Canadian Forest Products Ltd.’s new financial wellness program may have originated as the brainchild of its defined contribution pension plan committee, but it’s just as applicable to its defined benefit plan members — and the organization chose to roll it out for all employees. When you have broad financial wellness topics, it’s fine, but when […]
Defined contribution plan sponsors must carefully consider diversification and risk as they evaluate their target-date fund strategy to ensure it’s meeting the needs of members. But while these terms are commonly used in the industry, they can take on different meanings when it comes to target-date funds, said Ruthann Pritchard, institutional portfolio manager of global […]
While target-date funds have traditionally been a one-sized-fits-almost-all solution, innovation to integrate environmental, social and governance-oriented strategies into these funds is coming just as plan members are seeking more sustainable investing options. “The vast majority of Canadians say ESG integration is important in their investing,” said Wylie Tollette, executive vice-president and head of client investment […]
Defined contribution plan sponsors are facing much more challenging market conditions heading into 2022, with lower expected returns across core asset classes and high levels of uncertainty around the pandemic, rising inflation and other market factors. “This is truly an exceptionally difficult environment to navigate,” said Som Priestly, multi-asset solutions strategist at T. Rowe Price, […]
Alternative assets have long been the domain of institutional investors seeking to increase their risk-adjusted returns, but defined contribution plan sponsors now have the opportunity to access these assets in the form of liquid alternatives in their target-date fund offerings. Over the last five years, the expected returns of traditional balanced portfolios in target-date funds […]
Supporting employees’ mental health while teleworking will take on new importance as employers increasingly adjust their return-to-office plans to include some level of remote or hybrid work, said Simon Coloumbe, associate professor in the department of industrial relations at Université Laval. Speaking at Benefits Canada’s 2021 Mental Health Summit, Coloumbe said employers can do this […]
With rates of employee stress and burnout reaching new heights during the pandemic as the lines between work and home have blurred, employers need to find ways to support employee mental health. “As employers, we can’t anticipate or plan for personal drivers of stress,” said Joby McKenzie, managing director for Canada for Teladoc Health, during […]
Women were more likely to have suffered psychologically during the coronavirus pandemic as they faced increased caregiving responsibilities and many were hit financially by the ‘she-cession,’ making it particularly important for employers to support their mental health. “There’s no doubt the pandemic has hit us all hard,” said Harriet Ekperigin, vice-president of mental health at […]
The coronavirus pandemic has significantly increased the number of mental-health supports that employees have access to as well as their willingness to seek help when they need it, said Georgia Pomaki, leader of mental-health specialists, wellness, disability and life at Manulife Financial Corp., during Benefits Canada’s 2021 Mental Health Summit. Canadian insurers paid out $420 […]
When Nasreen, a 32-year-old marketing manager at a Toronto firm, started to suffer from anxiety and depression related to her isolation during the coronavirus pandemic, her manager and colleagues took notice. Nasreen, whose name has been changed to protect her privacy, was experiencing increased presenteeism and absenteeism as she suffered from an increasing number of […]