BPM Talk

BPM Talk
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Senior Editor David Kitai hosts a series of interviews aimed at understanding the benefits & pensions industry in its entirety. From investment management through benefits plans and the modern challenges and trade-offs of pensions, David explores the unusual and the everyday, hoping to shed light on every topic explored.

  1. 4d ago

    Balancing Benefits Costs and Workforce Needs

    Canadian employers are navigating one of the most complex benefits environments in recent memory. Drug costs continue to climb, mental health claims remain elevated well above pre-pandemic levels, and a tightening labour market means employees expect more from their group benefits plans, not less. For plan sponsors and HR executives, finding the balance between financial sustainability and workforce wellbeing has become a defining strategic challenge. In this episode of BPM Talk, Valérie Fernandez, Workplace Health Senior Advisor at Beneva, and Michael Kondrat, Director of Sales and Partner Experience, Group Insurance at Beneva, explore the practical realities of managing group benefits costs without compromising what employees need to stay healthy and engaged. Drawing on Beneva's frontline experience working with Canadian plan sponsors, they share how leading organizations are redesigning their benefits programs, leveraging data, and rethinking their approach to workplace health to achieve both cost discipline and talent resilience. Key takeaways: • Why benefits cost management is no longer a line-item exercise, and what a more strategic approach looks like • How plan sponsors can align benefits design with real workforce health trends rather than assumptions • The role of workplace health advisors in building proactive, prevention-focused programs • Practical frameworks for balancing premium sustainability with meaningful employee coverage • What Beneva's group insurance data reveals about the most significant cost drivers in Canadian benefit plans today Tune in now to hear how leading plan sponsors are moving beyond cost-cutting and building benefits programs built for the workforce of today.

  2. Aug 10

    Eco-anxiety at work: turning climate concern into engagement

    Climate change has entered the workplace in ways that go well beyond physical risk. According to the first Canadian study of its kind — conducted by Beneva — 69 per cent of employees in small and medium-sized businesses report moderate to high levels of climate-related concern, and 20 per cent say it has a moderate to severe impact on their daily functioning. Mental health is already the leading cause of lost workdays in Canada, and eco-anxiety is quietly feeding into that broader picture. For plan sponsors, HR leaders, and benefits professionals, the time to act is now. In this episode of BPM Talk, Christelle Lim-Severe, sustainability practice leader at Beneva, and Mikaella Hofmann-Azérad, workplace health advisor at Beneva, join host Manal Ali for a frank conversation about what eco-anxiety actually looks like inside organisations and why the current moment — when concern is high but functional impact is still moderate — may represent a rare window for early, low-cost intervention. Between them, they bring nearly 35 years of experience across group benefits, disability insurance, corporate sustainability, and risk management, and they draw directly on Beneva's proprietary research to make the case for action now. By tuning in to this podcast, you will get: • Eco-anxiety is a psychosocial stressor — not a lifestyle concern — and it follows employees into the workplace the same way financial or family pressures do. • Beneva's research found that one in five Canadian employees already experiences functional impacts, including disrupted sleep, reduced concentration, and lower perceived performance. • Young workers aged 18–34 show the highest concern levels (73 per cent) and are more likely to assess employer values against environmental commitments before accepting or staying in a role. • Early, low-cost actions — such as opening structured conversations, acknowledging concerns, and enabling small collective actions — can redirect anxiety into engagement and healthier workplaces . • Addressing eco-anxiety is also an opportunity: organisations that act now stand to benefit from stronger talent attraction, reduced presenteeism and absenteeism, and a more resilient workplace culture. Tune in now and hear how leading organisations are getting ahead of one of workplace well-being's most overlooked emerging challenges.

  3. Feb 25

    Why cancer support can't end at remission

    Desjardins' Neda Nasseri and Andrew Wood join BPM Talk host Josh Welsh to unpack the financial and human challenges employers face when it comes to cancer in the workforce. They also outline what plan sponsors can and should be doing to support employees navigating a cancer diagnosis, from flexible return-to-work plans to emerging therapies reshaping benefit design.

  4. Feb 10

    Member mindsets, motivations, and metrics: Inside Canada’s workplace retirement plans

    Across Canada, workplace savings plans have become the anchor of many employees’ retirement strategy, shaping not only how they save but how confident they feel about the future. At the same time, plan sponsors face rising expectations around plan design, digital tools and guidance, even as member needs and behaviours evolve. In this BPM Talk episode, Benefits and Pensions Monitor highlights new Sun Life research that compares how members perceive their workplace savings with what their actual account data reveals, surfacing critical insights into retirement readiness, engagement and long term financial security. Featuring Hilda Tang, Senior Vice President, Client Growth and Solutions at Sun Life Canada, this episode brings together findings from Sun Life’s Designed for Savings report and a new study that marries survey responses with real member data. Hilda explains why workplace plans are central to many Canadians’ retirement outcomes, why confidence can matter more than knowledge, and how gender and behaviour patterns show up in the numbers. Listeners will gain practical ideas on how plan sponsors and advisors can use plan features, digital experiences and targeted guidance to better support members along their path to retirement. Don’t miss this episode to learn how you can: • See how member perceptions align with actual workplace plan data. • Understand why financial confidence can drive stronger savings behaviour. • Recognize how the gender wealth gap appears inside group retirement plans. • Apply a simple framework of simplify, automate and incentivize to improve engagement. Tune in now to hear the insights and apply them to your own plans.

  5. 10/21/2025

    Unpacking the AI data center demand

    Hazelview Investments' Samuel Sahn and Telehouse Canada's Andy Fenton sits down with host Josh Welsh to outline the opportunities, risks and demand for AI data centers and whether they'll go to space!

  6. 06/30/2025

    'A great opportunity' to build on men's health

    44 percent of Canadian males are dying prematurely. They're also battling unprecedented levels of mental health and chronic health issues. Dr. John Oliffe, co-author of Movember Canada's report and Catherine Corriveau, director of policy and advocacy, Movember Canada outlines what plan sponsors can do and where they should invest in workplace policies.

  7. 04/02/2025

    Women's health in benefits

    As Women's History Month comes to a close, BPM is exploring where the gaps in women's health exist in benefits. Sun Life Health's Marie-Chantal Cote addresses how benefits have progressed for women and how plan sponsors can take action to better the lives of their female employees.

  8. 11/22/2024

    How to build a physically healthy workforce

    Physical health has an almost endless array of positive impacts, from better mental health to better workplace productivity. TELUS Health Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Matthew Chow joined the BPM Talk Podcast to discuss these impacts and outline how employers can encourage more physical activity in their employees.

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About

Senior Editor David Kitai hosts a series of interviews aimed at understanding the benefits & pensions industry in its entirety. From investment management through benefits plans and the modern challenges and trade-offs of pensions, David explores the unusual and the everyday, hoping to shed light on every topic explored.

Information

  • Creator
    BPM Talk
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    13
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    BPM Talk