Topic HR
Should public workers’ compensation protect clients from liability for mental stress caused by harassment?
August 23, 2021 by Greg MeckbachOntario’s workers’ compensation tribunal was wrong when it decided that a Niagara Falls hotel can’t be sued by a former worker who alleges she was forced to quit after suffering harassment, the provincial Divisional Court has ruled. As a result…
Former State Farm Canada head Bellissimo joins industry regulator board
August 17, 2021 by Greg MeckbachBarbara Bellissimo, former chief agent for State Farm Canada, is now on the board of Ontario’s insurance regulator. The Ontario Financial Services Regulatory Authority announced Monday that Bellissimo is a member of its board of directors effective Aug. 12. Bellissimo…
Will 4th wave, mandatory vaccines spur more insurers to re-imagine the workplace?
August 16, 2021 by Canadian Underwriter StaffWith COVID-19 cases rising across Canada and several large employers — including the federal government — announcing they’ll require workers to be vaccinated, insurers and brokers may begin rethinking their return-to-office plans. Not long before the fourth wave hit, some…
The importance of employee experience in the post-pandemic world
August 13, 2021 by Jason ContantImproving employees’ experience is a top priority for almost all Canadian employers’ post-pandemic success, Willis Towers Watson (WTW) said in a study released Aug. 11. However, while employers recognize adapting to the new reality will take time and require a…
4 ways to stay visible while working remotely
August 3, 2021 by Jason ContantAs more Canadian property and casualty insurance professionals shift to a hybrid workplace, it will be important for remote workers to remain visible while the rest of their colleagues are in the office. To be viewed as a valued team…
How many people Marsh hired amidst ‘distraction and uncertainty’ of Aon-Willis merger discussions
July 26, 2021 by Greg MeckbachAmid the uncertainty over Aon PLC’s now-scuttled plan to acquire Willis Towers Watson PLC, Marsh & McLennan Companies Inc. increased its staff level by nearly 2,000 during the first half of 2021, Marsh & McLennan CEO Dan Glaser says. “We…
Former Bermuda reinsurer CEO now on Intact board of directors
July 23, 2021 by Greg MeckbachEmmanuel Clarke, a former CEO of Bermuda insurer PartnerRe Ltd., is now on Intact Financial Corporation’s board of directors, Toronto-based Intact announced Thursday. Clarke, a French national, was appointed CEO of PartnerRe in 2016, shortly after EXOR S.p.A. completed its…
4 design concepts for the new hybrid office
July 22, 2021 by Jason ContantIn planning their future hybrid offices, Canadian insurance industry employers will need to carefully consider office design approaches, a blog published Thursday by Harvard Business Review advises. “By all indications, the future of work is hybrid,” wrote Jim Keane and…
How this Top 5 insurer is approaching return to work
July 20, 2021 by Jason ContantWawanesa Mutual Insurance Company is allowing the “vast majority” of its team members to choose where they want to work starting mid-September. The move will provide flexibility to employees, allow continued support of the business, and support recruiting and retaining…
3 steps for an effective back-to-the-office plan
July 19, 2021 by Jason ContantIf back-to-the-office conversations are just starting at your company, or if you are finding that an early strategy isn’t working, employers should take a three-step approach to creating a successful plan, a business strategist suggests. As a manager, the first…
Former Aviva Canada VP now CEO of TD Insurance
July 7, 2021 by Greg MeckbachJames Russell, a former senior executive with The Dominion of Canada General Insurance Company and Aviva Canada, is now leading The Toronto-Dominion Bank’s property and casualty insurers. Russell’s appointment results from a re-assignment of several TD senior managers. Russell has…
‘I quit’: Wave of resignations prompts concerns over labour shortage
July 7, 2021 by Amanda Stephenson, The Canadian PressCALGARY — If not for COVID-19, Valerie Whitt might never have summoned the courage to quit her job. The 50-year-old Markham, Ont. woman had been a project manager for Ontario Health for 13 years. She felt drained and exhausted from…