plan design changes in 2026 that would shift more costs to employees, such as raising deductibles or out-of-pocket maximums, according to a new survey by Mercer. The survey, which polled more than 500 large-sized companies, […]
Despite offering generous benefits packages, many Canadian employers are seeing key benefits go unused or remain effectively invisible to employees, say several experts. A recent report by ADP Canada on employee satisfaction found compensation and benefits scored just 6.1 out of 10, the lowest-rated workplace satisfaction factor among Canadian employees. The gap between what’s offered […]
For employers that are designing a financial wellness program, it’s important to provide a user-friendly, educational, and flexible offering that reflects the diversity of employees’ life stages, says Diana McLachlan, chief people officer at Wealthsimple. “Financial security is at the core of people’s lives, and when companies recognize that and invest in it meaningfully, it […]
CAA Club Group’s win in Benefits Canada’s 2024 Workplace Benefits Awards is reinforcing the company’s efforts to provide a comprehensive wellness program to its employees, says Joanna Marra, the organization’s director of wellness. “It’s fantastic for us to get the recognition in the space because we know the work we’re doing is being recognized outside […]
The majority (91 per cent) of Canadian employers are planning to benchmark their benefits plan against market practices to remain competitive, with half (49 per cent) prioritizing this for next year and 42 per cent for the next three years, according to a new survey by MercerMarsh Benefits. The survey, which polled nearly 350 employers […]