Considering An Employee Benefits Plan For Your Canadian Staff? Here’s Where To Start

Congratulations: You’re opening a branch or subsidiary office in Canada! Tapping into Canada’s market of 33 million citizens, not to mention its highly educated and motivated workforce, is a great idea. Now that you’re staffing up, you’re undoubtedly looking at a benefits coverage for your new Canadian employees. Before you jump in to the first… Continue reading Considering An Employee Benefits Plan For Your Canadian Staff? Here’s Where To Start

How Will OHIP+ Impact Startups?

UPDATE: On July 1, 2018, the new Ontario Conservative government announced that OHIP+ will be revised so that for anyone under 25, claims first go to an employee benefits plan that they are covered under, followed by OHIP+.   If you follow any major Canadian news outlets, you’ve probably heard about OHIP+ and maybe even… Continue reading How Will OHIP+ Impact Startups?

Why Startups Are Choosing Employee Assistance Plans To Support Their Teams

Employee Assistance Plans (EAPs) have been around since the 70s. But from the 70s to about the 90s they were strictly focused on addressing psychological issues. In the mid-90s, they branched out to include other components that have really extended them to become overall wellness programs. Today, EAPs support the overall health and wellness of… Continue reading Why Startups Are Choosing Employee Assistance Plans To Support Their Teams

What U.S. Based Startups Opening Canadian Offices Need to Know About Employee Benefits

I speak with a lot of U.S. based startups that have or are looking to set up shop in Canada, specifically Toronto. Different laws, healthcare systems, policies and even corporate cultures between Canada and the U.S. create a big learning curve for the founders of these startups. I’ve compiled a list of the most frequently… Continue reading What U.S. Based Startups Opening Canadian Offices Need to Know About Employee Benefits

Canada’s Top 2016 Employee Benefits Companies

It’s that time again – the latest figures on employee benefits coverage in Canada have been released. Every April, Benefits Canada releases data on the top employee benefits providers in Canada. Some years, there are interesting stories behind dramatic changes in the year-to-year figures. For example, in the 2016 results, Manulife saw a significant increase… Continue reading Canada’s Top 2016 Employee Benefits Companies

Most Employees Vastly Underestimate Their Total Compensation

This is an article that I previously provided to The Globe and Mail: If you’re a small business with staffing concerns, you’re not alone: over 50 per cent of business owners are worried about attracting the right candidates, and retaining their key players once they find them. The latter can be especially difficult in the startup space,… Continue reading Most Employees Vastly Underestimate Their Total Compensation

Why So Many Entrepreneurs Struggle With Mental Illness

This is an article that I previously provided to The Globe and Mail. Although we often read stories about successful Canadian startups – Shopify, Wattpad, Wealthsimple, and others – the reality is that many startups fail, and even those that succeed often experience a series of extreme highs and lows as they grow. With failure… Continue reading Why So Many Entrepreneurs Struggle With Mental Illness

5 Things To Consider When Selecting A Health Benefits Plan For Your Startup

You’ve made the decision to launch a health benefits plan for your growing startup. What do you do next? Before you do anything, read this article. Doing so will help you make an informed decision on how you go about bringing the best employee benefits plan to your team. Who to Work With When selecting… Continue reading 5 Things To Consider When Selecting A Health Benefits Plan For Your Startup

Two Rules To Protect Your Startup When Employees Leave

Building a company certainly comes with challenges and pressures, including preventing your top talent from hitting the free agency market (especially in Toronto’s highly competitive startup space). Although employee benefits plans improve retention rates and employee satisfaction, the reality is that employees will come and go. When they go, you need to make sure you… Continue reading Two Rules To Protect Your Startup When Employees Leave

Are You Providing Health Benefits Coverage That Your Team Actually Wants?

I talk to a lot of startups about health benefits coverage. While there are differences from company to company, massage, dental, vision and drug coverage have always been top requests. However, over the past 18-24 months, I’ve noticed a shift in what startups are looking for in terms of health benefits coverage for their teams.… Continue reading Are You Providing Health Benefits Coverage That Your Team Actually Wants?