When the World Health Organization declared a pandemic on March 11, 2020, companies across Canada scrambled to shift their employees to home setups. For the dozen or so staff at Edmonton-based technology company Punchcard Systems, the new reality meant figuring out new patterns of how to communicate as they would have at their downtown office. […]
More than half (55 per cent) of Canadian women employees say hybrid working has given them opportunities at work they wouldn’t have otherwise had, according to a new survey by International Workplace Group. The survey, which polled more than 500 women, found two-fifths (42 per cent) said that hybrid working arrangements have empowered them to […]
Most Canadian benefits plan sponsors (89 per cent) and members (73 per cent) agree their workplace environment supports mental wellness, according to the 2024 Benefits Canada Healthcare Survey. On the converse, about a quarter (27 per cent) of plan members disagreed. Despite the mostly positive perspectives, a quarter is still a significant portion of the […]
Even though humans spend a third of their lives asleep, it’s often taken for granted, but people are waking up to how sleep — or lack of sleep — is affecting their health and well-being. “All of medicine has been focused on how we do when we’re awake, but now we’re trying to pick up […]
A total of 200 U.K. employers, representing more than 5,000 employees, have signed up for a permanent four-day workweek with no loss of pay, according to a report by the Guardian. It noted the majority of employers that have permanently adopted a shorter workweek are in sectors such as marketing, advertising and public relations (30), […]
Two-thirds (67 per cent) of employers say there’s currently a shortage of skilled workers in their industry and 58 per cent anticipate a skilled labour shortage over the next five to 10 years, according to Benefits Canada’s 2024 Future of Work Survey. To reverse this trend, nearly three-quarters (72 per cent) of employers cited improving […]
Amazon’s Career Choice program provides employees with skills training that leads to career advancement, whether it be in their current trajectory or an entirely new career, according to Tammy Thieman, global director of Career Choice, during a session at Benefits Canada’s 2024 Future of Work Summit. The technology company offers the upskilling program in 14 […]
Advances in medical science and innovations in drug development necessitate updated drug plan strategies, according to Frédéric Leblanc (pictured far right), strategic leader of drug programs, group benefits and retirement solutions at iA Financial Group. During a panel discussion supported by EMD Serono Inc., GSK, iA Financial Group, Merck & Co. Inc., Novo Nordisk Canada Inc. […]
More than three-quarters (79 per cent) of Canadian employees say their overall well-being has significantly improved due to the greater flexibility offered by hybrid working, according to a new survey by International Workplace Group. The survey, which polled more than 1,000 Canadian employees, found 64 per cent said their physical health has improved due to […]
While ‘Blue Monday’ may highlight the importance of employee mental health, supporting workers’ psychological safety is a year-round duty, says Mara Notarfonzo, vice-president of total rewards at CAA Club Group. “I think a lot of organizations definitely do concentrate on specific initiatives or events on that day and during that week — so do we, […]