Alberta’s recently-passed Bill 11 allows employers to offer employees access to private health services through their benefits plans and protects older employees from losing employer-sponsored health benefits solely based on age. Under the legislation, physicians and surgeons are now allowed work in both the public system and private-pay market. The legislation won’t apply to primary […]
Transitioning from school to work shouldn’t require someone with a disability to fight twice as hard just to be evaluated on skill, said Chelsea Masson, university student and outreach coordinator at the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, during a recent webinar hosted by the Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work. “Barriers will show up […]
A smooth return to office begins with clarity around the purpose of time in the office, as well as meaningful leadership presence, says Courtney Elling, future-proofed workplaces for real estate lead at Cisco Systems Inc. “Employees are most motivated to come in for activities that truly benefit from being in person, such as collaboration, brainstorming […]
Retirement advice and personalization are becoming foundational expectations for employees, not optional enhancements, said Rachel Weker, retirement strategist at T. Rowe Price Group Inc., during a recent webinar by the organization. “We anticipate this is going to happen for three main reasons. One is that retirement plan participants are facing increasingly complicated financial backdrops . […]
Employers can help young employees transition from the classroom to the workplace by being clear about the skills they’re looking for, says Gemma Kenyon, director of careers and employability at City St. George’s, University of London. “We hear from students that there’s a lot of different language around skills and expectations, so I think being […]
Communication is critical to show employees the true value of total rewards beyond pay, according to Aastha Juneja, head of compensation and benefits at Corus Entertainment, speaking during a panel discussion at Benefits Canada’s 2025 Future of Work Summit. “We often think of ourselves as a number in the stream of people, but communication is […]
Nearly two-thirds (63 per cent) of employees say it’s important for their employers to focus on diversity, equity and inclusion, down from 72 per cent in 2024, according to Benefits Canada’s 2025 Future of Work Survey. Additionally, 64 per cent of employees rated their employer’s DEI efforts as good (up from 56 per cent last […]
Employers can appoint mental-health champions, use engaging communications and schedule learning sessions with their employee assistance programs to provide support during Blue Monday and year-round, says Chris Gory, employee benefits advisor at Orchard Benefits. It’s important to appoint a mental-health champion within the company to promote the EAP, notes Gory. Additionally, employers can create informative […]
More than half (55 per cent) of employees say artificial intelligence would be positive for their organizations, up from 46 per cent in 2024, while just 22 per cent are feeling the same way about AI’s impact on their own roles, down from 27 per cent in 2024, according to Benefits Canada’s 2025 Future of […]
It’s important for employers to examine benefits data to tailor their offerings and focus on organizational resiliency to be successful in the year ahead, says Janine Mcinnis, vice-president of benefits consulting at Hub International Canada. “[Employers] striving to build sustainable, responsible businesses have a lot to contend with in 2026. In a landscape shaped by […]