Asking the Right Questions: Employee Benefits Surveys + Template
By Michele MactaggartThere’s a phrase I like that says, “if you don’t ask, you’ll never know,” which I think applies to most things in life, and your employees’ job satisfaction is no different. But we usually only hear answers to the questions we’re asking, and sometimes miss out on pertinent information. It may be time to ask […]
Getting the Most out of Benefits Means Knowing What They Are
By Michele MactaggartWhat good is having something if you don’t know about it? Whether it’s because you don’t know it exists, or you simply don’t know how to use it, how do you know if you’re reaping the benefits? The same goes for employee benefits. You could offer the best, most comprehensive benefits to your staff, but […]
GRSPs: Benefiting Everyone’s Future
By Michele MactaggartIf you’re anything like me, you occasionally dream about what you’ll be doing after retirement. Floating on a yacht around the Spanish coast? Travelling the globe now that your kids have left the nest? It’s easy to dream big, but with the cost of living at an all time high, many feel the yacht may […]
Holiday Giving: Benefits for All
By Michele MactaggartAs our children eagerly count down the days until Santa’s arrival, thousands of charities across the country await donations and volunteering that will allow them to continue making a difference in their communities. According to Imagine Canada, over 40 percent of all annual donations happen the last eight weeks of the year. This year, the […]
Mending Fractures in a Deteriorating Healthcare System
By Letter MA chain is only as strong as its weakest link – but what if an entire country’s population depends on that chain – and what if every link in that chain is getting weaker every day? We know the Canadian healthcare system is collapsing. With the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic, overwhelming staffing shortages, and […]
Financial Education: Small Benefit with Big Impacts
By Michele MactaggartDo you notice your shoulders tensing, your palms sweating, or your heart racing when thinking about your finances? Is there anything that occupies your mind so much of the time, you’d label it constant? Over 65% of Canadians report being stressed about money constantly. It’s not just you; that financial stress could be costing your business […]
Rethinking Big Bonuses: Get Creative with Your Incentives
By Michele MactaggartIn a super broad, umbrella definition, a bonus refers to cash payments given in lump sums. The term itself is rather exciting – it’s extra, additional… more! And in the language of making money, more is always good. As we’ve been reading, a signing bonus is becoming increasingly popular as employers pull out all the […]
Hybrid Work Environments: Company Benefit or a Way of the Future?
By Michele MactaggartWhat used to be a luxury quickly became the only viable option for sustainable operation when things came to a halt back in 2020. If you were in an industry that didn’t require you to be physically present, well, you weren’t – and over the last two and a half years, companies have begun to […]
Preparing for Fallout: Disability, Critical Illness, and Life Insurance
By Michele MactaggartEven if you’re not an avid air traveler (thanks, COVID), you likely know what they say when it comes to how to act in an emergency: always put your own mask on first. You’re better off putting your own mask on first so you’re best able to focus on helping others who may need your […]
Value Over Cost – How to Positively Approach Benefit Renewals
By Michele MactaggartWhen it comes to employee group benefits, the whole administrative process can be daunting – what makes it worse? When you go to renew, and the cost has spiked. What’s that all about? Group benefit costs in Canada are forecasted to rise 7 per cent in 2022. A combination of higher costs for prescription drugs, […]