Why Employers Should Care About Their Employees’ Health

Schedule:

Mark Razzolini, Alberta Blue Cross – Wellness

With an increasing focus on absenteeism, mental health, obesity and general well-being in the work place, this session aims to help you understand your data and use it in a meaningful way to develop programs that are of value to your employee while increasing productivity and lowering health spend.

Mark Razzolini holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree and a certificate in human resources management from the University of Alberta. In 2005 he completed a certificate in project leadership from NAIT. He has also received certificates in executive strategic planning, executive human resources management and senior executive development from Queen’s university in Kingston. In 2012, he completed the Prosci Change Management Certificate Program.

Mark is currently employed as the Vice-President, Human Resources at Alberta Blue Cross. Wellness is a major part of his portfolio. Mark is a Certified Human Resources Professional.

Claire Leger, Alberta Blue Cross – Disability Management

This session will focus on how Wellness and Disability Management correlate and how a sound Wellness strategy can complement your Disability Management Strategy.

With more than 25 years’ experience in group life and disability insurance, Claire has extensive knowledge in the management and adjudication of life, critical illness and disability claims. Prior to joining Alberta Blue Cross, Claire held an oversight role with Blue Cross Life Insurance Company of Canada providing consultative services on all aspects of life and disability claims management to all the Blue Cross Plans across Canada. She holds several industry designations including Associate Cluster Services (ACS), Associate Life and Health Claims (ALHC), Fellow Life Management Institute (FLMI) and Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS). Claire recorded a series of web-based lectures on the basics of group insurance and disability claims management for the University of Montreal and currently sits on the Executive Claims Committee as well as the Committee on Disability Insurance with the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association (CLHIA).

Wendy Poirier, Towers Watson – Where is Wellness Going?

Health and productivity is a global priority - but what are organizations doing to ensure their wellness programs are effective now and into the future? In this session we'll discuss what highly effective organizations are doing today to support their organizational health strategy and what they plan to focus on in the next few years to ensure their programs are successful and sustainable. We will share the results of the 2015 Staying@Work survey to demonstrate how employers in Canada and around the globe are taking the next step in their health & productivity strategy as a key competitive advantage. 

Wendy Poirier is the leader of the Health & Group Benefits practice of Towers Watson in Canada. She is nationally recognized as a leading thinker in the area of health, wellness and pharmacy management programs. For over 20 years, she has been a trusted advisor to some of Canada's largest organizations in the retail, energy, manufacturing, hi-tech and health care plus consumer products and finance and transportation industries.  Wendy has a passion for health and wellness in her personal and professional life. She lives on a ranch in the foothills of Alberta where she lives an active life with her family, a big dog and 5 equine friends! Wendy’s passion for health and wellness endeavors extend beyond her professional career, to her personal pursuits of cycling and running.