Author name: Benchmark

    Key Takeaways  Work-life balance outcomes are increasingly shaped by manager behaviour, not policy, explaining why many employees feel little day-to-day change despite employer investment in wellbeing. Employee benefits lose effectiveness when managers lack the tools or clarity to support balance in practice, limiting access and increasing burnout risk. Aligning benefits design with manager …

The Manager Effect: Why Most Employees Feel No Change in Work-Life Balance Read More »

New research reveals that women are not asking for more perks. They are asking for benefits that reflect how they actually live and work. For many organizations, International Women’s Day has become a well-intentioned ritual: a keynote, a social post, perhaps a team lunch. But new research from Benchmark Benefits suggests that these gestures, however …

The Benefits Gap Is Real: What HR Leaders Need to Know to Support Women in 2026 Read More »

Key Takeaways  Standardized benefits are increasingly inefficient in a multi-generational workforce, where vastly different life stages and pressures mean uniform programs often create low perceived value and wasted spend.  The real power of personalization is alignment, not choice; matching benefits to employee needs improves engagement and retention without necessarily increasing total benefits cost.  Personalization only works …

Personalized and Customizable Benefits: Why One-Size-Fits-All No Longer Works  Read More »

Key Takeaways  Employee expectations in 2026 are shifting from coverage to experience, with time autonomy, wellbeing, and values alignment playing a central role in how benefits are perceived.  Benefits that support rest, purpose, and whole-person wellbeing are now directly linked to performance and retention, not just employee satisfaction.  The greatest impact comes from integrating these offerings together, creating a …

Three Employee Benefit Offerings Employers Can’t Ignore in 2026 Read More »

Mental health has firmly entered the employer agenda. Canadian organizations increasingly recognize that employee mental wellbeing is not a “nice to have,” but a core part of workforce sustainability, productivity, and retention.  Yet a significant gap remains between intent and action.  Recent research shows that while 87% of organizations believe they are responsible for supporting employee mental wellbeing, fewer than half (46%) …

Mental Health Benefits in Canada: Why Awareness Is High but Access Still Lags Read More »

  As Canadian employers look toward 2026, the benefits landscape is becoming more complex, more visible, and more tightly linked to workforce strategy. Cost pressures remain high, employee expectations continue to evolve, and regulatory and market signals are pushing benefits out of the background and into the spotlight.  What’s changing is not just what benefits employers offer, but how they are governed, …

Top Employee Benefits Trends for 2026: What CHROs Need to Prepare For  Read More »

Pay Transparency Will Force a Total Rewards Reset  Pay transparency is no longer a future concept. In Canada, it is becoming a regulatory and cultural reality that will fundamentally reshape how employers think about compensation, benefits, and total rewards.  With Ontario requiring salary ranges in job postings having started on January 1, 2026, employers are entering a …

Pay Transparency Will Force a Total Rewards Reset Read More »

  Ontario is preparing for one of the most significant shifts in workplace transparency in recent years. Beginning January 1, 2026, employers with 25 or more employees will need to include salary ranges in job postings. Before that, on July 1, 2025, organizations must begin providing written employment details to new hires before day one.  Together, these changes will …

Pay Transparency Is Coming to Ontario: How Employee Benefits Consultants Can Help Employers Prepare  Read More »

    Key Summary  Context: With economic uncertainty and rising living costs in Canada, employee financial wellness is a growing priority for HR leaders. Purpose: Employee savings plans help organizations support long-term financial security, boost engagement, and improve retention. Plan Types: Common options include Group RRSPs, Registered Pension Plans (RPPs), Target Benefit Plans (TBPs) and …

Employee Savings Plans Explained: Tax Advantages, Compliance, and Engagement Tips for Canadian Employers Read More »

  Key Summary  Focus: Employee benefits consulting helps organizations design, manage, and optimize benefits programs that align with business and people strategies.  Why it Matters: With economic uncertainty and rising employee expectations, strategic consulting helps employers maximize impact from existing benefits investments.  What’s Included: Group benefits, employee savings plans, and corporate wellness initiatives work together to form a holistic total …

Employee Benefits Consulting Explained: How Strategic Advice Transforms Total Rewards  Read More »