Mario Greco, Group Chief Executive Officer, Zurich Insurance Group,...
Category:
Workplace/Employee Benefits
Latest
Sweeping new vaccine mandates for 100 million Americans
“We’ve been patient. But our patience is wearing thin, and your refusal has cost all of us,” President Joe Biden said, all but biting off his words. The unvaccinated minority “can cause a lot of damage, and they are.”
Pandemic increasing risk factors for suicide, UN health agency warns
Globally, one in 100 deaths is by suicide, making it among the leading causes of death worldwide and the fourth leading cause of death among 15- to 29-year-olds, after road traffic accidents, tuberculosis and interpersonal violence.
“Suicide is an urgent public health problem and its prevention must be a national priority,” said Renato Oliveira e Souza, head of the Mental Health Unit at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).
German companies not allowed to check on employees’ vaccine status
But Germany has strict data privacy laws because of its history of Nazi and Communist state surveillance of citizens, meaning that companies have no right to find out about health issues relating to their staff.
German businesses have been pushing to be able to ask staff about vaccination and the government is trying to get more people to get the shots as infections rise again. Almost 61% of the population has had both shots and 65% at least one.
Ayush ministry launches ‘Yoga-Break’ app for professionals to de-stress at workplace
New Delhi, Sept 02: Union Minister of Ayush Sarbanand Sonowal on Wednesday launched the 'Yoga-Break' application for working professionals to de-stress, refresh and re-focus at their workplace to increase their productivity. The five-minute protocol...
Health Ministry partners with Google to enhance people’s access to COVID-19 vaccine
Starting this week, for over 13,000 locations across the country, people will be able to get more helpful information about vaccine availability and appointments — powered by real-time data from the CoWIN APIs (application programming interfaces). This includes information such as availability of appointment slots at each center, vaccines and doses offered (dose 1 or dose 2), expectations for pricing (paid or free) and the link to the CoWIN website for booking.
The above information will automatically show up when users search for vaccine centres near them, or in any specific area – across Google Search, Maps and Google Assistant.
Uber proposes industry-wide gig worker benefits model in Canada
Uber said it advocates for benefits funds everywhere, but added that labor laws, social safety nets and different cultures meant it would pursue a different approach in every country, with Monday’s proposal tailored to Canada.
Gig companies have long been criticized for the lack of benefits and protections they offer their independent contractor workers. Many labor unions, some lawmakers and the Biden administration have said gig workers should be reclassified as employees.
The companies have also faced several lawsuits in Canada and the United States alleging worker misclassification.
Majority of corporate employees want to work from home at least once a week: Survey
Among other findings, 91 per cent of the respondents favoured flexible working hours. Stating that the priorities of the workforce have undergone a shift, the consultant said corporate employees want an empathetic employer and work-life balance, more than a comfortable salary. The pandemic has prioritised working in an environment that puts health and well-being at the forefront.
Covid 19 Pandemic: Almost 1 in 3 affected due to work stress, ICICI Lombard survey
Sanjay Datta, Chief – Underwriting, Reinsurance & Claims, ICICI Lombard General Insurance , said, “With the transformed perception of the masses, our consumer base today looks at a health insurer not only for financial immunity during times of ill-health but we are now looked up as a partner in their holistic wellness journey. Additionally, through this survey, we observed a mindset change taking place with 47% of people and 42% of the younger age group (25-35 years) wanting to adopt a healthy lifestyle to not just get a better appearance but also feel better about themselves. Therefore keeping overall wellness as a focus, ICICI Lombard intends to act as a conduit towards a health-conscious India.”
Alibaba fires 10 for leaking sexual assault accusations
The Alibaba incident this month shone a spotlight on criticisms that Chinese women are overlooked, objectified or forced to take part in male-dominated rituals like drinking with clients, then brushed aside when reporting abuse. It coincides with intense government scrutiny on issues ranging from exploitative and monopolistic behavior to the abuse of low-wage workers.
The hybrid work revolution after Covid-19 is already transforming economies
While a more permanent transformation of working life will have painful consequences for many inner-city businesses, economists see a recalibration underway that can revitalize smaller towns and suburbs. New digital tools mean that retail and hospitality — as well as knowledge-intensive industries — are already undergoing far-reaching change.
Working from home around one day a week will boost productivity by 4.8% as the post-Covid economy takes shape, according to a recent study of more than 30,000 U.S. employees co-authored by José María Barrero of Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México and others. Much of that one-off increase is projected to come from reduced commuting time, a factor not usually captured by economists.