Workplace culture is key to success
Are your benefits and pension plans supporting your culture? By Andrea Hansen, B.Comm, CFP, GBA, Benefits Advisor at Sutton Benefits & Pension
U
nderstanding your culture is the key to creating a dynamic team and long-term business success. Company culture has a major influence on em-
ployee behaviour and retention and
sets the tone for the way people interact, communicate, and make decisions.
As a result, it affects productivity and growth.
Your actions – not just your words – set
a powerful example. If you don’t keep
your finger on the pulse of your company’s culture, it could quickly erode. Culture is a shared responsibility, and
it can’t be ignored, compartmentalized,
or delegated if you want to see a positive impact on the bottom line.
“I disagree that people are the greatest
asset. The right people are the greatest asset and negative people are very
disruptive. It only takes one disrupter
to ruin a culture that took so long to build. Teaching leaders soft skills is just
as important as hard skills to build culture,” said Tom Foster, president and
The days when a good paycheque and
1. Mental Health
employee mental health, financial security, and wellbeing are linked to the
an annual raise were enough are gone.
Today people want to work for employers that respect their personal life and
care about them as people. They seek
CEO, IMM.
benefits that help them live better lives.
When asked, “Which comes first, lead-
more likely to go above and beyond for
ership or culture?” most people say
leadership. That makes sense because
Employees who feel valued are much the company.
leadership drives culture. Does your
If a benefits and pension plan is a one-
value of supporting the health, wealth,
and hasn’t evolved, you’re likely not
business’s leadership believe in the
size-fits-all plan that simply ticks a box
and wellbeing of your employees?
getting the best value. But how do you
If you pay employees well, they can cover their own health expenses and retirement savings, right?
20
company’s bottom line.
ent aspects of wellness to positively influence employee engagement and productivity. Wellness has three key components:
Some employers do not recognize how
design a plan that supports your culture?
Benefit plans need to support differ-
In any given year, one-in-five Canadians experience a mental illness or addiction, and one-in-two Canadians will have had a mental illness by age 40.1 Employees’ mental health affects not only their performance, but also your workplace environment and business results. Poor mental health leads to absenteeism, disengagement, accidents, and increased disability and health benefit costs. We cannot ignore those results. Providing access to an Employee Family Assistance Program to support mental health and overall wellbeing is a must.
