Managing Benefits in 2026

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Posted on by Deborah Abrahams
Key Insights for Employers, HR Teams, and Plan Administrators

Employee benefits, HR obligations, and business risk are becoming more complex.


To help employers navigate what’s changing, SC Insurance recently hosted a Managing Benefits session focused on the trends, risks, and practical steps organizations should be thinking about as we move into a new year.


This article highlights the key takeaways from that session, along with short video clips from each speaker and a downloadable template employers can use to help protect themselves.

The 2026 Benefits Landscape: What's Changing

Employers are facing pressure from multiple directions at once:
  • Rising claims and increased utilization

  • Shifting employee expectations around mental health, flexibility, and customization of benefits

  • More complex HR situations involving leaves, accommodations, and administration

  • Growing overlap between benefits decisions, HR risk, and business insurance exposure
The goal of the session was to clarify where to focus and what practical steps actually make a difference.

Watch Krista's overview of the 2026 benefits landscape

Mental Health: Using What You Have — and Knowing When to Go Further

Most benefit plans today already include mental health tools and digital resources through their existing carrier. The challenge is not access — it’s utilization and awareness.

When employees understand how to access these tools:

  • Barriers of care are reduced

  • Pressure on paramedical claims can ease

  • Issue are addressed earlier, rather than escalating
For organizations that want to provide deeper or more structured support, there are also enhanced options available — including expanded EAP programs, coaching-based solutions, and guided digital pathways that employees actually use.

Watch Krista and Darren discuss mental health support and utilization

Chronic Conditions & GLP 1 Medications: Supporting the Whole Picture

GLP 1 medications and chronic conditions continue to be top of mind for many employers — not just because of cost, but because of long term sustainability.

While many carriers offer baseline digital wellness and chronic-condition tools, these programs don’t always go deep enough on their own. Employers are increasingly looking at complementary solutions that focus on:

  • Personalized nutrition and glucose awareness

  • Movement, strength, and pain management

  • Behaviour-based support that helps employees build sustainable habits
Early intervention in these areas is also one of the most effective ways to reduce future disability risk.

Watch Krista & Darren segment on chronic conditions and wellness support

Personalization, Inclusivity & Executive Support

Employees want benefits that reflect real life — not one size fits all coverage.

This includes support for:

  • Women’s health and menopause

  • Fertility and family‑building

  • Caregivers supporting children or aging parents

  • Legal and financial stressors that impact work

  • Substance‑use and mental health challenges
Many employers are also surprised to learn how impactful even a modest group RRSP match can be for recruitment and retention — often at a lower actual cost than expected. At the executive level, traditional “enhanced” benefits no longer go far enough. Proactive, preventative health solutions — including advanced assessments and longevity‑focused screening — are becoming a key part of executive support strategies.

Watch Darren segment on personalization and executive benefits

HR Risk: Where These Trends Show Up First

Nearly every benefits trend eventually lands on HR’s desk.

Leaves of absence, benefits continuation, medical notes, accommodation decisions, and administrative errors are now some of the most common sources of employer exposure.

As part of the session, we highlighted HR OnCall, a support service available to SC clients that provides access to experienced HR professionals for guidance when real world situations arise.

Watch Johanna's HR Segment

Business Insurance: Two Areas Employers Often Miss

Benefits and HR risk don’t exist in isolation — they connect directly to business insurance exposure.

In the session, Josh Wise from KRGinsure highlighted two areas many organizations overlook:
  • Employer Liability coverage, which is often inexpensive to add but frequently missing or outdated
  • Cyber insurance, now one of the most actively claimed areas across businesses of all sizes
A simple review can help identify gaps before they turn into costly surprises.

Download: Benefits Continuation Template

One of the most common administrative pitfalls for employers involves benefits continuation during employee leaves.

To help, we’re providing a free, editable template that organizations can use as a starting point for their own internal policy.

This template is provided as general guidance only. Employers should obtain independent legal advice before implementing or relying on any policy.
Download the Benefits Continuation Template

Conclusion

If you’d like to:

  • Review your benefits plan

  • Understand your HR support options

  • Assess potential business insurance gaps

  • Or talk through any of the topics covered
Our team is happy to help.

Contact us to discuss your Group Benefits Needs

info@scinsurance.ca

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