While employers recognize that workplace stress negatively impacts an employee’s performance, few employers are attempting to resolve the issue, a study finds. Nearly half (48%) of the employers in Watson Wyatt’s 2007/2008 Staying@Work survey feel long hours are the main cause of work-related stress, however, only 5% are taking action to eliminate the problem. Similarly, […]
A recent study found that the number of companies using internal communication programs to encourage employee participation in benefits programs is on the rise. According to Watson Wyatt’s 2007/2008 Communication ROI study, more than twice as many employers (53%) used communication tools such as meetings, special mailings and printed materials to increase enrollment in benefits […]
Job candidates are attracted to more than just salary these days, according to a survey conducted from Robert Half International. Of the 270 chief financial officers polled, 20% said the benefits package was the most effective incentive in attracting top professionals, compared to only 1% in 2003. While 31% felt offering a higher salary than […]
The majority of Canadians are not prepared for retirement, despite having RSPs, according to a poll. The TD Waterhouse 2008 RSP Investor Poll shows that of the 87% of Canadians who have RSPs, only 14% have developed a formal plan detailing their financial goals and what is required to reach them. Participants between the ages […]
Increased endowment spending among universities and the search for more predictable annual returns could cause investment returns to suffer, says Watson Wyatt Worldwide. Recent spending increases by Harvard and Yale have put pressure on other universities to follow suit. Additional pressure is coming from some observers who believe that as endowments grow, so should spending […]
Morgan Stanley Investment Management has launched a fund that will give investors access to long/short hedge fund managers worldwide. The Morgan Stanley Global Long/Short Fund is a fund of hedge funds aimed at smaller institutional clients and high net worth individuals. The minimum investment is US$100,000.. “The Global Long/Short Fund offers investors the potential to […]
Whether employees have millions in the bank or just a modest pension, planning makes all the difference when it comes to achieving a successful retirement, according to Warren Mackenzie, president of Second Opinion Investor Services Inc. Speaking about retirement readiness at the Human Resources Professionals Association of Ontario’s (HRPAO) annual trade show and conference in […]
Increased volatility in the financial markets over the past few months have led to a cautious view about equity returns this year, according to a survey. Respondents to Watson Wyatt’s 27th Annual Canadian Survey of Economic Expectations expect returns of 5% this year, significantly below the mid- and long-term projections of 8%. Also, more than […]
More than half (56%) of Canadians are not planning on an early retirement and will work as long as possible, according to a recent RBC RRSP poll. In fact, when asked if they would retire today if they had the money, 82% said they would continue to work and 53% would work part time or […]
The Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) has purchased a 40% interest in Scotia Place, a downtown Edmonton office tower, for $64 million. The total value of the 600,000-square-foot office complex is $160 million. Morguard Real Estate Investment Trust, which previously owned 100% interest in the Class A tower, will retain a 20% stake. The […]