The pandemic changed our world and our jobs overnight and stretched compassion, empathy and flexibility to the limit. There has never been a better time to reconsider everything about employee benefits. For me as a benefits consultant, the crisis has highlighted how unprepared the typical benefits plan is to truly support the needs of employees in […]
About three-quarters (72 per cent) of Canadians with a workplace health benefits plan have a traditional plan and 28 per cent have a flex plan, according to the 2020 Sanofi Canada health-care survey. This is up slightly from 2017, when 80 per cent of plan members said they had a traditional plan and 19 per […]
More than three-quarters (77 per cent) of Canadian benefits plan members agree their workplace culture or environment encourages health and wellness, according to the 2020 Sanofi Canada health-care survey. “We want to maintain and build on that,” said Andrea Frankel, national private payer lead at Sanofi Canada, during a webinar highlighting the annual survey on Thursday. […]
Mental-health issues continue to be a driver of employee absence and disability year after year, so it’s important for employers to understand and cover a wider range of mental-health professionals on their benefits plans. Back in 2016, Scotiabank’s mental-health coverage was limited to psychologists. However, as different designations gained acceptance in the Canadian health-care space, […]
Telus Communications Inc.’s director of pension and benefits talks about plan member choice, honouring diversity and local walks. Q. What top challenges do you face in your role? A. Providing personalized, meaningful benefits to our team members, while at the same time ensuring the sustainability of the program through prudent cost management — it can be a […]
Canada Life is entering into an agreement with League Inc. to offer the health technology company’s digital benefits platform alongside its group services. The partnership aims to offer employers more choice and simplify how they administer and deliver their benefits plans, according to a press release. “We are always looking for new and innovative ways to […]
Since my last two editorials have targeted issues around pension plan design and retirement readiness, I’m balancing things out this month by turning my attention to benefits. Fortunately, I have strong opinions on the topic of this month’s cover story. Since I joined Benefits Canada four years ago, I’ve noticed that paramedical benefits — and […]
Toronto city councillor and new father Joe Cressy would prefer to spend his entitled weeks of parental leave at home with his infant son. At the moment, his wife is taking time off, but both partners are highly dedicated to their careers and it will be his turn soon enough. However, the city’s policy doesn’t fully […]
Canadians on the hunt for a new job want improved benefits and better control over their schedule, according to a new survey by Indeed. The survey, which polled more than 1,000 full-time employees, found 32 per cent said they plan to change jobs within the next one to two years. A quarter said they’ve been actively recruited by another […]
Canadian employers are going beyond traditional health benefits to address all the facets of their employees’ well-being, according to a new survey by global staffing firm Robert Half. The survey found employers are offering physical (63 per cent), financial (65 per cent) and mental (73 per cent) wellness programs. As well, organizations are covering at least some of the […]