GreenShield's Nadim Kara on why access, personalization, and systems matter as much as coverage
This article was provided by GreenShield
When it comes to employee benefits, many Canadian employers have recognized, and are responding to, the rising demand for inclusive coverage.
Benefits strategies are evolving, with nearly half of Canadian organizations identifying women’s health as a priority, 70 per cent covering fertility drugs, and 30 per cent recognizing gender‑affirming care as essential, according to a WTW survey.
And yet, increased coverage does not always guarantee effective care and a healthier workforce. Canadians spend 2.5 times more time navigating health care and benefits than actually receiving care; a friction point that can undermine a progressive benefits strategy. For HR leaders, the challenge is no longer whether inclusive benefits exist, but whether employees can find the right support at the right time.
“Leaders understand the value of inclusive coverage,” says Nadim Kara, Executive Vice President and Head of People & Culture at GreenShield. “The key now is designing benefit systems that meet people when it matters; in a way that’s accessible, personalized, and effective.”
If those requirements are overlooked, the impact often surfaces indirectly in absenteeism, burnout, stalled career progression, or preventable turnover. “When created thoughtfully, inclusive benefits stabilize workforce capacity,” says Kara. “That's not a soft outcome. It's an economic one.”
Building benefits around employee needs
Even comprehensive coverage can fall short when employees are left to navigate fragmented systems alone. At GreenShield, the focus is on designing models that close those gaps, explains Kara.
The organization offers a range of inclusive benefits, including gender‑affirming care, family‑building support, hormonal health programs, and culturally matched therapists for mental health support – delivered through a system that makes care easier to access.
As the first organization in Canada to operate as an integrated payer-provider, GreenShield brings coverage and health care together through GreenShield+, a single connected platform that allows employees to find providers, attend virtual appointments, manage prescriptions, and submit claims in one place.
“Integrating coverage and care helps remove delays and drop‑offs that can prevent people from getting support,” Kara says. “When accessing care feels straightforward, people tend to deal with issues early – that makes a difference in productivity.”
Personalized support that sustains performance
Hormonal health illustrates these stakes clearly. One in three Canadian women wait at least two years for effective menopause care, with long wait times and unclear navigation cited as barriers to care, according to a recent national survey by GreenShield.
The workplace impact is significant. Nearly two‑thirds of women say menopause symptoms such as fatigue, anxiety, and “brain fog” affect their job performance and more than half report that time spent seeking care disrupts their work.
“These aren’t abstract wellness concerns. For HR leaders, the question is not whether to address hormonal health, it’s whether the organization can afford not to,” says Kara. “If hormonal health is treated as a personal issue rather than a performance factor, organizations risk losing experienced leaders at a critical stage.”
GreenShield’s nurse‑led Personalized Hormonal Health Program, introduced in 2025, supports women through life‑stage hormonal changes by providing clinical expertise and personalized care. “Coverage matters, but intuitive navigation, coordinated support, and personalization matter just as much,” says Kara.
The same principle applies to mental health support. GreenShield’s Total Rewards program offers $10,000 in annual mental health coverage for each employee and their dependents, paired with a personalized therapist-matching tool and virtual care options in GreenShield+.
Ease of access has a direct impact: members were able to connect with a therapist in as little as 13 hours, with 96 per cent remaining with their matched provider and reporting high satisfaction and improved early outcomes, according to GreenShield’s latest Health Outcomes Report.
There is also a clear economic signal. GreenShield observed that for every dollar invested in integrated mental health coverage and care, $1.50 was returned through lower mental health claims by year two – before factoring in absenteeism or disability costs.
“These aren’t just numbers – they’re health outcomes that contribute to a healthier, more resilient workforce,” says Kara.
Inclusion as an operating principle
Ultimately, inclusive benefits design reflects how organizations think about care in practice – not as a perk, but as essential infrastructure. For HR leaders, that mindset matters. When benefits are designed to meet employees where they are at, it helps organizations respond to performance challenges earlier, retain experienced talent longer, and reduce the downstream costs of disengagement.
“At GreenShield, we believe health care is a right, not a privilege,” Kara says. “Providing care to those who need it most has always been part of our story. That belief informs how we support people; with care tailored to the individual and grounded in inclusion.”
