Canada's Top 100 Employers (2024)

R.SNELLING/CIBC

2024 Winners

 The new Legacy Space dedicated to

the shared history with Indigenous peoples in the Toronto headquarters of CIBC, one of this year’s winners.

DISTRIBUTION PARTNER ALWAYS BE LEARNING:

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About this year’s competition

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LIST OF WINNERS:

Canada’s Top 100 Employers (2024)

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( 2024 ) SPONSOR CONTENT

CANADA’S TOP 100 EMPLOYERS Anthony Meehan, PUBLISHER

Editorial Team:

Richard Yerema,

J.S. LAPOINTE/UdM

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Kristina Leung, MANAGING EDITOR

Stephanie Leung, EDITOR

Chantel Watkins, ASSISTANT EDITOR

Juliane Fung, RESEARCH EDITOR

Sonja Verpoort, RESEARCH ASSISTANT

Cypress Weston, RESEARCH ASSISTANT

Jing Wang,

RESEARCH ASSISTANT

Advertising Team:

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MANAGING DIRECTOR, PUBLISHING

Ye Jin Suhe,

MANAGER, PUBLISHING

Chariemagne Kuizon, JUNIOR COORDINATOR

Vishnusha Kirupananthan, BRANDING & GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Sabrina Wu,

SENIOR CONTENT & PUBLISHING SPECIALIST

Sponsored Profile Writers:

Berton Woodward, SENIOR EDITOR

Brian Bergman Brian Bethune Deborah Bourk Abigail Cukier Mary Dickie Patricia Hluchy D’Arcy Jenish Diane C. Jermyn

Sara King-Abadi Allison Lawlor Tom Mason Kelsey Rolfe Diane Sims Nora Underwood Barbara Wickens

©2023 Mediacorp Canada Inc. All rights reserved. Canada’s Top 100 Employers is a product of Mediacorp. The Globe and Mail distributes the magazine but is not involved in the editorial content, judging or selection of winners. CANADA’S TOP 100 EMPLOYERS is a registered trade mark of Mediacorp. Editorial inquiries: ct100@mediacorp.ca

 Staff and students celebrating the holiday season on the Place Publique at the Université de Montréal, one of this year’s winners.

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or many Canadians, the final weeks of the year are a busy time. As the holidays approach, thoughts about work-life balance and the nature of the employment relationship give way to more pressing concerns.

Job-seekers turn their attention to other matters until new year’s wishes are well behind them.

It’s into these receding lights that, each year, our editors release the new list of Canada’s Top 100 Employers. Today’s announcement marks the culmination of a year’s worth of research and writing by our team, which has grown in size with the competition. The employers on this year’s list represent the very best we have been able to find.

As we do each year, our editors write detailed ‘reasons for selection’ explaining why each winner was selected. Annually, we write more than a million words explaining our choices, providing transparency in the selection of winners and raising the bar so other employers can improve upon these best practices. These detailed reasons – as well as winners’ grades for each of our selection criteria – can be found free of charge on our competition website: www.CanadasTop100.com Later in this announcement magazine (p.17), we’ve set out our methodology and selection criteria, which remain largely unchanged since the competition was launched 24 years ago. As always, the list reflects Canada’s economy as much as possible, both in terms of regional representation and the industries represented. By comparing employers in similar regions and industries, our editors can make informed decisions on which employers

truly lead their peers in offering the best places for Canadians to work.

What is particularly gratifying in a project such as ours is the steady annual progress we see across a range of areas, from family-friendly benefits and vacation allowance to training and preparation for life after work. The best employers follow their peers closely and even keep an eye on innovations outside their industry or region. For these employers, our competition serves as a ‘catalogue of best practices’ from which they glean the newest ideas on making their workplaces better.

Seen through this lens, it becomes clear there isn’t a ‘silver bullet’ that lands an employer a place on the Top 100 list. Instead, it’s more a case of winners doing many things well or at least better than similar employers in their industry or region. The employers that stay on the list over time are also the ones that fine-tune their programs constantly, keeping an eye on what other employers are offering and improving their own benefits and program accordingly.

Longtime readers will also recognize that our editors are particularly interested in benefits and programs that don’t cost a lot to implement. The reason for this is that we are looking for innovative programs that the majority of employers can adapt and improve.

If your organization is interested in taking part in next year’s competition, I invite you to contact our editors at ct100@mediacorp.ca before the 2025 application is released later in February.

– Tony Meehan

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BDC

SPONSOR CONTENT

 Business Development Bank of Canada

ABOUT THIS YEAR’S COMPETITION

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s organizations across the country adapt their workplaces, Canada’s Top 100 Employers (2024) are reimagining work.

For the winners of this year’s competition, a deeper focus on continuous learning and in-house career mobility is proving transformative. With AI on the horizon, these progressive organizations are building the educated workforce they need for the future – upskilling the talent they already have and looking beyond current skills for the potential in new hires.

The idea that an organization would upskill its employees isn’t new. In an era gone by, learning and mentoring opportunities were often only offered to a select few “stars” fast tracked for promotion. Today,

however, the country’s best employers make sure that all their employees are eligible for learning opportunities and development. Today’s learning revolution includes everyone.

The game changer is technology – access to a digital universe of educational platforms that employers can offer to all employees, enabling them to learn new skills on their own terms, anywhere and anytime they want. For example, Manulife not only provides employees with an online learning platform, but also gives them dedicated time to learn something new or add to their skill set every second Friday afternoon year-round.

That can lead to new opportunities.

Where you start in a Top 100 employer isn’t necessarily where you

offers generous tuition subsidies, whether or not a course is related to an employee’s current position.

stay – unless that’s your choice. As your interests change, you may be able to follow a new passion and develop your career in a completely different direction. That could mean taking a left turn into communications after starting out in accounts.

Or turning your personal commitment to the environment into a job as a sustainability consultant – all with the support of your employer.

Many encourage exploration and provide opportunities to train for different paths within their organizations. What matters is acquiring the right skills needed for the job, even if it has nothing to do with an employee’s current work. For instance, technology company ABB Canada is committed to developing a learning culture and promoting the idea that growth and development

are a recurring part of an employee’s journey. The company actively encourages internal mobility for employees by making the application and interview process for job postings confidential, so candidates can check out opportunities privately. And if they need additional training at outside institutions, there’s a pathway for that too.

Likewise, the Business Development Bank of Canada offers generous tuition subsidies for courses related – and not directly related – to their specific roles with the company. The bank also encourages ongoing development throughout employees’ careers, from formal mentoring and apprenticeships to in-house leadership development programs.

Engineering and professional

( 2024 ) SPONSOR CONTENT

INTRODUCTION

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(CONT.)

All this focus on learning bodes well for the future of the Canadian workforce, including for Gen Z, who will make up 30 per cent of workers by 2030. Born between the late 1990s and early 2000s, Gen Z are now flooding the workplace with their college and university degrees in hand.

According to the Work-Learn Institute at the University of Waterloo, this new generation wants to work in organizations that support their growth, as well as best practices in equity, diversity and inclusion, and individuality. After spending so much of their recent education online, as well as socially on YouTube, TikTok and Instagram, learning and upskilling on digital platforms are a comfortable fit.

Overwhelmingly, investing in a culture of continuous learning is a win-win. Employees feel valued and engaged while employers enjoy a competitive edge, as well as greater attraction and retention of talent.

After years lost to an isolating pandemic, it’s what Canadians want and need now.

Always be learning.

– Diane Jermyn

 Toronto-based Manulife provides employees with dedicated time to learn something new or add to their skill set one Friday every month, year-round.

ABB

“Overwhelmingly, investing in a culture of continuous learning is a winwin. Employees feel valued and engaged while employers enjoy a competitive edge...”

MANULIFE

services firm Hatch developed a formal “Manifesto Driven Leadership” program, which articulates what it means to be a great leader.

The course orients employees to Hatch’s culture and teaches them what it means to lead with emotional intelligence and compassion.

 ABB Canada, based in Saint-Laurent, Que., encourages internal mobility by making the application and interview process for job postings confidential, so employees can explore opportunities privately.

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BANK OF CANADA

SPONSOR CONTENT

2024 WINNERS  Employees at the Bank of Canada who are called upon to care for a loved one receive compassionate leave top-up, to 93 per cent of salary for up to 28 weeks.

The following organizations have been chosen as Canada’s Top 100 Employers for 2024 (employee counts refers to full-time staff):

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BB CANADA, Saint-Laurent, Que. Engineering and technology services; 3,078 employees. Offers generous referral bonuses as an incentive for employees to recruit candidates from their network, ranging from $500 to $3,000.

ABORIGINAL PEOPLES TELEVISION NETWORK INC. / APTN, Winnipeg. Television broadcasting; 145 employees. Helps employees manage their responsibilities outside of work with five paid personal days and flexible work hours.

ADOBE SYSTEMS CANADA INC., Ottawa. Software publishers; 396 employees. Supports all pathways to parenthood with generous adoption subsidies, to $25,000 per child, and coverage for fertility drugs, to a lifetime max of $20,000.

AGRICULTURE FINANCIAL SERVICES CORPORATION / AFSC, Lacombe, Alta. Insurance and lending for agriculture producers; 483 employees. Helps employees plan for life after work with retirement planning courses tailored to employees over and under 45 years of age.

ARCELORMITTAL DOFASCO G.P., Hamilton. Iron and steel mills; 4,709 employees. Supports personal and

professional development through generous tuition subsidies, to a $24,000 lifetime maximum.

ASTRAZENECA CANADA INC., Mississauga. Pharmaceutical manufacturing; 1,208 employees.

Encourages employees to rest and reset with a generous time-off policy of four weeks starting vacation allowance.

B

ANK OF CANADA, Ottawa.

Central bank; 2,237 employees. Supports employees who are called upon to care for a loved one with compassionate leave top-up, to 93 per cent of salary for up to 28 weeks.

BASF CANADA INC., Mississauga.

Chemical manufacturing; 1,106

employees. Offers home internet subsidies of $30 per month and a furniture subsidy of $500 for employees with hybrid work schedules.

BAYER INC., Mississauga. Pharmaceuticals and agricultural products; 1,134 employees. Manages a fourweek paid leave program for health care professionals wanting to contribute to a front-line response or deployment.

BC PUBLIC SERVICE, Victoria.

Provincial government; 34,366 employees. Offers a full year of paid leave for new mothers as well as parental top-up for fathers and adoptive parents, 75 per cent of salary for up to 35 weeks.

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( 2024 ) SPONSOR CONTENT

2024 WINNERS

( C O N T. )

BDO CANADA LLP, Toronto. Accounting; 5,508 employees. Manages the “Do What You Love” program to provide taxable reimbursements for personal initiatives such as travel, concerts or sporting events, and cooking classes, to name a few.

BELL CANADA, Verdun, Que. Communications; 36,561 employees.

Provides unlimited coverage for mental health services, inclusive of employees and their families.

BRITISH COLUMBIA INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT CORP. / BCI, Victoria. Portfolio management; 689 employees. Helps employees maintain a healthy balance between work and personal time with four weeks of starting vacation allowance.

J.DOERKSEN/APTN

BOSTON CONSULTING GROUP OF CANADA LIMITED, Toronto.

Management consulting; 542 employees. Head office supports employee needs and features wellness rooms, flexible lounge spaces, “touchdown” spaces and cafes, a quiet library, and a fitness facility.

 The ‘Hockey Night in Canada in Cree’ broadcast team at Winnipeg-based Aboriginal Peoples Television Network / APTN preparing to go on air.

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT BANK OF CANADA, Montréal. Secondary market financing; 2,868 employees.

Helps employees enjoy a little more downtime with a half-day off every week during the summer, spanning from Victoria Day to Labour Day.

C

AE INC., Saint-Laurent, Que. Aviation and defence systems; 4,801 employees.

Enables employees to pursue personal interests or fulfill needs outside of work through an unpaid sabbatical leave of up to 26 weeks.

CANADIAN NATIONAL RAILWAY COMPANY, Montréal. Railroad transportation; 17,782 employees.

Manages the Stronger Communities Fund, donating over $15-million to hundreds of community partners in the past year.

E.CARRIERE/BELL CANADA

CANADA ENERGY REGULATOR, Calgary. Federal government; 559 employees. Supports employees’ career ambitions with formal mentoring and leadership development programs.

 A special program at Bell Canada (‘Workways’) allows employees, depending on position, to split their

time between home and office, work in-office full-time, or work remotely with occasional in-office work.

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SPONSOR CONTENT

( 2024 )

PHOTOS (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP): 1. Co-op students at British Columbia Investment Management Corp. present the ‘lessons learned’ in their final week of placement.

2. Employees at Canadian Pacific Kansas City have a stake in the railway company’s success with a share purchase plan that’s open to all staff.

F.TOLENTINO/CPKC

M.TENAGLIA/BCG

BCI

3. An employee of BCG Canada, Josiane, working in the firm’s Toronto office lounge.

( 2024 ) SPONSOR CONTENT

2024 WINNERS

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( C O N T. )

CANADIAN PACIFIC KANSAS CITY / CPKC, Calgary. Railroad transportation; 10,067 employees.

Encourages employees to adopt an ownership mentality through a share purchase plan, available to all employees.

CARLETON UNIVERSITY, Ottawa.

Post secondary schools, universities; 2,738 employees. Supports the long-term welfare of employees with health benefits that extend to retirees, with no age limit and 100 per cent premium coverage

CIBC, Toronto. Banking; 42,951 employees. Offers employees interest-free “purpose loans” for personal use, up to $5,000 and repayable in 48 months.

CITI CANADA, Mississauga.

Banking; 2,747 employees. Offers inclusive family-friendly benefits such as generous adoption subsidies of up to $30,000 and coverage for fertility treatments, to a lifetime max of $24,000.

CITI CANADA

CASCADES CANADA INC., Kingsey Falls, Que. Paper products; 7,534 employees. Invests in the education of current and future generations with tuition subsidies for employees and academic scholarships for children of employees, to $1,000 per child per year.

 Citi Canada offers employees excellent family-friendly benefits, including generous adoption subsidies of up to $30,000 and coverage for fertility treatments, to a lifetime maximum of $24,000.

CLIO, Burnaby, B.C. Computer software; 811 employees. Maintains a “distributed by design” workforce model, providing employees with the flexibility to choose between in-office, remote and hybrid work.

COVENANT HOUSE VANCOUVER, Vancouver. Social services and temporary housing; 178 employees.

Hosts an annual “Renewal” day offsite to engage employees in health and wellness and provides free subscriptions to meditation apps to help employees stay grounded.

COR

COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, THE, Vancouver. Professional organizations; 185 employees. Prioritizes the long-term welfare of its employees with a defined benefit pension plan and health benefits that extend to retirees.

 At the non-profit Creative Options Regina, employees receive assistance for ongoing training and

development with subsidies for tuition at outside courses and to obtain professional accreditations.

10 2024 WINNERS

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SPONSOR CONTENT

( C O N T. )

CREATIVE OPTIONS REGINA, INC., Regina. Mental health support services; 239 employees. Supports ongoing employee development with subsidies for tuition and professional accreditation.

D

ANONE CANADA, Boucherville, Que. Food manufacturing; 543 employees. Provides subsidized access to an onsite fitness facility with classes hosted by kinesiologists, naturopaths, and yoga instructors.

DENTONS CANADA LLP, Calgary.

Law firms; 1,415 employees. Offers exceptional maternity and parental leave top-up for new parents, to 100 per cent of salary for up to 26 weeks.

DESJARDINS GROUP / MOUVEMENT DESJARDINS, Lévis, Que. Financial institutions; 52,952 employees. Offers in-house financial advice for significant life decisions such as the purchase of a home or car and provides a number of helpful financial benefits including discounts on home and auto insurance and discounted credit card fees.

DIAMOND SCHMITT ARCHITECTS INC., Toronto. Architecture; 279 employees. Takes a thoughtful approach when employees are called upon to care for a loved one, offering compassionate leave top-up for up to 17 weeks (at 80 per cent of salary).

DIGITAL EXTREMES LTD., London, Ont. Software publishers; 383 employees. Offers a number of perks for employees working onsite, including transit subsidies for commuters, a commercial kitchen and free meals daily, gaming consoles and an arcade machine.

E

MPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT CANADA, Gatineau.

Federal government; 41,639 employees. Offers pre-retirement transition leave for long-serving employees who wish to gradually

FLUX/DANONE

DASH HUDSON INC., Halifax.

Software; 186 employees. Offers a quarterly wellness benefit of $450 to enable employees to top up benefits or to make purchases that improve their day-to-day lives.

 Danone Canada, based in Boucherville, Que., helps employees to plan for ‘life after work’ with retirement planning, a defined contribution pension plan or RSP contribution, depending on the employee group.

reduce their workweek as they near retirement.

ENBRIDGE INC., Calgary. Energy infrastructure; 7,634 employees.

Offers financial incentives for employees to participate in wellness activities, up to $350 per year.

EXPORT DEVELOPMENT CANADA, Ottawa. International trade financing and support services; 2,128 employees. Maintains an extensive catalog of online, live and on-demand courses for employees who wish to upgrade their skills.

EY, Toronto. Accounting; 8,392 employees. Maintains a dedicated network to foster community among working parents and provides a child care subsidy, covering 100 hours of in-home or external backup care.

F

IDELITY CANADA, Toronto. Portfolio management; 1,710 employees.

Maintains a dedicated learning portal with access to over 14,000 career-enhancing resources including videos, online courses, articles, books, and magazines.

FORD MOTOR COMPANY OF CANADA LTD., Oakville, Ont. Automobile manufacturing; 7,244

employees. Provides generous discounts on vehicle purchases through the Ford Auto purchase program, enabling employees and eligible family members to purchase up to four new vehicles per year.

FOWLER BAULD & MITCHELL LTD. / FBM, Halifax. Architectural services; 47 employees. Offers compassionate leave top-up for those called upon to care for a loved one, to 100 per cent of salary for up to eight weeks.

FRESHBOOKS, Toronto. Software publishers; 488 employees. Provides three weeks of starting vacation allowance as well as additional paid time off during the winter holidays.

G

HD CANADA HOLDINGS INC., Waterloo, Ont. Engineering services; 1,780 employees. Supports employees in planning their families through fertility treatment coverage, adoption assistance as well as maternity and parental leave top-up payments.

GRAHAM CONSTRUCTION, Calgary. Industrial, commercial and institutional building construction; 2,044 employees. Offers an online health and wellness hub with a variety of helpful resources from

nutrition and sleep management to mental health support.

H

ARPERCOLLINS CANADA LTD. AND HARLEQUIN ENTERPRISES ULC, Toronto. Book publishers; 284 employees. Helps employees plan ahead through a defined contribution pension plan along with the option for employees to make additional matching contributions.

HATCH LTD., Mississauga. Engineering services; 3,941 employees. A longstanding social committee hosts a variety of events throughout the year and sponsors sports teams and activities.

HOSPITAL FOR SICK CHILDREN, THE, Toronto. Hospitals; 6,401 employees. Encourages healthy lifestyles through its 2,400 square-foot Wellness Centre that offers everything from instructor-led fitness classes to healthy cooking workshops.

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GM FINANCIAL INC., Winnipeg. Financial services; 4,018 employees. Supports professional development throughout an employee’s career, from in-house rotational programs for new grads to leadership development programs.

( 2024 ) SPONSOR CONTENT

2024 WINNERS

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( C O N T. )

IMPERIAL OIL LIMITED, Calgary.

Oil and gas production and distribution; 5,300 employees. Encourages employees to volunteer though the formal “ImpACT” initiative, offering employees $25 for every volunteer hour to $500 annually.

INTER PIPELINE LTD., Calgary.

Petroleum transportation, storage and natural gas liquids processing; 1,120 employees. Offers a generous benefit for mental health practitioners as part of the health plan, up to $10,000 annually.

IRVING OIL, Saint John. Petroleum refining, distribution and retail; 2,874 employees. Manages an academic scholarship program for children of employees pursuing post-secondary studies to $2,000 annually.

DASH HUDSON

INNOVATION, SCIENCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CANADA, Ottawa. Federal government; 6,899 employees. Supports employees with young families through generous maternity and parental leave top-up payments up to 93 per cent of salary.

 Halifax-based social media software firm Dash Hudson offers employees a quarterly wellness benefit of $450 to help top up benefits or make purchases that improve their day-to-day lives.

K

ELLANOVA CANADA INC., Mississauga.

Breakfast cereal manufacturing; 369 employees.

Introduced the formal “Locate for Your Day” hybrid work program and welcomed employees back to onsite work with over a month of fun activities.

KEURIG DR PEPPER CANADA, Montréal. Coffee distribution and brewing equipment; 1,395 employees.

Offers maternity leave top-up payments for all new mothers and lets new parents extend their leave into an unpaid leave of absence.

KPMG LLP, Toronto. Accounting; 11,114 employees. As an incentive during special recruitment campaigns, the firm offers generous employee referral bonuses from $4,000 to $16,000, depending on the position.

DENTONS

KEYERA CORP., Calgary. Crude petroleum and natural gas extraction; 1,094 employees. Encourages employees to get involved in building their communities with two paid volunteer days off each year.

 Jonathan is an articling student at the Toronto office of Dentons Canada.

SPONSOR CONTENT

PHOTOS (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP): 1. Calgary-based Graham Construction keeps employees’ skills up to date through an extensive training program (‘Builders Framework’) led by in-house professionals.

2. At Ford Motor Company of Canada, employees receive generous staff discounts on the purchase of up to four vehicles per year.

FORD

J.RYCE/DIAMOND SCHMITT

3. Toronto-based Diamond Schmitt Architects helps improve employees’ skills with an in-office ‘lunch-and-learn’ session every Thursday.

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C.PARRIS/GRAHAM GROUP

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ABATT BREWERIES OF CANADA, Toronto. Breweries; 3,547 employees. Encourages employees to keep fit with free memberships to an onsite fitness facility that offers a variety of instructor-led classes.

LEAGUE INC., Toronto. Computer software developers; 302 employees.

After five years of employment, employees receive a unique “health pause” benefit that includes up to six weeks off along with a $10,000 payment to invest in themselves.

LOBLAW COMPANIES LTD., Brampton, Ont. Supermarkets and grocery stores; 32,441 employees.

Encourages employees to support initiatives in their communities with a volunteer grant program, which donates up to $500 to organizations where employees volunteer over 40 hours per year.

LOOPIO INC., Toronto. Software developers; 274 employees. Offers a blanket paid time-off program that provides all employees with six weeks annually and can be used as each employee determines.

L’ORÉAL CANADA INC., Montréal.

Cosmetics manufacturing; 1,509 employees. Formal “WORKsmart” flexible work program includes the option to schedule two offsite days each week.

M

ANULIFE, Toronto.

Direct life insurance carriers; 12,237 employees. Offers employees a defined contribution pension plan, with an option to stay enrolled in the health benefits plan through their retirement (with no age limit).

MARS CANADA, Bolton, Ont. Food manufacturing; 1,538 employees. Unique rural head office location features an outdoor courtyard, indoor and outdoor doggie play areas, a community garden, outdoor volleyball, hockey and basketball courts.

MAWER INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT LTD., Calgary.

Financial planning and investment management; 226 employees.

Encourages employee volunteerism with paid volunteer time, donating $100 for every volunteer hour given.

MCELHANNEY LTD., Vancouver.

Engineering, surveying and mapping services; 1,228 employees. Encourages employees to save for the future with matching RSP contributions and lets everyone share in the company’s successes through profit-sharing and year-end bonus programs.

KEYERA

( C O N T. )

MCMILLAN LLP, Toronto. Law firms; 696 employees. Offers employees generous coverage for mental health practitioners as part of their health benefits plan, up to $7,000 annually.

MEDAVIE INC., Moncton. Medical insurance and health services; 7,301 employees. Encourages employees to become recruiters for the company with generous new employee referral bonuses, from $500 to $2,000 depending on the position.

MEDTRONIC CANADA ULC, Brampton, Ont. Electromedical apparatus manufacturing; 658 employees. Encourages employees and their family members to keep fit with free access to a fully equipped onsite fitness facility.

MISTPLAY INC., Montréal. Video game developers; 141 employees.

Supports hybrid work and entices employees to remain part of the onsite work culture with Tuesday lunches, a fully stocked kitchen and coffee area with state-of-the-art coffee machines.

 Calgary-based Keyera Corp. encourages employees to help build their communities with two paid volunteer days off annually.

MONDELEZ CANADA INC., Toronto. Food manufacturing; 2,437 employees. Encourages ongoing employee development with generous tuition subsidies for courses at outside academic institutions, up to $8,000 annually.

N O

UTRIEN INC., Saskatoon.

Phosphate, nitrogen and potash fertilizer manufacturing; 6,001 employees.

Encourages employees to volunteer in their communities with up to three paid volunteer days annually.

PENTEXT CORPORATION, Waterloo, Ont. Software publishers; 2,790 employees.

Head office features an employee lounge complete with video games, board games and foosball, as well as a cafeteria with healthy menu items and an outdoor patio.

LOOPIO

L

2024 WINNERS

 Toronto-based Loopio provides remarkable paid time-off allowance, with all staff receiving six weeks annually for vacation, travel, personal or sick days and appointments.

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SAP

SPONSOR CONTENT

1. With its video systems found in many of North America’s largest sports stadiums, Ottawa-based Ross Video lets employees share in the firm’s growth through a formal share purchase plan.

2. The executive board of SAP SE tours the Vancouver head office of SAP Canada with a group of recently hired interns.

3. Through its RBC Blueprint for Mental Health and Well-being, Royal Bank of Canada aims to improve mental health and well-being for its employees, with clear objectives and priorities.

RBC

ROSS

PHOTOS (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP):

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( 2024 ) SPONSOR CONTENT

P

2024 WINNERS

( C O N T. )

CL CONSTRUCTION, Edmonton. Industrial, commercial and institutional building construction; 2,953 employees. Head office employees are encouraged to keep fit with free memberships to a fully equipped onsite fitness centre that’s open to family member and retirees.

POMERLEAU INC., Montréal.

Construction services; 3,322 employees. Starts the majority of new employees with four weeks of paid vacation and all employees can carry forward up to one week of unused vacation annually.

PROVINCIAL CREDIT UNION LTD., Charlottetown. Credit unions; 178 employees. Offers 30 paid personal hours each year for employees to attend to personal matters that cannot be taken care of outside an employee’s regular work hours.

Q

UESTRADE FINANCIAL GROUP, Toronto. Financial investment services; 1,561 employees. Offers hybrid and flexible work options as well as a unique program that lets employees work abroad for up to 90 days per year.

R

IO TINTO, Montréal.

Mining; 12,183 employees.

Considers previous work experience when setting vacation entitlements for new hires.

ROSS VIDEO LTD., Ottawa. Audio and video communications technology; 964 employees. Encourages employees to share in the successes of the firm through a formal share purchase plan.

ROYAL BANK OF CANADA, Toronto. Banking; 66,044 employees.

Developed the RBC Blueprint for Well-being and Mental Health to promote employee mental health and well-being and offers a generous

BWL/SAPUTO

PROCTER & GAMBLE INC., Toronto. Consumer product manufacturing; 1,796 employees. Manages the formal Workways flexible work program to help design hybrid work options that balance employees’ needs as well as the needs of their teams and the overall business.

 Saint-Léonard, Que.-based dairy giant Saputo Inc. lets employees share in the company’s growth with a share purchase plan and save for ‘life after work’ with a defined contribution pension plan.

mental health benefit as part of their health plan.

top-up payments for new mothers to 95 per cent for 35 weeks.

AMSUNG ELECTRONICS CANADA INC., Mississauga.

Communications equipment manufacturing; 727 employees. Encourages employees to become recruiters for the firm with new employee referral bonuses, from $500 to $2,000 depending on the position.

SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC CANADA INC., Mississauga. Industrial automation and controls; 1,980 employees. Starts new employees with 3.8 weeks of paid vacation, moving to 4.4 weeks after just five years on the job.

S

SAP CANADA INC., Vancouver.

Custom computer programming services; 3,110 employees. Supports families-to-be with coverage for IVF fertility treatments and prescription drugs as well as a generous adoption subsidy benefit to $20,000.

SAPUTO INC., Saint-Léonard, Que. Cheese and dairy food product manufacturing; 5,460 employees.

Helps employees save for the future through a defined contribution pension plan along with offering a share purchase plan.

SASKENERGY INCORPORATED, Regina. Natural gas distribution; 1,128 employees. Supports families with maternity and parental leave

SHELL CANADA LIMITED, Calgary. Oil and gas production and distribution; 3,577 employees. Offers subsidized access to a fully equipped fitness facility at the head office and supports a formal Wellness Team that organizes a number of physical activities and mental health sessions.

SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY, Burnaby, B.C. Post secondary schools, university; 3,570 employees.

Extensive fitness facilities offer personal fitness consultations, women-only hours and instructor-led fitness classes, ranging from yoga to martial arts to dance.

SOBEYS INC., Mississauga.

Supermarkets and grocery stores;

27,883 employees. Supports ongoing development throughout each employee’s career, from paid internships and apprenticeships to generous tuition subsidies for courses at outside academic institutions.

STRYKER CANADA ULC, Waterdown, Ont. Medical equipment and supplies wholesalers; 715 employees. Starts new employees with three weeks of paid vacation and considers previous work experience when setting starting vacation for more senior personnel.

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D BANK GROUP, Toronto. Banking; 64,507 employees. Matches employee charitable donations and provides financial support to charities where employees volunteer, to $500 for every 40 volunteer hours.

TECK RESOURCES LIMITED, Vancouver. Mining; 9,453 employees.

Generously matches charitable donations made by employees, to a maximum of $3,000 annually.

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2024 WINNERS

( C O N T. )

TOYOTA MOTOR MANUFACTURING CANADA INC. / TMMC, Cambridge, Ont. Automobile manufacturing; 9,214 employees.

Helps employees raise a family with maternity and parental leave top-ups along with an academic scholarship program for older kids, to $5,000 per child.

U

NITED WAY BRITISH COLUMBIA, Burnaby, B.C. Charitable organizations; 183 employees.

Starts new employees with 4.4 weeks of paid vacation as well as additional time off between the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, up to five days.

UNIVERSITÉ DE MONTRÉAL, Montréal. Post secondary schools, university; 5,809 employees. Offers a

summer Fridays off program that lets employees work a little extra each day and earn a long weekend every weekend during summer months.

UNIVERSITY OF NEW BRUNSWICK / UNB, Fredericton.

Post secondary schools, university; 1,841 employees. Offers subsidized memberships to extensive onsite fitness facilities including skating, swimming, indoor climbing wall, instructor-led fitness classes and much more.

V

ANCOUVER CITY SAVINGS CREDIT UNION, Vancouver.

Credit unions; 2,559 employees. Encourages ongoing development with online training programs and tuition subsidies, to $2,400 annually, for courses at outside academic institutions.

VANCOUVER COASTAL HEALTH, Vancouver. Hospitals; 14,289 employees. Supports long-term planning with retirement planning assistance services along with the stability of a defined benefit pension plan.

VERAFIN INC., St. John’s. Specialized financial software; 897 employees. Provides a $2,000 annual payment that can be used for academic courses or a range of wellness activities in support of overall professional and personal development.

W

EST FRASER TIMBER CO. LTD., Vancouver. Sawmills; 5,965 employees.

Offers a formal new and young work training program along with summer opportunities, paid

internships and apprenticeships for engineering, forestry and accounting students.

WORLD VISION CANADA, Mississauga. Charitable organizations; 399 employees. Offers maternity and parental leave top-up payments to 80 per cent of salary and the option to extend leaves into unpaid leaves of absence.

Y

UKON, GOVERNMENT OF, Whitehorse.

Territorial government; 5,500 employees. Provides a community allowance subsidy for employees working and living in remote communities as well as travel subsidies after two years of employment.

– Richard Yerema & Kristina Leung

q In addition to supporting hundreds of charities each year, Vancouver-based Teck Resources helps its employees do more in their communities, J.SINAL/TECK

with a generous program that matches employee donations to local charities up to $3,000 annually.

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q Toronto-based Fidelity Canada encour-

ages career mobility through internal secondment opportunities and a job exchange program, allowing employees to trade roles for up to one year.

METHODOLOGY

W

hile the selection process to choose the winners of Canada’s Top 100 Employers continually evolves to include new questions that reflect changes in the workplace, the underlying methodology has not significantly changed since the project began in 2000.

The competition is and remains a catalogue of best practices.

The methodology used to determine Canada’s Top 100 Employers is based on a comparison with employers in similar industries, region and size. Each employer’s application is judged by rigorous criteria in eight key areas: (1) Workplace; (2) Work Atmosphere & Social; (3) Health, Financial & Family Benefits; (4) Vacation & Time Off; (5) Employee Communications; (6) Performance Management; (7) Training & Skills Development; and (8) Community Involvement.

VERAFIN

Canada’s Top 100 Employers is an annual national competition. Any employer with its head office or principal place of business in Canada may apply regardless of size, whether private or public sector.

– Diane Jermyn

FIDELITY CANADA

There is a noteworthy change to the first criteria, which historically was entitled Physical Workplace. This evolved to Workplace as a result of the pandemic and includes home office environments, flexible work options and hybrid work, workplace safety initiatives, and standard questions on the work environment, noting that employees in most industries do not have the option of working from home.

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 At Montréal-based CAE Inc., employee teams set their own in-office days, with two or three days per week being the most common.

In for the Long Haul Canada’s Top 100 Employers are formalizing what they’ve learned post-pandemic

I

t has been nearly four years since the onset of the Great Pandemic, but its effects are still rippling through the workplaces of the nation. For Canada’s Top 100 Employers, it is a time of consolidation – formalizing the insights they gained when lockdowns turned life upside down.

“At that time, a lot of new policies were developed on the fly, almost in a panic, such as work from home,

and then hybrid work,” says Richard Yerema, executive editor for Mediacorp Canada, which runs the Canada’s Top 100 Employers competition. “Coming out of it, employers have said, well, you’re not just going to throw all that away. They’ve been managing workforces differently for three years and now they have a lot of catchy-name programs, like ‘Work Ways’ and so on. There’s been a move to stability, incorporating a lot

of changes in a calm, measured way.”

The goal, notes Yerema, is retention of good staff more than boosting recruitment. “HR managers are looking at their people and realizing you can’t just go back – you have to incorporate what they’ve experienced.”

Top Employers have learned to listen and to respond, adds Kristina Leung, managing editor for Mediacorp Canada. “They’re not

static anymore. The pandemic demonstrated that you have to be agile, you have to be flexible, you have to be willing to change. What sets the best employers apart is a desire to understand what their people want and need, and invest in those things.

“They’re saying, we’re going to offer more – we’re going to increase time off, increase flexibility, and improve benefits for mental health

( 2024 ) SPONSOR CONTENT

(CONT.)

G.GIGUERE/CAE

IN FOR THE LONG HAUL

and well-being. There’s a lot of evolution.”

Many employers are combining various forms of time off, such as sick days, personal days and vacation, and allowing employees to simply take days when needed. A few are even calling the days “unlimited,” although employees must still consult their supervisor.

But as Leung notes, some commentators call this “the generation that would rather have more time off than more pay.”

 Employees at CAE Inc. reconnecting on the rooftop terrace at the company’s head office, overlooking Montréal’s Pierre-Elliot Trudeau airport.

QUESTRADE

“In the past, it was all about being in the office five days a week...

I think that ship has sailed and it’ll probably never return again.”

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–Bob Lockett, Chief People Officer CAE INC.

Among the companies listening and learning has been Montréal-based CAE Inc., which offers a lot of flexible time and took a close look at the office versus home issue.

“In the past, it was all about being in the office five days a week,” says chief people officer Bob Lockett. “I think that ship has sailed and it’ll probably never return again.”

There’s a benefit for employers as well as staff, he suggests. “What you find most often is that when people are working from home, they actually work longer hours, and so they’re more productive in some situations.”

Lockett says CAE canvassed what was going on in the wider employment scene, “but more importantly, we listened to people, we listened to the talent market, we listened to our employees about what seemed to work best. And we put some

 Toronto-based trading platform Questrade Financial Group offers a unique program that lets employees work remotely abroad for up to 90 days annually.

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guardrails around it, which I think is the most important thing.”

The company decided that teams could set their own timing, with two or three days a week in the office becoming the most common standard. “There’s a benefit to that as well,” Lockett adds. “Think about the people who were hired during COVID – they never saw anybody in an office. Their turnover was much higher than those who were hired pre-COVID. If you’re in a virtual world all the time, you don’t really connect to the purpose or the mission of the company, nor do you really connect with the people on your team.

“So those folks wind up leaving the organization,” he says. “But for the people that were hired postCOVID, their turnover rates are much better. There is an importance in bringing people together, particularly when you’re new to a company.”

Lockett says CAE is well aware of the competitive pressures on compensation in attracting the high-end talent it needs, as well as the effect of inflation. “Has the cost of labour increased? Absolutely. Do we have to increase wages to stay competitive? Absolutely. It’s just a fact of life.” Around how much per year now? “I would give a range of anywhere from seven to 10 per cent – that’s probably accurate.”

Indeed, the advent of inflation has simply added to the post-pandemic pressures. “There is still a sense of chronic stress,” says Leung. “It’s just not letting up – inflation, there’s a war, there’s another war, the cost of groceries, all these things accumulate. So we are finding a lot of organizations doubling down on mental health benefits.”

“It’s truly the max,” agrees Yerema.

“When you go back 10 years, mental health benefits were just a side note.

Now, you actually compete on the dollar amount. It gets back to the point about retention. HR practitioners today have to have their ear to the ground. What do their people want, in order to keep them? The best employers are the ones who respond.”

– Berton Woodward

CLIO

(CONT.)

 Burnaby, B.C.-based legal software firm Clio has a ‘distributed by design’ workforce model, allowing employees to choose between in-office, remote and hybrid work.

DIGITAL EXTREMES

IN FOR THE LONG HAUL

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 At London, Ont.-based games developer Digital Extremes, employees working onsite receive perks such as transit subsidies, free meals daily at the company cafeteria and, of course, onsite gaming consoles.

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ABB Canada helps employees learn, connect and grow

here was a moment last April that stood out for Marta Golden, senior learning architect at technology leader, ABB Canada, during an HR initiative and one-day event for employees known as Learn, Connect, Grow.

While Golden and her colleagues were speaking about their career experiences, a young man stood up and said, “I’m hearing all these stories of how you’ve been here 10, 15, 20 years. As a brand-new employee, I’m wondering what makes it so easy for people to stay?”

The culture at ABB is that we promote self-learning – we give you the time to invest in yourself.”

— Niki Murphy Talent Acquisition and Talent Advancement Lead for Canada

“I have shivers thinking about it,” says Golden. “That opened up the floodgates of people raising their hands to share how their careers had been shaped and developed. You could feel the heart in people telling their stories.”

Response to this global ABB event, involving 30 countries and 20,000 participants, was overwhelmingly enthusiastic, and included events held at four sites across Canada.

“We’re committed to building a culture that recognizes that we all want to grow,” says Golden, who led the project. “We all need to learn in a changing world, and learning is best done collaboratively. Post COVID-19, people have been in this

 ABB Canada supports the growth of potential skills with global trainee programs. state of disconnect, so they really appreciated the opportunity to show up for live events.”

Niki Murphy, talent acquisition and talent advancement lead for Canada, says the day’s events tapped into ABB’s values of courage, care, curiosity and collaboration – such as learning through gamification and collaboration in challenges such as ABB’s spin on an ‘Amazing Race-style’ activity or designing a robot from play dough.

“The synergy was electric with everyone having so much fun while learning,” says Murphy. “It got people connecting in person and learning about career opportunities and the support we have for career development.”

ABB Canada has an open job-market policy that promotes internal mobility. No matter the level, employees can apply for any position at any time.

“All candidates who meet the requirements of the position must be seriously considered and given feedback,” explains Murphy. “Additionally, this policy is confidential for employees, so if you’re curious to find out if a position is the right fit, you can go through the entire interview process confidentially.”

ABB provides multiple learning and development tools, including the Harvard SPARK platform which encompasses anything from working on your emotional intelligence to getting certified in Lean Six Sigma.

There are also leadership and global trainee programs, discovery programs for early talents, and tuition reimbursement for approved courses.

“We’re shifting our thought process towards hiring people, not just for their current skill set, but for their potential skill set,” says

— Write your next chapter with us #ABBcareers

Murphy. “The culture at ABB is that we promote self-learning – we give you the time to invest in yourself. It keeps employees engaged and we retain their talent.”

That describes Golden’s career journey. She joined in 1996 as a computer programmer in research and development, then “had this wonderful, creative opportunity” to take a steep learning curve into HR that aligned with her passion for leadership learning. After 12 years in the field, she says she’s still having fun.

“ABB is a big playground, but it’s not only about changing roles,” says Golden. “It’s also about growing through special tasks and projects as well as through opportunities for stretch assignments.

“Why do I stay? I’ve had such a growth journey that’s walked hand in hand with my personal journey. Now the two have come together to where I’m truly living my mission and purpose – to empower people, to help them connect with each other and get them firing on all cylinders.” ¢

3,078

full-time staff in Canada

100%

employer-paid retiree health premium

100%

job-related and unrelated tuition subsidies

47.5

years, longestserving employee

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AFSC nurtures employee well-being and mental health

or Joy Cavin, the culture and people at Agricultural Financial Services Corporation (AFSC) have been lifesavers since she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in September 2022.

Cavin is a lending relationship manager for the Alberta Crown corporation, which provides the province’s farmers with insurance, lending and income-stabilization options. And she says the organization’s family-like atmosphere has made it much easier to deal with her illness.

We want all of our team members to feel comfortable being themselves, and to feel acknowledged, appreciated and respected.”

— Darryl Kay CEO

“I can’t tell you how amazing the support around me has been,” declares Cavin, who is based in the town of Olds, Alta., home to one of AFSC’s network of 38 branch offices.

“It was integral to how well I made it through the initial diagnosis. I am so indebted to my manager and office-mates. It was a team effort.

“If there was a day where I needed to go for a doctor's appointment,” she continues, “there were so many people willing to field phone calls or help me with deals I was working on.

AFSC is like a family.”

Cavin also benefited from the organization’s dedication to its team members’ mental wellness. One

 AFSC supports its employees through mental wellness training and increased mental health benefits. sign of that: earlier this year, the organization increased its mental health benefit to $3,000 a year, a change that made it easier for the mother of two to see a therapist who could help her develop strategies for coping with MS. “It was a huge relief for me,” she says of the benefit. “I knew I could see someone on a regular basis without having to worry about the expense.”

CEO Darryl Kay notes that agriculture and agriculture-adjacent services “can be very, very stressful work environments.” This gave rise to AFSC’s mental health strategy, It’s Okay to Not Be Okay. The policy, which is implemented by a wellness co-ordinator, includes training about mental wellness for the entire AFSC staff. “We recognize that many

WE’LL MAKE A DIFFERENCE TOGETHER.

factors contribute to mental health, and we’re working to continuously improve in that area. And that we need to be open and support team members in whatever they might be going through. Joy is a great example of us being able to help and support someone.”

At the same time, says Kay, ASFC fosters a day-to-day culture of acceptance and support. “We want all of our team members to feel comfortable being themselves, and to feel acknowledged, appreciated and respected.” Contributing to that mission are AFSC’s diversity, equity and inclusion strategy; its ‘Inclusion Council;’ unconscious-bias training and support for employee resource groups.

AFSC prioritizes the well-being and work-life balance of its staff

by offering 10 ‘special leave’ days, flexible working arrangements such as hybrid or remote options, and ‘Flex days,’ which allow staff members to work extended hours on certain days in exchange for taking a day off during the week at a time that best fits their schedule. The latter has been a special boon for Cavin, she says, “because there are a lot of professional development days at school and those are often on Friday. I can end up with a three-day weekend with my kids.”

Cavin is on MS medication that’s working for her. That, combined with the support and understanding of AFSC, has meant she hasn’t missed a single day of work since she became sick.

And she is confident that she’ll be with AFSC a long time. “I’m in my forties and this is my favourite job ever. They’ve always been interested in my well-being, and they will continue to understand that while one day, I’m going to be putting out work like a champion, other days I’ll be struggling. And I know they will come up with ways to help me.” ¢

$

511

full-time staff in Canada

67%

of employees are women

47%

of managers are women

3,000

mental-health practitioner benefit

AFSC.ca

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AstraZeneca cultivates an inclusive, ‘speak-up culture’

hen a few new employees joined her team last year, Cherrie Small, director of study operations with the R&D Hub at AstraZeneca Canada (AZ Canada), took the initiative to organize an event about neurodiversity – helping to build an understanding about the cognitive differences in how people think, learn, communicate and process information.

Creating a vibrant and inclusive work environment, where each employee feels safe, empowered, and can reach their full potential, is a critical part of our success as an organization.”

— Kiersten Combs President, AstraZeneca Canada “The response to the event was overwhelming,” says Small.

“I received countless messages from employees expressing their gratitude – with a few even confiding in me that they were neurodiverse themselves, living with conditions such as ADHD and autism, but hadn’t revealed this at work for fear of being judged.”

Mississauga, Ont.-headquartered AZ Canada is a science-led biopharmaceutical firm that employs about 1,500 people in this country who research, develop and market innovative medicines. Diversity and inclusion measures for that workforce are “really front and centre in our talent attraction story and fundamental to

 As part of AstraZeneca Canada’s commitment to sustainability, employees were empowered with important lifesaving skills like CPR and AED training. driving the innovation required to develop and deliver life-changing medicines,” says Kiersten Combs, president of AZ Canada.

“We invest quite heavily in training programs around inclusive leadership as well as unconscious bias,” continues Combs, who notes that 40 per cent of current employees identify as visibly diverse. “We also have a number of employee resource groups such as TH!NK Neurodiversity, AZPride Canada, AZC Francophone, and the Network of Women, championed by employees and aimed at creating a greater sense of belonging and visibility for members.”

Females, she says, account for 68 per cent of the Canadian staff and 60 per cent of senior leaders.

For Small, who has a PhD in immunology and spent a decade in the male-dominated university sciences realm, the focus on diversity and inclusion at AZ Canada has been a refreshing change. “As a Black

woman, I can say that when you come into any organization, you're aware of your colour and gender, and, unfortunately, you’re thinking, ‘Am I going to be judged based on them?’” she observes. “But here I have been embraced.”

Small adds that the ‘speak-up culture’ at AZ Canada ensures inclusion and diversity prevail, as well as a sense that all employees’ input is valued. She cites the company’s non-hierarchical atmosphere and commitment to open communication, exemplified by its monthly ‘Ask Me Anything’ and ‘Open Mic’ forums. All that contributes to AZ Canada’s 95-per-cent employee retention rate.

“Creating a vibrant and inclusive work environment, where each employee feels safe, empowered, and can reach their full potential is a critical part of our success as an organization,” says Combs, who notes that the company continues to grow its research footprint in Canada.

Proud to be one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers

Earlier this year it announced 500 high-tech and scientific jobs as part of the expansion of its R&D Hub in Mississauga, and the creation of a new Alexion Development Hub for rare diseases.

AstraZeneca also champions sustainability. “We very much believe that we have a responsibility above and beyond our medicines to help tackle some of society's biggest challenges – from climate change and access to health care, to supporting greater inclusion, diversity and equity within our communities,” says Combs.

That mission includes the goal of making AstraZeneca carbonnegative by 2030, a global forest program that aims to plant 400 million trees by the same year, and support for One Tree Planted and the City of Mississauga’s One Million Trees program. As for the health-care facet of sustainability, Combs declares, “Ensuring that people can access the medicines they need to treat disease earlier is what drives everything we do here. It’s all about improving and saving the lives of Canadians.” ¢

1,500

full-time employees in Canada

68%

of employees are women

60%

of senior leaders are women

40%

of employees identify as visibly diverse

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For BASF, employee mental health is top of mind

n early 2020, Sean Cammaert, a member of the leadership team at BASF Canada Inc. and its new head of safety, began to witness how the COVID-19 lockdown was impacting employees.

For the 163-year-old chemical company, safety was a core value, and Cammaert was concerned that occupational safety might suffer when employees couldn’t keep an eye on one another.

It was important that someone come forward, tell their story and show there were no work repercussions for it and, more importantly, that they are not alone.”

— Erika Harris Occupational Safety and Industrial Hygiene Specialist “It was then, the light bulb went on for me – we have to keep people mentally safe too, because they are alone and stressed out,” Cammaert says. “We did a mental fitness index survey that went out across the country from our Mississauga, Ont., headquarters to everyone from senior leadership to shop-floor employees. We quickly found a real call for more to be done around mental health and mental health awareness. Ever since, we have been going all-in to embed mental health awareness and psychological safety into our existing management systems.”

The first step was an effort to destigmatize mental health issues, according to occupational safety and

 At BASF, employees can feel a sense of trust with its support for psychological safety. industrial hygiene specialist Erika Harris, who has been involved in the company’s safety organization since joining BASF in 2016.

“In October 2021, Mental Health Awareness Month, we hosted two ‘grow and tell’ sessions, where employees who were comfortable could come forward to talk about their personal experience with mental health,” says Harris. In testimony that, in Cammaert’s words, “left no one with a dry eye,” attending employees heard from colleagues on everything from addiction to suicidal ideation and self-harm.

First, though, they heard from Harris. “During the pandemic, my family and I were struggling with our mental health and I didn’t feel I could communicate that to anyone

At BASF, we belong to something bigger #belongatBASF

Learn more

because I was embarrassed and ashamed. But getting treatment through our Employee Family Assistance Program (EFAP) is what really got me through. It was very fresh in my life, and I talked about everything that my family had gone through because it was important that someone come forward, tell their story and show there were no work repercussions for it and, more importantly, that they are not alone.”

From top to bottom, the employee and management response to the mental health initiative has been overwhelmingly positive, and it continues to grow. What was a three-person Psychological Health and Safety Committee (Cammaert, Harris and BASF corporate nurse Theresa Umbenhower) in 2021

now has 24 members and the same budget as other company employee resource groups. The committee is in the midst of rolling out 13 training modules they created on workplace psychological factors.

There is robust financial support for mental health treatment from the EFAP for employees and their dependents. The psychological emphasis is now part of the company’s recruitment and retention strategies, referenced in the hiring process and job listings, where BASF assures prospective employees that it is committed to their physical and psychological safety.

For Cammaert, what really matters is that the committee’s work benefits both employees and company. “The more we dug into it, the more we saw that if we can protect employees psychologically and physically, the return to the organization is tenfold.

Because they know you’re striving to keep them safe. And when people feel safe, they feel they can trust you, and when they feel they can trust you, they’re going to give back.

Everything goes up from there.” ¢

1,106

full-time staff in Canada

6

weeks, maximum vacation allowance

100%

compassionate leave top-up pay

17

weeks, maternity leave top-up pay

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Inclusion is Bayer Canada’s recipe for healthy success

ith more than 20 years in the sales and marketing industry, Michelle Gauthier had heard a lot about Bayer Canada’s thriving and diverse community and culture. It was something she wanted to experience for herself.

Looking to be part of a workplace where people genuinely lived the company’s mission, Gauthier focused on landing a job at Bayer and joined the team in 2021. Today she is a customer business manager at the company’s head office based in Mississauga, Ontario.

Diversity of ideas, experiences and perspectives matter. There’s a huge team of people here who listen and help each other to be successful.”

— Michelle Gauthier Customer Business Manager

“At Bayer, no matter where you sit, your voice is not just encouraged, it is valued,” she says. “Diversity of ideas, experiences and perspectives matter.

There’s a huge team of people here who listen and help each other to be successful.”

For Gauthier, success at work means more than just compensation and making sales. “At some jobs, people come to work and leave their authentic selves at home,” she says. “At Bayer, a lot of people work extremely hard to make sure everyone can be themselves.”

That culture of inclusion – a culture that has put the company on lists of most-admired corporate

 Bayer employees participate in initiatives that build inclusion, such as ‘BLEND’, an employee resource group for LGBTQ+ and allies. cultures – is one of Bayer Canada’s proudest accomplishments, says human resources vice president Janine Pajot.

“We work hard to foster a strong and successful team,” she says. “People are our number-one resource, and Bayer is committed to bringing people with diverse backgrounds and viewpoints to the table.”

With its global head office in Leverkusen, Germany, Bayer is a leading life sciences company with a history stretching back more than a century and a half. Bayer helps prevent, alleviate and treat diseases, providing the world with a reliable supply of high-quality food and plant-based raw materials, says Pajot.

With three core businesses in Canada – pharmaceuticals, crop science and consumer health – Bayer works to impact lives and achieve growth with sustainable businesses. Bayer Canada operates two head offices: Mississauga for

pharmaceuticals and consumer health, and Calgary for agriculture.

Employees and senior leadership at Bayer are on one page regarding their core values, says Pajot. The organizational mission ‘Health for all, Hunger for none,’ ensures everyone understands how individual contributions lead to the overall success of the company.

It’s a corporate mission that’s easy to get behind, she says. Bayer has codified four primary values: leadership, integrity, flexibility and efficiency, organized in the acronym LIFE. These values permeate the company: at town halls, video conferences, team-building events and charity drives.

Recently, Bayer employees around the world were invited to create a video to share an initiative that falls under one of the four LIFE values, with the four Canadian winners moving on to a global stage. The Bayer Canada pharmaceutical division also hands out True North

awards based on LIFE values; winners are awarded a coveted Inukshuk trophy.

“The employees here stand by those values,” says Pajot. “Everything they do is with a purpose to serve, whether it’s a patient, a consumer or a grower.”

“One of the great things about Bayer is that opportunity is not limited to one division. If there is interest in moving from, say, our pharmaceutical to our crop science division, we encourage and welcome it.”

Bayer encourages employees to get involved in charitable causes, such as Food Banks Canada. Employees offer support through everything from an annual food drive to COVID-19 lockdown-inspired cooking contests.

Employees are offered volunteer days every year to support either the food bank or charities of their own choosing.

“It speaks to the company’s strength,” says Pajot. “It really comes down to working for a purpose,” she says. “And believing that what we do serves the greater good.” ¢

1,134

full-time staff in Canada

68%

of managers are women

2,700

staff volunteer hours last year

$

mental health practitioner benefit

5,000

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I

n an era of extraordinarily rapid technological innovation, Bell Canada is in the midst of transitioning from a traditional telecommunications company into a tech services and digital media leader. Oksana Vassilieva is on the front lines of that change.

“I like Bell’s vision of using innovation to drive the customer experience,” says Vassilieva, senior manager with the national cyber security testing team. “This transformation is aligned with what’s happening in the world.”

Vassilieva, who joined Bell in 2005 as a security consultant, works in Bell’s business markets division, which serves diverse clients, including federal and provincial governments, manufacturers, retailers, insurance companies and financial institutions among others.

I like Bell’s vision of using innovation to drive the customer experience. This transformation is aligned with what’s happening in the world.”

— Oksana Vassilieva Senior Manager, National Cyber Security Testing Team The reliability and security of their systems are of paramount importance for such clients. “Our team performs real-world threat simulation testing where we replicate the tactics, techniques and procedures used by malicious cybercriminal groups,” says Vassilieva.

Bell invests heavily in skills development

 Bell Canada provides mentorship programs aimed at enhancing skills and cultivating a high-tech culture.

“Our mission is to help customers be secure by identifying weaknesses and vulnerabilities in their networks, web and mobile applications, and cloud services.”

There's a strong focus on technology across all teams, ranging from marketing to finance, legal to operations. It's an incredibly diverse organization. “One of the great things about Bell is the breadth and scope of the company,” says Payal Gabrani-Bahl, senior vice-president, consumer marketing. “There are so many different roles you can move into internally and have completely different careers.”

When she was an economics student at University of Waterloo, Gabrani-Bahl envisioned a career in

the financial services industry – until she did a four-month co-op with Bell.

“After I graduated, I tried a couple of different things. Then an executive I worked with during my co-op asked if I’d like to work with him,” says Gabrani-Bahl, “He was a phenomenal leader so I accepted his offer and I’ve been here ever since.”

That was nearly 20 years ago. Her journey has included stints in corporate strategy, product development, sales and distribution, marketing and now the consumer side of the business, which includes residential internet and TV, voice and home security as well as wireless cellphone services.

Bell promotes career mobility

through multiple professional development platforms. The company is investing in STEM talent and individual career development through internal resources offered through Bell U (Bell University).

These include university-level programs in business intelligence, cloud computing, cyber security, data science and software development among other subjects. Over the past three years, hundreds of employees have completed one or more of these programs. Employees interested in evolving technological trends have access to the Bell Learning Hub, which is powered by LinkedIn Learning.

Bell also offers mentoring programs designed to build the skills of individual employees and foster a robust high-tech culture.

The company supports employees who want to pursue job-relevant outside degrees, certifications and accreditations.

“I’ve had phenomenal leaders who spent time mentoring me and helping me get to where I am today,” says Gabrani-Bahl. ¢

50,000 + staff in Canada 36

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BCI builds a sense of community by giving back

hen Gabriel Imbert-Boyd moved to Victoria for a position at British Columbia Investment Management Corp. (BCI) in 2017, the main driver was moving closer to family on the Gulf Islands and taking on new work challenges. But the main perk was working for a company whose culture makes giving back to the community a priority.

“It was a growing firm with a more dynamic environment than my prior role in policy development and it allowed for opportunities to make an impact,” says Imbert-Boyd, principal, macro investment research.

BCI has a community that is rich in diversity of thought with colleagues from across the globe and a wide spectrum of work and life experiences that provide the opportunity to learn and grow as a professional.”

— Gabriel Imbert-Boyd Principal, Macro Investment Research Imbert-Boyd quickly joined the company’s United Way committee, helping to raise funds for a charity that supports the local community.

He was already familiar with the United Way mission and saw it as an opportunity to get to know both the BCI community and support the community his family now lived in.

“I'm privileged to be living and working in Victoria with a supportive environment at BCI,” he says.

 Norine Hale, executive vice president, human resources at British Columbia Investment Management, attending Victoria Pride Parade.

The sense of community at the public-sector investment management company, one of Canada’s largest with $233 billion in gross assets under management, is no coincidence. The culture of giving back started at BCI with an annual employee-led United Way campaign.

Over the years it has become part of the fabric of BCI and has evolved to include paid volunteer days and a formal community engagement program.

“Employee volunteer days are a huge support we wanted to give our employees that would really encourage them,” says Norine Hale, executive vice president, human resources. “Some teams group together and find a common organization that they want to volunteer at.”

The initiative offers employees up to 14 hours of paid time per year to

Delivering Investment Results for British Columbia's Public Sector

volunteer with the charity of their choice. In the last 12 months, employees volunteered approximately 900 hours across 28 organizations. The paid time also empowers employees to do more, particularly in priority areas for BCI like youth financial literacy. Thanks to a grassroots employee financial literacy committee, BCI is the largest source of corporate volunteers for Junior Achievement British Columbia (JABC) and has become a major sponsor for its program focused on elementaryaged students.

BCI has managed to maintain this positive work culture amid rapid growth. Since starting at the company 14 years ago, Hale has seen it expand from 160 employees with less than $100 billion in assets under management and one office in Victoria, to 755 employees with

more than double the assets and new offices in Vancouver, New York and London.

For Imbert-Boyd, the unique challenges of a growing company have kept him engaged professionally while, at the same time, he’s been able to contribute to improving culture and community within the organization. He now also serves on BCI’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Council, helping roll out training to promote EDI at the company.

“When I first got involved, it was because of my own and my family’s experience with mental health and neurodiversity,” he says. “But I also have direct reports and want to make sure that they’re supported in their daily lives as professionals at BCI.” The uniqueness of the community is part of what makes BCI a special place for Imbert-Boyd.

“BCI has a community that is rich in diversity of thought with colleagues from across the globe and a wide spectrum of work and life experiences that provide the opportunity to learn and grow as a professional,” he says. ¢

716

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BDC takes employee engagement to another level

oe Alaeddine began working for Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) as a summer intern and was hired full-time upon graduation. Five and a half years later, he is a senior commercial account manager.

“Right from the beginning, people engaged me in the work, sharing their projects and inviting me to meetings,” says Alaeddine. “It’s an innovative environment that is less about completing transactions than working to support clients.”

BDC is not just a bank, but also a development bank, with a commercial and social mandate.”

— Isabelle Hudon President and CEO

BDC is a Montréal-based financial institution that helps create and develop strong Canadian businesses through financing, advisory services and capital. It focuses on small and medium-sized enterprises.

President and CEO Isabelle Hudon joined BDC two years ago, and she continues to talk with employees to learn about the organization.

“When I came, I was so impressed,” says Hudon. “Employees are engaged at all levels of the organization. Everyone is accessible and anyone can ask a question or give an opinion.”

Hudon and her colleagues have since refreshed the employer branding to contribute to employee pride and appeal to future employees.

 Business Development Bank of Canada employees have the opportunity to benefit from formal and informal coaching.

“BDC is not just a bank, but also a development bank, with a commercial and social mandate. We call it, ‘Banking at another level.’”

Taking the pulse of employee engagement through ongoing surveys is a matter of course at BDC. And Hudon has implemented Rendezvous with Isabelle, a give and take of information where she shares quarterly progress reports on financial and, just as important, social key performance indicators.

“Before being employees, people are citizens,” says Hudon. In 2022, BDC created a senior position to strengthen the focus on diversity, as well as to oversee the environmental

and social governance of the organization. Since then, BDC has implemented mandatory training programs in accessibility and reconciliation, and it will publish its first sustainability report this year.

Alaeddine belongs to an internal committee called the Ontario Client Diversity Ambassadors, and one of his tasks is to spread helpful information throughout the organization.

His engagement within the bank has not gone unnoticed.

He has been invited to join a cohort called Aspiring Leaders, a talent development program to help employees learn management skills.

They meet regularly for coaching

Because we’re devoted exclusively to Canadian entrepreneurs.

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and to go through case scenarios.

The purpose of the program is to open doors to leadership opportunities in future.

An appetite for learning and development comes across clearly in employee surveys. One program BDC offers is a three-month development assignment in a new area. Employees learn about the organization and see how their skills might cross over to another department.

Alaeddine is currently completing one such assignment as a regional field coach working one-on-one with new account managers. It is an opportunity to take what he has learned and share it, going over the project phases and talking about building customer relationships.

“I’m learning how to bring new recruits into the organization and make sure everyone is aligned in their approach to the mandate,” he says.

“BDC is great at reaching out to people who show an interest in development,” says Alaeddine.

“We’re always learning!” ¢

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CAE people fly high with work-life integration

ancy Boone had been working as an accountant at CAE for about two years when she learned her five-year-old daughter was autistic.

This was going to mean a lot of time devoted to her daughter’s care. But this was 2003, long before work from home was a possibility, and Boone was worried about how she would manage. She consulted her manager – and they designed a flexible schedule so Boone need not be at the office from 9 to 5.

You can’t have innovation without talented people.

They come from all walks of life, and we’re very diverse in terms of our workforce.”

— Bob Lockett Chief People Officer Today, that tradition of empathy is entrenched at CAE, and Boone is part of the leadership committee of Mozaic, CAE’s employee resource group for special needs and neurodiverse people and those caring for them. Moreover, Boone’s daughter now works at CAE herself in another section of the accounting group.

“Throughout the years, the company has had the vision to be more inclusive,” says Boone. “They really see there’s an opportunity there. There’s a pool of knowledgeable people – they only need CAE to accommodate them so they can feel safe and secure in their workplace.

And I really feel we have the ear of top management to make that space safe for everyone.”

 Montréal-based CAE offers employees small projects (‘Gigs’) to develop skills beyond their usual work responsibilities.

Montréal-based CAE, founded in 1947, is a Canadian success story, known for its flight simulators and being the leader in aviation training, but it's also active in defence training and health care. Along with many allied forces, it now trains all 43,000 pilots in the U.S. military at some point in their career. At CAE Healthcare, life-like simulators help practitioners train for various medical scenarios – including mannikins that simulate delivering a baby.

Globally, the company has some 13,000 employees in over 250 locations in more than 40 countries.

“The sun never sets on CAE,” says Boone proudly. In Canada, there are operations in Montréal; Ottawa; Toronto; Halifax; St. John’s; Vancouver; Cold Lake, Alta. and Moose Jaw, Sask.

Bob Lockett, CAE’s chief people officer, says CAE’s leading-edge technology and its mission to make the world safer are key factors in attracting top talent. And, he says, “we really take care of our people.

They’re the cornerstone of who we are and what we do. You can’t have innovation without talented people.

They come from all walks of life, and we’re very diverse in terms of our workforce.”

Lockett is proud of what he calls “work-life integration” at CAE. Through CAEheartbeat, a peoplecentric initiative that includes a flexible benefits and time-off policy, “even employees who have been here a short while can take as much vacation time as they want, as long as they are meeting business needs and have sought manager approval,”

We exist to make the world safer

Lockett says. “There also are sabbaticals available to long-service employees. Plus, there are ‘California Fridays’ – employees can leave at noon on Fridays as long as they have worked 40 hours that week.”

Aside from those who must be on-site, employees have a hybrid work week, determined by each team but commonly two or three days a week in the office.

The company offers leadership and mentorship programs to help people advance, says Lockett. “We also give employees a chance to learn about how to improve their skill set through a program called Gigs, in which there’s a small project outside your regular tasks that you can work on.”

Diversity is a given at CAE. Boone says her five-person team includes people from four different countries.

She adds that part of the fascination of working at CAE is proximity to the world of aviation. She has tried out a CAE full flight simulator. “I can do a take-off, that’s pretty easy. But it’s the landing part that’s more of a trick.” ¢

4,801

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CN employees are driven by mission and teamwork

he business of the Canadian National Railway Company (CN) is moving natural resources, manufactured products and consumer goods around North America, making sure they get where they need to go. So perhaps it’s no surprise it has moved Amin Abdulle, too – from Edmonton, where he was first hired on almost 10 years ago as crew dispatcher, to Saskatoon and then most recently to Winnipeg, where he works today as a superintendent. “It’s been a good ride so far,” says Abdulle.

Abdulle left university before finishing his undergraduate degree, feeling that it wasn’t a good fit, but made himself a promise that he’d always keep learning and developing, and that he’d focus on finding a job where he knew he could make a difference.

People are focused on the whole rather than themselves.

They push you to do better every day.”

— Amelie Pereira Product Manager, I&T Team

Montréal-based CN allowed him to fulfill both parts of that promise. Abdulle, whose job involves overseeing the Winnipeg rail yard – an important operations hub for CN, where its eastern, western and United States operations connect – can see the impact of his work firsthand every day, as rail cars arrive in and depart the yard.

And the company has also provided in-house training and

 Amelie Pereira, product manager, I&T Team (left) and Amin Abdulle, superintendent, at Canadian National Railway. development for all of his roles, including crew management supervisor, handling labour relations and transportation manager. CN has multiple in-house career development programs and an online career management platform. Its CN Campus in Winnipeg provides training and recertification to transportation, engineering, mechanical and multimodal employees in classrooms, labs and on simulators, as well as outdoor training on equipment and tracks.

“One of the best things about CN, as an employer, is they have in-house training and development, from dispatcher training to getting conductor qualified,” he says.

Amelie Pereira, product manager, on CN’s information technology team in Montréal, says she appreciates the company’s support for ongoing learning and development. Pereira is part of a team that is managing a major upgrade of CN’s enterprise resource planning software – essentially the engine of the business – and she says the company ensures she and her colleagues have access to training on new functionalities and third-party tools, and encourages them to get the certifications they need to stay current in their roles.

She says the company has an open culture, and management genuinely wants to hear from employees on

CN is hiring

Get your career moving cn.ca/careers

what can be improved. “They’re really in the mindset of trying to improve all the time and listen to people,” she says. “I can easily talk to my senior manager, my director or my executive vice-president. We’re not afraid to say what we think when something could be done better.”

Pereira, who joined the company in 2017, says the people make the difference at the company. In her previous workplaces, she says, she often saw a sense of competition and one-upmanship among employees, but at CN, teamwork and camaraderie prevail. The company has a philosophy of ‘one team,’ and Pereira says it is more than just words.

“People are focused on the whole rather than themselves,” she says.

“They push you to do better every day.”

Knowing CN’s business is critical to Canadian society and the economy instills a sense of purpose and commitment, she says. “If something is happening, we know we can count on each other. You reach out and people will answer and try to help. It drives people to give their best.” ¢

17,782

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CPKC is a powerful locomotive for career growth

J

ames Clements is proud of his part in creating Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC), which combined Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. with Kansas City Southern Railway Co. to create the only railway stretching from Canada to the United States and Mexico.

“It was an honour and a challenge and super exciting to have the opportunity to be involved in transforming the company and taking it to the next level,” says Clements, executive vice-president, strategic planning and technology transformation.

He was involved in planning for the merger, which became official in April 2023, and also leads the integration management office.

When you get that support and you’re provided the tools to be able to succeed, you want to give that back to your team as well.”

— Collette Gagne Senior Manager, Payroll Processing Clements is amazed at the magnitude of the new organization. “When you look at a map, it really hits home that this infrastructure literally connects the continent,” he says. “It will also help meet the challenges created by uncertainty and changes to the global supply chain. We are going to be fundamental to the reorientation of North American supply chains.”

Employees were also impressed

THINK BIG DREAM BIG

 At CPKC, employees have opportunities to take courses and gain hands-on experience that work toward their development plans. with how CPKC kept them informed throughout this massive change.

“Our senior leaders did a really great job of making sure that there was open communication,” says Collette Gagne, senior manager, payroll processing. “They made sure everyone was aware of what was happening, and there was always room for feedback and asking questions.”

This included meetings with senior leaders and an online ‘Integration Station,’ which was constantly updated with news.

Gagne’s department continues to have weekly meetings with team members from Canada, the U.S. and Mexico to keep everyone informed of any changes and next steps.

“We have an amazing leadership

team, and it’s one of the rare employers I’ve worked with where you can feel the true investment from the leadership team in each person’s success,” Gagne says. “When you get that support and you’re provided the tools to be able to succeed, you want to give that back to your team as well.”

These tools include a mentorship program, online learning programs and reimbursement for part-time studies for courses related to an employee’s development plan. For the development plans, employees have regular meetings with their leaders to get feedback and plan ways to grow in their career. In the operation management trainee program, non-engineers train as conductors

and get hands-on experience. They take what they have learned to help prepare them for being successful leaders and managers, as well as getting exposure to the operations aspect of the organization.

“You’re given the opportunity to take your career as far as you want to go,” says Clements. “I call it a company where you can choose your own adventure. We have areas such as engineering, finance, operations.

Whatever excites you, we probably do, and we give you the chance to grow and develop.”

CPKC subscribes to the 70-20-10 philosophy, which means 70 per cent of career development occurs on the job, 20 per cent through mentorship and 10 per cent in formal training.

“No matter what level you are at, everyone at CPKC is considered a leader, and therefore given the autonomy to make whatever space you are in better,” Gagne says. “The company really supports us and provides us with what we need, and I am proud to be a part of that. If you put in the effort, the sky’s the limit.” ¢

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Carleton offers innovative career development options

hen Gilles Monast started working at Carleton University in Ottawa, his first job was in the mailroom. Now, 35 years and a number of different positions later, he’s the university’s director of library administration.

He credits his career development to hard work, dedication, and having supportive managers who took notice of those qualities. It was also a matter of being in the right place at the right time.

When you have people reporting to you, it’s all about supporting them, helping them succeed. To me, that’s always been the way I work, and I find that really kind of fits into the ethos and the culture here.”

— Jerry Tomberlin Interim President and Vice-Chancellor

“What Carleton has given me is the chance to grow as an employee and as an individual. There is a lot of support, there are a lot of opportunities. Even today, a lot of opportunities for staff for advancement, to join committees, to do professional development,” explains Monast, who continues to collaborate with colleagues in other departments by sitting on interview committees, for example.

Staff and faculty can participate in university committees, fine-tune skills through learning and development workshops, and

 Carleton University hosts an annual ‘Appreciation Day’ to celebrate the accomplishments of its staff and faculty. engage in management training – all of which assist in career growth.

Full-time employees can also access a free tuition benefit if they wish to enrol in courses. Those interested in volunteering have a number of choices, too, including Carleton’s annual United Way campaign or in the university’s nationally-certified ‘Healthy Workplace’ initiative.

Like Monast, interim president and vice-chancellor Jerry Tomberlin has held a number of positions during his 15 years at Carleton. He first moved to the nation’s capital to take on the role of dean of the Sprott School of Business. He then became provost & vice-president (academic), and, most recently, assumed the role of interim president in September.

“When you have people reporting to you, it’s all about supporting them, helping them succeed. To me, that’s always been the way I work, and I find that really kind of fits into the ethos and the culture here,” he says.

Empowering our community to

There are a number of initiatives in place at the university which help employees nurture their careers, he says. One of those programs is Carleton Leader.

Inspired by collaborative leadership principles, this initiative builds capacity by bringing together leaders from across the institution to embrace their potential to effect positive change. The initiative offers participants first-hand insight into how their staff and faculty colleagues approach leadership at the university, as well as the opportunity to form long-term, supportive networks that may not otherwise happen.

“It’s a learning platform for, ‘How do I work across the boundaries of the university?’” says Tomberlin. “We make sure that we have academics there. We have administrators there.

We have employees at all levels there who've shown an interest in career development. And it’s pretty amazing.”

CHALLENGE what’s possible

An initiative like Carleton Leader also helps participants get recognized and feel that they have “more of a career” at the university, he says.

“So, when positions are available, or when you’re looking for somebody to take over more responsibilities on the academic or the administrative areas of the university, that’s kind of where you look first,” Tomberlin says.

The initiative has been offered for the past decade, and Monast, who describes himself as a “people person,” was one of its first participants. “I found the Carleton Leader program really eye-opening because people don’t believe they’re leaders, but they actually are in their own way,” he says.

While participants have different ways of approaching problemsolving, “you’re all there for the same purpose: to develop your leadership skills,” Monast notes.

“There is a lot of room for growth, and there is a lot of opportunity,” he says, “and you just need to seize those opportunities.” ¢

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CIBC trains for current and future job skills

arsha Pereira started at CIBC nearly two decades ago as a parttime customer service representative at a branch near her Brampton, Ont., home while she was a university student. That led to a permanent position and a flourishing career that has seen her rise to her current executive-level position.

It’s a long-term commitment to look at the skills on our team today and ask what are the skills we need for the future.”

— Marsha Pereira Vice-President of Workforce Transformation and Leadership “I’ve been in maybe eight different positions since I started,” says Pereira, vice-president of workforce transformation and leadership.

“I’ve moved from a branch to a back-office role to head office. That career mobility stems from having great opportunities and great leaders who invest in your growth and development.”

And she says her career trajectory is far from unusual. “I am one of many people who’ve started in a very entry level role, as a student, and have moved into a management or executive role at our bank,” Pereira notes.

Melissa Ganzeveld followed a different path, but has also enjoyed opportunity and career growth.

She started 10 years ago as a branch manager in a small community

 Melissa Ganzeveld, national director of client experience (front centre), reconnects with one of CIBC’s banking centre teams. in southeastern B.C., and made an effort to reach out and build relationships. “My passion was business development,” says Ganzeveld, national director of client experience. “I loved getting out in the community and meeting people.

I was tapped on the shoulder to run business development for our B.C. region, and from there, I was asked to take on that role nationally.”

Her current role is brand new and she has had the opportunity to build a team from the ground up.

“My team ensures that our front-line employees – our customer service

representatives, financial advisors and banking centre leaders – are thinking about the client experience at every stage, whether it’s at the counter or sitting down in an office with an advisor.”

For her part, Pereira notes that the opportunities she’s had speak to the culture at CIBC. “We’re always looking for talent internally,” she says. “We give people an opportunity to stretch themselves through job shadowing or part-time assignments.

We want them to develop in new ways and to chart their own career paths.”

The bank also relies on formal and informal mentoring as well as inhouse training to nurture talent. “I’ve always had a mentor in place,” says Ganzeveld. “I’ve taken a significant number of leadership courses. I encourage my team to take regular learning as well.”

In fact, she not only encourages them, she participates alongside them. “Recently, we took a project management course together,” she says. “We’ve also taken courses on how to make effective presentations and how to present in front of large groups.”

Through her workforce transformation role, Pereira is focused on ensuring that the bank and its employees are well-positioned to succeed in a rapidly changing world.

“It’s a long-term commitment to look at the skills on our team today and ask what are the skills we need for the future,” she says. “The bank’s leaders are committed to ensuring that we help our team members acquire the new skills they need so they can build a fulfilling career here.” ¢

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15,314

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of board of directors are women

Ambition lives here.

Find your next step with CIBC.

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Citi expands its Canadian reach with new businesses

s one of the country’s largest and longest-serving foreign banks, Citi added a commercial banking business to its offering in Canada as part of a global expansion strategy last year. “We had success in other parts of the world, so Canada was a very logical next step,” says Casey Coates, head of Citi Commercial Bank for Canada.

There is a feeling among our employees that they can truly make a difference at what they do.”

— Aleta Froemmel Interim Country Human Resources Officer

Established in 2011, Citi Commercial Bank has grown significantly and now works with companies across Citi’s 95 countries.

“What we’re doing here in terms of building a business and a new business plan in Canada is very unique and doesn’t happen a lot in a very strong historical banking market,” he says. With Canadian roots dating back to 1919, Citi draws on its solid foundation, global network and access to diverse talent to fuel growth in its business operations.

To build his commercial banking team, which focuses on mid-sized companies with revenues starting at $10 million, Coates has welcomed bankers from Citi operations around the world, including Hong Kong and Ireland, as well as those from other financial institutions in Canada.

He now has nine bankers as part

 Having diverse talent at Citi has increased its growth and expansion of services.

of his national team but expects to continue hiring over the next five years.

“It is a nice mosaic of talent and experience that we’ve built here so far, and we’ll continue growing,” says Coates.

Having access to a large, diverse talent pool has long been a key element of Citi’s expansion in the country. Over the last decade, the company’s technology development centre in Mississauga, Ont., has grown, thanks in large part to the region’s strong workforce. More than 2,000 people now work in the centre on projects for Citi’s global markets operations. Based in New York, Citi operates in 160 countries

and jurisdictions.

“The strength and diversity of the talent that’s available within the Greater Toronto Area is so rich that we’re able to attract that talent with the offering that we’re able to provide from a global organization such as Citi,” says Aleta Froemmel, interim country human resources officer for Citi in Canada. “We are a diverse organization, so we attract diverse individuals. That’s really what makes us stronger. It is the strength of Citi.”

As the technology centre in Mississauga grows, Citi has expanded its services there to include internal audit, risk and client onboarding. Over the past

two years, the internal audit division has increased to more than 250 employees, up from 40. “We’re really excited not only for the strong technology presence but the ability to expand our global operations beyond that because of the richness of our talent,” says Froemmel.

Having been with Citi for 22 years, she speaks passionately from personal experience about the benefits of working for a company often referred to as the “bank with a soul” by Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser.

“It’s about having a collective commitment to making sure that we are being the best that we can be and doing the best that we can do,” Froemmel says. “There is a feeling among our employees that they can truly make a difference at what they do.”

Citi will continue to grow and develop as an organization and remains committed to giving back to help others, she says. Last year, more than $1.1 million was raised for Canadian communities through Citi Foundation grants, donations and employee-led activities. ¢

3,100

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891

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80%

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100%

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Citi Canada is proud to be recognized as one of Canada's Top 100 Employers for 2024 Launch your career with us careers.citigroup.com

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For Creative Options Regina, gentleness is everything

s the end of her second maternity leave drew near, Amanda Clarke knew that if she was going to have to spend her days away from her children, it had to be for something meaningful. So she left the corporate world and moved over to Creative Options Regina (COR), a non-profit organization supporting people in the community experiencing disability.

“What really drew me to COR was its purpose and the opportunity to make a difference,” she says.

What really drew me to COR was its purpose and the opportunity to make a difference.”

— Amanda Clarke Chief Culture Officer

Even though Clarke, as COR’s chief culture officer, isn’t on the front lines, she supports those employees who are and feels like she’s contributing to the bigger picture. And the impact of working at COR has been far-reaching for her.

“For me, it was about balance – it was about feeling good about my day and connecting my family to a greater purpose,” says Clarke, who has three children under the age of seven. “It’s been really incredible.”

One of the things that really sets COR apart is the philosophy of ‘Gentle Teaching,’ which not only informs the organization’s approach to care, but also to the employee experience. Ben Raine worked for several years at COR just as the organization was starting out. He was

 At Creative Options Regina, employees can connect with each other and their communities through frequent gatherings. drawn back in part by what he calls “the intentionality of its leaders.”

“Caregiving is hard on the best of days,” says Raine, an employee experience advisor. “But the leaders put significant time and attention into ensuring that employees are cared for. You see it through the hiring process, in the benefits plan, even just in sharing meals together.”

Gentle Teaching has become ingrained in the culture of the company. “We know that if our employees are doing well – front-line to everyone in leadership – we’re

going to be better care providers for the people who need that care,” adds Clarke.

Another thing that drew Raine back to COR was the opportunity to dream – “not just being allowed to dream of what change could look like, but being equipped to be able to do it.” By doing so, the organization fights the more common perception that caregiving is a stopover kind of career move, he adds. “What COR does successfully is cast the vision that this can be your career and we want you to grow with us.”

IT TAKES

Courage TO

Care

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One of COR’s initiatives, 4to40, has had an impact not only on the community the organization serves but on its employees and their families. Through 4to40, COR works with employers to help connect them with people experiencing disability for meaningful work. Clarke’s husband was eager to bring one of the people COR serves into his office every day.

“Him being a champion for it is a wonderful opportunity,” she says.

And for her children, many of COR’s frequent gatherings – barbecues, parties, appreciation nights, dinners – are open not only to employees but to their families and to the people COR serves.

“It has a larger impact in terms of culture,” Clarke adds. “Wherever we can, we’re making intentional efforts of getting people together to nurture community, which ties back to our central purpose of creating community and connection. And at the same time, I’m teaching my kids that everybody has different abilities and about how we help and support and celebrate each other.” ¢

239

full-time employees in Canada

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years, average age of all employees

60%

of managers are women

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Enbridge energizes staff with opportunity and pride

ustin Cook has worked in a number of different positions in his 10 years at Enbridge Inc., and he believes that the opportunity to experience different roles is the reason why many employees remain at the Calgary-based energy infrastructure company for years, even decades.

A lot of companies are just numbers-driven, but Enbridge is also really good at making sure people feel valued.”

— Justin Cook Operator Qualifications Supervisor “One of the members on my team has 40-plus years, and several others have 25,” says Cook, who started as an engineer and now manages a team that certifies operators in the field. “There are so many opportunities within the company – in business development, in the field, in buying and selling gas. You’re not siloed in one area; you can learn how the business works as a whole.”

Melissa Moye, Enbridge’s chief human resources and inclusion officer, agrees, adding that an equally important reason is that employees take pride in their roles to provide energy to communities.

“It’s an industry that flows through all aspects of life,” she says. “People see that connection, and that pride is a critical part of our culture and why people want to join and stay.”

Another important part of the culture at Enbridge is the respect for different voices that Cook says is felt throughout the organization.

 Enbridge supports career development with a curriculum that employees can access in the office or out in the field.

“No matter who you are or what your background is, you feel welcomed and heard,” he says.

“Focusing on diversity, inclusion, respect and integrity creates a huge breath of fresh air in an organization this vast. A lot of companies may be just numbers-driven, but Enbridge is also really good at making sure people feel valued.”

That includes providing a number of formal and informal ways for employees to advance their careers.

“There’s never been a time when they’ve said no to a career objective,” says Cook. “If you want to get your MBA or another degree, they will provide support, working with you to see what would fit best with your

career objectives.”

“We focus on career development in many ways,” says Moye. “There’s formal training, informal mentorship programs, sponsorships and curriculum that people can access at times that work for them, whether they’re in the office or out in the field. We’re also exploring innovative programs like Gig, a talent marketplace platform where employees can explore what it’s like to work in a different part of the company.”

Cook also appreciated the organization’s response to the pandemic. “Enbridge adapted really well,” he says. “They introduced hybrid options to work at home two days a week and shift your working

Tomorrow is what we make it.

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hours to accommodate your needs.”

Moye points out that the pandemic response was challenging for an energy company.

“First priority was making sure all our employees were safe in the various ways they work,” she says.

“That’s important because a large part of our workforce can’t work from home; they’re out making sure energy gets to the communities we serve. So it was taking care of our people while ensuring we could move fuel to where it needed to be.”

The response also included flexible hours, work-from-home programs and increased access to health services. “We have a total well-being strategy that focuses on mental, social, financial and physical health,” Moye says, “and programs where people can work individually or as team goals around those four components.”

“The whole package of opportunities, work-life balance, pensions and benefits and compensation is huge,” says Cook. “And our leaders take pride in providing the support we need.” ¢

7,634

full-time staff in Canada

52

years, longestserving employee

3,369

charities helped last year

100%

compassionate leave top-up pay

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Fidelity Canada invests in employees and community

isa Bently first came across Fidelity Canada while doing a summer internship at youth charity, BGC Canada. Seeing Fidelity’s long-term partnership with the charity up close, and speaking with volunteers from the financial services company about their positive experiences in its co-op program, Bently knew Fidelity was “the place to be.”

People at Fidelity are eager to give you advice, see you grow and set you up for success.”

— Nisa Bently Team Manager, Client Support

After Bently was hired in 2019, she quickly found the Torontoheadquartered company more than lived up to the hype. “Everyone was so friendly, and it’s so easy to interact with senior management.

People at Fidelity are eager to give you advice, see you grow and set you up for success,” says Bently, now a team manager for client support at Fidelity Clearing Canada, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Fidelity.

Despite Fidelity’s significant workforce of more than 1,700 Canadian employees, Bently has found it easy to connect with people outside of her direct team through supportive onboarding initiatives for new hires and mentorship programs, as well as huddles and recognition programs that highlight the work of employees across the company.

“The effort and hard work you put in is really recognized on a massive level, and there are opportunities for

 At Fidelity Canada, employees can connect with colleagues in different departments through mentorship programs. people from other departments to get to know who you are,” she says.

“There’s a real sense of community.”

Diana Godfrey, senior vicepresident of human resources and corporate affairs, says the company has worked hard over the years to build and maintain a corporate culture that is “highly collaborative, empathetic and friendly.”

As the company shifted to a hybrid working model post-pandemic – which evaluates the obligations of each role to set a minimum number of in-office days per month, giving the majority of employees plenty of opportunities to work from home – Godfrey says Fidelity has maintained its culture and the employee experience by intentionally using the office for collaboration and connection.

The Toronto office has a wellness centre, games room, barista and snack and drink centre, and its offices across the country have

technology-enabled meeting rooms and collaborative workspaces. Over the past year, the company has held a summer barbecue, catered lunches, and ‘treat days’ in the office, among other events.

“When employees come in and gather with their colleagues, it’s like coming home,” Godfrey says.

“People are genuinely excited to see each other, and they really make an effort to strengthen their connections.”

The company’s warm culture extends outward towards the broader community, Godfrey says.

Fidelity gives employees two paid volunteer days per year, and recently reorganized the charitable giving committee, a group comprised entirely of employees that make decisions about corporate giving.

When employees donate or give their time to a registered charity, Fidelity also donates to the same

charity in recognition of their efforts.

Bently, a passionate volunteer, has volunteered through Fidelity’s women’s leadership employee resource group, including writing letters to people in long-term care homes during the holidays, and also contributes to the company’s yearly food bank and toy drives. “When you’re able to take days off to give back to the community, it goes a long way,” she says.

She also joined her department’s social committee to pay forward the sense of belonging she’s felt since joining the company, particularly to those who had been hired during the pandemic and haven’t had as much opportunity to get to know their colleagues. The committee hosts monthly events, including renting out an entire pub for a trivia night and booking a Cineplex theatre to watch the new Mission Impossible movie this summer.

“We had colleagues who were new to my team come out, and they had an amazing time,” she says. “To see the joy on people’s faces, this is what Fidelity is all about.” ¢

1,710 25 $

full-time staff in Canada weeks, adoption and parental leave topup pay

10,000 tuition subsidies

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5,000

mental health practitioner benefit

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GHD engineers sustainability for its staff

hen Genevieve Renaud started working at GHD Canada 11 years ago, she had no idea how her role would change and evolve. But Renaud soon found out that the global employeeowned professional services company is committed to career advancement for its employees.

It’s more than business, it’s about having a positive impact on the world, and I think that really resonates with people.”

— Jan Fontana People Leader for Canada

Renaud was first hired as a project manager in building science before being promoted to manager of roofing and waterproofing. She currently works as a team leader in the building science group in the firm’s office in Brossard, Que., as well as technical services leader for Eastern Canada.

“One thing that’s really great about GHD is all the opportunities we’re offered,” she says. “I’ve been able to travel — to a conference in Vancouver and to the GHD office in Brisbane, Australia — and I have been given several promotions. It’s been amazing for me, as an engineer and as a person.”

Jan Fontana, GHD’s people leader for Canada, points out that the company has many long-serving employees, including several senior leaders who started right out of university. “It’s a great story when they present to students at

 GHD Canada Holdings provides employees a choice of well-being programs to suit their needs.

an event and they can talk about their experience starting here from the beginning,” she says. “To me, that says something great about the company and our culture.”

Fontana, who has been with GHD for 17 years herself, believes that part of the reason people are proud to work at GHD is the company’s strategic vision to help make water, energy and communities sustainable into the future. “We want to create lasting community benefits together with our clients,” she says. “It’s more than business, it’s about having a

positive impact on the world, and I think that really resonates with people.”

GHD representatives frequently take part in job fairs and visit universities and colleges to hold information sessions and introduce company leaders to prospective employees. “It’s important to have new talent coming in,” says Fontana.

“We hired 160 graduates last year.

It is crucial for GHD to hire lots of graduates to make sure we’re creating that pipeline of talent throughout the business.”

As a result of the pandemic, GHD shifted to a hybrid work model and moved to increase its focus on mental health and work-life balance for its staff.

“We provided more flexible benefits and increased our mental health offerings,” says Fontana. “We want to make sure we’re offering our employees and their families a choice of programs to best suit their needs and their health. We also have a well-being strategy which includes programs to support our employees’ physical and mental health, recognizing that work-life balance is different for everybody.”

Renaud says she appreciates the fact that she has been able to advance her career in what has traditionally been a male-dominated industry. “GHD has been great at empowering us,” she says. “When I was choosing a career path, it was easy to find a way forward, because we have support from the leadership team to progress, and they are really understanding of everyone’s particular situation. We’re a great family.” ¢

1,780

full-time staff in Canada

31,084

job applications received last year

46

years, longestserving employee

$

1,500

mental health practitioner benefit, unlimited virtual care

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Graham aims to take employees to the next level

ndy Trewick’s first job after graduating from university in the United Kingdom led to a 27-year career with the same company. He had the opportunity to develop himself as a leader, take on work that challenged him professionally and build new skills. That experience informs his vision for Graham Construction, the Calgary-headquartered company that he’s led for eight years.

I want to create an environment for our people where we help them develop to their maximum potential.”

— Andy Trewick Chief Executive Officer “I want to create an environment for our people where we help them develop to their maximum potential,” he says. “People are precious; we don’t want to create the situation where they need to work for somebody else because they can’t see an opportunity to get to the next level.”

Graham has a structured development program for its leaders, during which the company finds opportunities across the organization for participants in the program to gain leadership experience and build relationships. It also has a formal mentorship program.

But some of the development Trewick has in mind is more informal: he wants to make the best use of employees’ transferrable skills. He gives the example of one of Graham’s project directors with strong people skills, who was briefly pulled onto

 At Graham Construction, employees can move across departments to develop different skill sets. the human resources team and helped transform the department.

“We want to find opportunities for people and move them around the company, even if those opportunities maybe aren’t the obvious choice,” he says.

Jennifer Scott, who leads Graham’s project oversight group in Vancouver, has seen this approach work first-hand. Scott, who just celebrated her tenth anniversary at Graham, initially joined the company as a bid manager, bidding for public-private partnership projects. She eventually moved over to manage bids for the construction and then infrastructure groups before taking her first maternity leave. When she returned to work, the department had substantially changed as part of a

company restructuring, so she was asked what she was interested in doing.

Her interest in learning about the company’s core business and operations, and a recognition of her people skills and ability to get buy-in, led to her current role. The project oversight group sends experts to active projects to evaluate how they’re going, provide advice and support, and highlight areas where problems may crop up.

“No one likes having their homework marked, so buy-in and gathering support from the people working on the projects is a huge part of making the process a success,” she says. “Getting that buyin and building alliances was a skill I learned through bidding projects but

didn’t know I had.”

Scott says she appreciates that she’s always had the opportunity to pursue her interests within the company. Most recently, after noticing that the expert reviewers within the project oversight group always started their project reviews by looking at the same data, she suggested building a machinelearning program that could run a ‘health scan’ of projects the company is working on. “I was given the flexibility to run with something that was not previously part of the plan,” she says.

A company that values building employees up tends to attract people who are excited to share their knowledge and expertise with others, and Scott says she’s encountered many of them during her time at Graham and developed plenty of informal mentorship relationships.

“I’ve been lucky to work with people who have open-door policies and ask them tons of questions,” she says.

“It makes the company an excellent place to work and an excellent place to grow.” ¢

2,044

full-time staff in Canada

100%

parental and adoption leave topup pay

2,000

mental health practitioner benefit

400

charities helped last year

$

Your future is worth building.

grahambuilds.com

Your future is worth building.

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Hatch is inspiring great people to do great things

mong her many varied and stimulating roles at Hatch Ltd., Vancouver-based engineering manager Sandra Fleming embraces mentoring the next generation of engineers and maintaining strong ties with her alma mater.

A member of the University of British Columbia’s mechanical engineering alumni committee, Fleming brought together professors and industry professionals at Hatch’s office earlier this year to discuss future industry needs, and how the university could respond through curriculum development.

We are passionately committed to the pursuit of a better world through positive change, and that really does drive what we do.”

— Mike Fedoroff Regional Managing Director for Western Canada Fleming also regularly attends events to speak with students. And when they arrive at the global engineering and professional services giant where she has worked for the past two years, she mentors them, drawing inspiration from the firm’s strong mentoring culture and her 13 years of industry experience.

“We want to make sure that people are getting the connections and mentorship they need,” she says. “You don’t have the feeling that you’re just a cog in the wheel at Hatch.”

The company is driven by a governing manifesto that is foundational

 Hatch incorporates the latest technologies, including augmented reality, when delivering projects for its clients. to its culture. “We are passionately committed to the pursuit of a better world through positive change, and that really does drive what we do,” says Mike Fedoroff, regional managing director for Western Canada.

“One of the values in our manifesto is encouraging great people who make a difference. We want our employees to be fully engaged with our client’s work, with our business, our people and the communities that we operate in.”

Whether it’s fostering close ties with educational institutions or raising money for local food banks, Hatch supports its employees in volunteering to better their communities and will match the money they fundraise, says Fedoroff.

For several years, Hatch has supported Road Hockey to Conquer Cancer. The annual event raises money for the Toronto-based

Forge your future

Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, one of the world’s top five cancer research centres. Hatch employees fundraise and volunteer their time to play hockey. Over the years of its involvement, the company and its employees have donated more than $3 million.

Hatch is committed to nurturing long-term relationships with its clients, many of whom have been associated with the employee-owned company since it was founded more than six decades ago, but also with its colleagues. “We encourage a flat-connected organization around the globe, which enables that connectivity from new employees to the CEO. Anyone can pick up the phone and call our CEO or myself if they have a question,” says Fedoroff.

Employees are committed to connecting and working collaboratively, but Hatch also facilitates social

events – everything from volleyball teams and soccer leagues to dragon boat races. “When your employees are able to work together but also play together it creates a safe and trusting environment where they can count on their colleagues to support them,” says Fedoroff.

Fleming finds camaraderie with the Women at Hatch group, which includes non-binary people. Meeting monthly, they have held paint nights and brought in experts to discuss fertility issues and other timely topics.

Events happen in person in Hatch’s local offices, but for bigger events such as International Women’s Day, they connect online with the larger, global Hatch community.

While the company encourages its employees to meet in person whenever possible, having colleagues around the world means that’s not always possible. For Fleming, having international expertise at her fingertips is a bonus in her specialized field of mineral processing. “I can always call on colleagues in Montréal or Australia or around the world to compare notes.” ¢

3,941

full-time staff in Canada

50

years, longestserving employee

2,000

maximum mental health practitioner benefit

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job applications received last year

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Employee engagement is a key strategic priority at IGM

ichelle Barrett says she has felt part of a welcoming and supportive community ever since she switched careers and joined one of the IGM Financial Inc. group of companies, IG Wealth Management, in 2016.

“I had quite a steep learning curve,” says the former kindergarten teacher. “So I’m grateful the people here are always gracious in helping you come up with solutions for any problems you might have.”

I think it reflects well on our culture that people are not afraid to share their candid opinions.”

— Cynthia Currie Chief Human Resources Officer The company worked with Barrett to help her acquire the professional accreditation required to work as a consultant in the financial services sector. And now as senior manager, training and development, with IG University, she has a foot back in the educational field.

This time around, however, she’s part of a team that helps adults achieve and maintain their professional certifications, be aware of emerging trends so they can stay current with clients, and develop new skills so they can take the next step in their careers.

IGM is one of Canada’s leading wealth and asset management companies. Its subsidiaries include IG Wealth Management, Mackenzie Investments and Investment

 Employees of IG Wealth Management, part of IGM Financial’s family of companies, have been raising money for Alzheimer's research since 2015.

Planning Council. The companies operate separately but share some corporate functions.

To stay abreast of employees’ wants, needs and perspectives, IGM conducts regular surveys and focus groups and uses other tools such as data mining. And not all employee feedback is solicited.

“People send me emails sharing their genuine thoughts on a variety of concerns,” says chief human resources officer Cynthia Currie, who sees a positive side even to constructive comments. “I think it reflects well on our culture that people are not afraid to share their candid opinions.”

All that employee feedback plays a vital role in informing IGM’s culture of putting people first. This includes everything from ensuring there’s progress on its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives to determining whether employees feel they have the support they need to achieve their career goals.

Employee engagement, for one, is considered so important that polling scores can impact an executive’s bonus, Currie says.

Despite the turmoil of the last few years, Currie says that scores have improved overall and some are now as much as 11 per cent higher than industry average scores. “We’re

trending upwards in all the things we set out to do,” she adds.

IGM has taken a gradual approach to the transition from remote work to hybrid work, listening to employees, testing and learning along the way.

With the goal of having a model that addresses both corporate and employee needs after the pandemic, Currie says, the extensive process ranged from ensuring everyone was on the same page by establishing a clear definition of hybrid to drilling down into local concerns in cities where it operates, including Winnipeg, Toronto and Montréal.

Currie says IGM wants people to spend time in the office that is meaningful and productive while still offering them some of the flexibility they’d grown accustomed to working at home during the pandemic.

For Barrett, it’s a model that works.

“I’m generally an in-office kind of worker, but that flexibility is quite a gift,” she says. “It relieves a lot of stress knowing I can take care of personal matters when the need arises.” ¢

3,965

full-time staff in Canada

39,801

job applications received last year

57%

of employees are women

7,487

staff volunteer hours last year

Proud to be recognized as one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers

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There’s a culture of flexibility at Irving Oil

A

s a mom with three children under the age of six, Gillian Brookins admits things can get busy.

“For me, work-life balance is huge,” says the project analyst with Irving Oil. “Here at Irving Oil, we have the flexibility to work from home, and we have leaders who understand that we all have lives outside of work.”

I’m a different person today than when I started.

Through every stage, the company has been very supportive.”

— Gillian Brookins Project Analyst

Not many companies are so clearly a part of the fabric of their home province like Irving Oil. The Saint John, N.B.-based business is one of New Brunswick’s largest employers, with professionals from dozens of disciplines. Irving Oil operates Canada’s largest oil refinery, with a network of distribution terminals and fuelling locations across Eastern Canada and New England. Through the company’s approach to energy transition, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and developing sustainable energy solutions, it is working to provide safe and reliable energy, while evolving its business for the future.

Brookins was hired as an accountant fresh out of university in 2014, and began navigating her own career evolution with the company. After sharing her goal of pursuing human

 Building connections and work-life balance is designed into the Saint John, New Brunswick home office at Irving Oil. resources with her manager, she was offered the opportunity to job shadow members of the company’s human resources team.

“I’ve had a few different roles with the company since then and have always been provided with lots of training to set me up for success,” she says. “I’m a different person today than when I started. Through every stage, the company has been very supportive.”

Ensuring employees are engaged and feeling supported is important for the company, says Jennifer Beach, chief human resources and corporate administration officer.

“We prioritize safety and remain grounded in the values that have guided our company for nearly 100 years – that people matter,” she says.

“We want everyone to go home safe every day – with our employees, our customers and our communities at the heart of all we do.”

The company’s new LEED-

certified headquarters – the ‘home office’ – nestled in the centre of Saint John is a case in point. The award-winning building brought together six offices that were once spread across the city, with a host of amenities and an open-concept layout designed to allow employees to meet and collaborate. In addition to a flexible work program, Beach says providing a state-of-the-art space for employees to continue building meaningful connections is essential.

“When we designed the home office, the question we concentrated on was, ‘How do we bring our people together to collaborate and to work effectively together,’” says Beach.

The home office also provides employees with a fitness centre, change rooms and shower facilities, allowing employees to squeeze in a lunchtime workout, yoga or spin class.

The workplace features nursing

staff who provide services such as on-site blood collection. A café on the fifth floor offers a rotation of daily specials, as well as a lunchroom and patio where staff can enjoy a smoothie, sandwich or hearty soup while gazing out at the Bay of Fundy.

And for those looking to give back to their community, Irving Oil’s Good Energy in Action program allows employees time away from the office to volunteer. The program also matches employees’ charitable donations.

Brookins is involved with All In, the company’s employee resource group that delivers meaningful programming and learning opportunities, and celebrates the diverse voices of its employees. She also participates in the company’s Diversity and Inclusion Council, a group that looks for ways to enhance Irving Oil’s inclusive culture that supports diversity, individuality and respect.

“It’s easy to come to work and be yourself,” says Brookins. “We have an environment that promotes authenticity.” ¢

2,874

full-time staff in Canada

24,877

job applications received last year

$

1,500

mental health practitioner benefit

990

staff volunteer hours last year

43

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Kellanova – formerly Kellogg Canada – is still a family

hen Usha Pathmasenan joined what was then Kellogg Canada in 2017, she posted her delight in her new position on LinkedIn. Soon afterward, her feed showed a note of congratulations from company president Tony Chow. “My friends said, ‘wow, the president knows you,’” says Pathmasenan. But Chow, who now leads their brand-new successor company, Kellanova, says that’s perfectly natural.

It’s a truly pivotal moment in the history of this organization. And I think it creates a ton of opportunities for a lot of folks.”

— Tony Chow President

“We’re just the right size that the family feel of the organization allows you to get to know everybody,” says Chow. “It’s not just about knowing a name or putting a face to a name, but being engaged in people’s lives and what they’re interested in.”

Pathmasenan agrees that the company is “a very close-knit, family-type organization.” And perhaps never more so than in the recent period when Kellogg Canada, like its global parent in Battle Creek, Mich., split into two separate public companies.

On Oct. 2, 2023, the famous cereals, from Frosted Flakes to Fruit Loops, were spun off in North America under the renamed WK Kellogg Co., while the company’s snacks, such as Pop Tarts, Nutri-Grain and

 Employees at Mississauga-based Kellanova embrace a family-like culture in its new independent company.

Pringles, became part of the global enterprise Kellanova (‘nova’ from Latin for new), where Chow and Pathmasenan continue to operate at their Mississauga, Ont., base. Sales staff also work across the country.

Pathmasenan, who is now senior supply chain business partner, praises the smoothness of the transition.

“It was pretty straightforward for us internally, knowing which company was going to do what. There was frequent communication over the course of the year and a half since the original announcement, through town halls, department meetings and the like. It was emotional at our last town hall, as employees would be leaving for the other company, but we are all still in the same building.”

And she is very optimistic about

the future of the new enterprise.

“I think there’s a new sense of motivation now,” says Pathmasenan, “because we’re a new smaller company in the marketplace, and we’ve got to win in the marketplace.

So there’s a strong sense of a drive for results that I can see in people.”

This is music to Chow’s ears. “It’s a truly pivotal moment in the history of this organization,” he says. “And I think it creates a ton of opportunities for a lot of folks – being able to focus on fast-moving, agile categories in the snacking company and giving that more focus and energy than we’ve ever had before. I am super excited about where Kellanova is going.”

Sri Lanka-born Pathmasenan, who moved into supply chain work after

graduating from the University of Toronto with a degree in chemical engineering, says she has found her talents appreciated ever since she joined. With company support on scheduling, she gained an MBA in strategic management; the company also offers tuition support.

Pathmasenan has been involved in two leadership programs.

“They’ve been very instrumental in providing learning and development opportunities to grow my career,” she says. The company also celebrates and promotes women leaders, she notes – all seven executives with C-suite titles reporting to Chow are female. And she admires what she calls “a work hard and play harder kind of mentality.”

It’s a culture that Chow is determined to maintain. “I’ve said to our new group that this feeling about being a family and having shared common goals, based on a high level of trust within this organization, and this concept of always putting the team first versus the individual – that is always going to live very strongly within our culture.” ¢

$

369

full-time staff in Canada

54%

of managers are women

1,000

mental health practitioner benefit

1,173

staff volunteer hours last year

44

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Diversity, allyship and success combine at KDP Canada

hen veteran Keurig Dr Pepper Canada executive Olivier Lemire became president of the company in 2021, he was already deeply committed to KDP Canada’s initiative to intensify its diversity and inclusion (D&I) efforts. “We all feel strongly that it is part of our core values, to be a truly diverse and inclusive workplace, where people have a sense of belonging, and I think it’s paying dividends now in the culture of the organization,” says Lemire.

Inclusion drives a strong sense of engagement, and a highly engaged workforce is what powers the bestperforming organizations.”

— Olivier Lemire President The Montréal-based beveragemaker’s D&I drive has already made an impact. In Canada, female representation in leadership roles is now over 35 per cent, surpassing the broader company’s goal of 33 per cent by 2025. The group health insurance plan responded to employee needs and has been retooled in Canada to offer support for fertility treatments (for men and women), contraception and increased coverage for mental, physical and financial health.

The eight employee resource groups, which cover a range of self-identification from LGBTQ+ to parents and caregivers, all have “and allies” as part of their names. That is a very important addition for Lemire.

 Keurig Dr Pepper employees participate in the 'Run for the Cure' event in Toronto, ON. “The concept of allyship is powerful,” he says. “You want to create momentum around it. For D&I, you want allyship to become part of the mindset and behaviour in everyone. For people to raise their hand and be an ally to certain groups definitely carries a strong voice and considerably adds to the sense of inclusion – we don’t want to create silos.”

Most significant to the KDP Canada president, though, is the 87 per cent response rate from employees to the annual engagement survey. “We ask specific questions pertaining to D&I – do you see it as

a priority for the organization? Do you believe we’re making progress?

Are we holding to our commitments?

When people feel it’s authentic, you get a high rate of feedback, because that means they trust that their voices will be heard. Inclusion drives a strong sense of engagement, and a highly engaged workforce is what powers the best-performing organizations,” Lemire says.

Névine Bouzakhm, KDP Canada’s supply chain director, has the same outlook when talking about her still male-dominated field. “About a year ago, D&I became the focus for the supply chain team in particular.

For the 7 th co ns

Our chief supply chain officer had a conference call with about a dozen women working in the supply chain team. And that lit a fire under us.

We met and discussed our ideas, including raising the ratio of women in supply chain. We’ve made strides already; for instance, we’ve gone from one female site director to three. And this was accomplished by working together, with fantastic backing from senior management,” she relates.

“It all ties tightly together,” says Lemire, “in a way that is critical to recruitment and retention. In addition to engagement and performance, D&I brings openness and a variety of perspectives, so we see people grow their careers within KDP Canada and develop their knowledge and skills in-house.

“And when attracting new talent,” he continues, “the reality is what companies end up offering is less and less the specifics of their roles, and more and more their vision, values and culture, and we at KDP Canada believe we have a lot to offer.” ¢

1,395

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Labatt Breweries pours passion into employee engagement

fter only two and a half years with Labatt Breweries of Canada, David Wang has already received a significant promotion. He recently moved from a position at a single facility to become warehouse manager overseeing the entire western region.

“We have a program here to support and reward people who go above and beyond in their work,” says Wang. “I feel recognized, heard and challenged to do more.”

I am really proud and excited by the charitable programs Labatt makes it possible to do.”

— David Wang Warehouse Manager, Western Region In addition to recognizing and rewarding employees, Labatt offers various networking opportunities aimed at fostering connections and growth. Wang interacts one-on-one with the director above his senior manager through a program called Skip Level. He also meets up with someone new from his regional logistics team every couple of weeks through a program he calls ‘Beer with Peers.’ He even found support for a charity event he organized on his own time when he introduced it at a company town hall meeting.

That kind of connection ties into one of Labatt’s 10 Principles: a commitment to building an inclusive environment through inclusion and collaboration. These 10 principles

 Labatt Breweries of Canada provides safe drinking water to communities in need through its ‘Disaster Relief Program.’ shape how the Labatt team interacts, makes decisions and how they do business.

“I really believe that people are our biggest strength,” says Beatriz Grubesic, vice-president, people.

“Our goal is to energize our people to find moments that matter. We call it, ‘Dreaming big to create a future with more cheers.’”

Another initiative to encourage moments of connection at work is The Michelob Ultra Fund, which provides sponsorships for Labatt employees to team up and join a local recreational sports league. This past summer, colleagues competed in volleyball tournaments, baseball leagues, bowling leagues and even hockey. All employees – from the breweries team to sales and administration – can take part.

This renewed focus on collaboration starts with leaders bringing

together inter-departmental teams to solve problems and allow employees to see a bigger picture. One example of this happened when forest fires raged in many areas across Canada this past summer. Labatt sprang into action to provide safe drinking water to communities in need. Another one of Labatt’s 10 Principles is its commitment to supporting the communities they serve.

Since 2012, the brewery in London, Ont., has periodically paused beer production to can drinking water for use in the company’s ‘Canadian Disaster Relief Program.’ Wang was tasked with getting the water out to partners who could reach residents and responders in need. This year, 120,000 cans of water were donated.

The water reached several sites, including Food Banks Alberta, where it was packaged with other supplies and sent to isolated communities.

The power of coming together for the communities we serve.

Wang was tasked with sending cans to local community centres housing people who had been evacuated from their homes in Edmonton and Kamloops, B.C. He even managed the transport of water to Halifax.

Nearly a million cans of water have been donated since the program began.

“Employees really get behind this initiative to support Canadian communities,” says Grubesic. “From government affairs teams working to pinpoint the areas of greatest need, to employees who work on the supply chain, to the logistics team, to the communications team – all have an opportunity to be involved.”

When Grubesic visited Halifax last summer, she met an employee whose community had benefited from the relief program. “He told me, ‘You don’t know how much this means.’ It gives us such a lift to hear the impact of our program.”

“I am really proud and excited by the charitable programs Labatt makes it possible to do,” says Wang. “They create a caring work environment.” ¢

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At Manulife Canada, the focus is on ‘always learning’

atalie Czobit Fanone is the co-op student who never left. Her learning journey at insurance leader Manulife Canada began right at the start with a mentor who encouraged her to figure out her future path.

Over the next 10 years, Fanone explored several different roles, eventually switching from formal marketing into her present dream job as director, human centered design enablement, Canada.

There are a lot of support mechanisms in the culture to ensure people can be successful.”

— Michelle DeBeyer Head of HR for Manulife Canada “I like helping people understand how to do things differently or better,” says Fanone. “I followed that extracurricular interest at work and ended up turning it into my full-time job, which was really rewarding. A lot of my role is developing training programs – something I had a natural inclination for but no formal training – so Manulife paid for me to go to George Brown College and do a certificate program.”

Fanone says Manulife has invested in her learning and career development multiple times along the way.

Currently she’s doing a course in strategic change management.

“I started with the internal programs on Pursuit – Manulife’s online learning platform – because we have a lot of great curated content there, and then took it to the next level

 Manulife provides employees spaces for learning which includes ‘Legacy Space’, a dedicated area for Indigenous awareness. with an external program with the support of my leader,” says Fanone.

“The commitment to learning is real and there’s the flexibility to make it work.”

“Pursuit gives us a world-class online platform for learning that colleagues can access anywhere and anytime, while Fuel Up Fridays give us the time and space for learning,” says Michelle DeBeyer, head of HR for Manulife Canada. “Each month all year the company sets aside a Friday afternoon for employees to focus on learning and development.

It gives them another tool in their toolbox for growing their careers.”

Manulife introduced Fuel Up Fridays in 2022 to support the well-being of staff and help build an ‘always learning’ culture. Employees can explore new skills, deepen

current ones or complete required compliance or team-specific training.

As of last Aug. 31, employee learning globally totalled 636,000 hours, with 90,914 hours of that completed during Fuel Up Fridays.

“A lot of companies say, ‘learn, learn, learn’ but you don’t have time,” says DeBeyer. “Everybody’s really busy so we give people the time to take that three-hour course on leadership or acquire new skills via expert-led video. They actually have time budgeted for that.”

Typically, colleagues can have a conversation with their leaders and managers on what their development opportunities are, says DeBeyer.

Then the company provides the courses, platforms and time for the individual to fulfil that ambition.

“Sometimes you’re just interested

in doing something different,” says DeBeyer. “If you really want to be a software engineer, you need to take this coding course. So we give you the time to take that coding course.

Then maybe you can apply for that coding job because you now have the skills.”

With the stated goal of becoming the most digital, customer-centric global company in its industry, Manulife recognizes the need to do things differently than before, Fanone says.

“In order for us to be successful, we need to continuously upskill and grow,” she says. “The skills I came in with a decade ago aren’t the skills that would give me the job I have today. Manulife is investing in building up that talent pool themselves.”

Beyond technology, DeBeyer, who is five months new at Manulife, notes how impressed she has been by the kind and welcoming culture.

“Everyone actually wants you to succeed,” says DeBeyer. “There are a lot of support mechanisms in the culture to ensure people can be successful.” ¢

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Mars Canada’s ‘Five Principles’ make work life sweeter

najite Olusakin says Mars Canada is the first place she has worked where they don’t use the word “employees.”

“We say ‘associates.’ When you say associates, it gives you the sense of business associates. So, it’s not top down. It’s about shared value.

You are giving value and we are also giving you value. That is part of the principle of mutuality. It informs culture at Mars and how associates are treated with respect,” says Olusakin, internal communications manager.

As an associate, I feel empowered. I feel free to do my job and be as creative as I want, because the Five Principles exist.”

— Onajite Olusakin Internal Communications Manager

“As an associate, I feel empowered. I feel free to do my job and be as creative as I want, because the Five Principles exist and because I know that the leaders embody and exemplify the Five Principles.”

The company’s five fundamental values that Olusakin is referring to are quality, responsibility, mutuality, efficiency and freedom. The Mars family created the Five Principles in 1983 as the core of the company’s culture and a reflection of how it does business.

Ellen Thompson, general manager of Mars Wrigley Canada, says the principles have never

 Mars Canada associates collaborate in the M&M’S meeting room at their head office in Bolton, ON.

changed, but have been updated in 1993, 2003 and 2023. Updates reflect changes in the business and evolving customer expectations, for example, in areas such as sustainability and inclusiveness.

Based in Bolton, Ont., Mars Canada is known for such brands as Mars bars, M&M’s, Excel gum, Pedigree pet food and Ben’s Original.

It also has operations in Newmarket, Ont., and Guelph, Ont. Thompson says the Five Principles provide a compass that leaders and associates use in

decision-making and serve as a connector for associates. “For new associates, it’s a way to understand our business and to understand the culture at Mars,” she says. “It is a commonality that ties them to other associates throughout the organization, whether it’s here in Canada or in countries around the world. It is a unifying element that creates a sense of belonging right off the bat.”

Olusakin was involved in bringing the latest iteration of the Five Principles to life through presentations, newsletters, emails,

posters and online resources. She says her job is very much about advancing the principles every day through creating special moments for associates.

These include headliners, which are monthly mini town halls, as well as huddles, where business segments discuss business results and celebrate achievements. At quarterly town halls, all segments meet to discuss collaboration opportunities, results and achievements. Pop-up celebrations happen often to recognize sales achievements — complete with cake and confetti or balloons.

Olusakin is proud to work for a company that puts a deliberate effort into creating moments for associates. “I help create the moments that make associates say, ‘This is a great company to work for,’” she says. “It makes me proud that the company is so invested in making sure those moments happen for associates.

“Culture doesn't come out of thin air. It comes out of the messaging and the behaviours that the company holds dear and the principles that the company wants to live by.” ¢

1,530

full-time staff in Canada

53%

of associates are women

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employer-paid health plan premium and family coverage

Quality Quality Quality Quality Quality Quality Quality esponsibility Responsibility Responsibility Responsibility The world we want tomorrow uality Mutuality Mutuality Mutuality starts with how we do business today. Mutuality Mutuality ency Efficiency Efficiency Efficiency Efficiency Efficiency Join us! careers.mars.com Freedom Freedom Freedom Freedom Freedom Freedom

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Mawer creates a culture of caring and excellence

ikki Barczewska came to Canada on a one-year visa.

When it was expiring, her manager and others at Mawer Investment Management Ltd. did everything they could to help her stay in the country and with the company.

“It would have been easier for them to just say, ‘OK, thank you, goodbye.’ But I was valued and appreciated. I never felt that more than I did then,” says Barczewska, research department manager. “I wasn’t disposable. I was seen as an important part of the team, even though I hadn’t even been here for a year.”

When you care about the people you work with, you’re more willing to help them and more likely to want to perform better.”

— Nikki Barczewska Research Department Manager

Chairman Craig Senyk says it is precisely this atmosphere that has kept him at the privately owned, independent investment firm for 25 years. “We’re a values-based organization. And it’s more than just saying we need to do the right thing,” he says.

For example, Mawer holds firm-wide training on culture, which covers topics such as keeping agreements, being open, being held accountable, and being curious.

Every new hire must complete a 20step training that covers the aspects of the firm’s culture.

Mawer, which has its head office

 Employees connecting during a team-building event at Calgarybased Mawer Investment Management. in Calgary, also creates a culture where everyone’s opinion matters. “It doesn’t matter if you are a summer student or have been here for one year or many years, everyone is encouraged to ask questions and share feedback,” Barczewska says.

The current and former presidents also open times in their calendars to have discussions with employees from all levels of the organization.

Senyk says the firm encourages certain positive behaviours among high-performing teams, including candour, curiosity, accountability and appreciation. An example of encouraging curiosity is through a $5,000 learning stipend, which each employee can spend on any learning activity without the need for organizational approval. The firm also has an internal mentoring program and access to external coaches.

Our Culture Brings Us Together—and Sets Us Apart Mawer.com/careers

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Mawer has a ‘take what you need’ vacation policy – the company does not mandate a maximum number of vacation days. “We trust people to take the time they need,” Senyk says.

The firm matches up to $3,000 per employee to give to charity. If an employee prefers to volunteer, the company matches the time spent with a monetary donation. Mawer also provides up to $250 for an employee to support a local business.

To support candour, Mawer has an open-office concept, where leaders sit amongst team members.

“If there’s a communication breakdown between a leader and a team member, the team member is encouraged to talk to any other leader in the organization, certainly to our president or myself,” Senyk says. “We are non-hierarchical in terms of our communication. So

any employee, no matter how long they’ve been with our organization, is encouraged to be candid with any member of the organization.”

Senyk says Mawer strives to help each employee find their “area of genius.” “This is the intersection of three things – doing something they love, something they are good at, and something that adds value to the organization.

“If you get an employee to that point, it’s no surprise that turnover levels are so low. It also allows us to attract and retain the best people.”

Barczewska says Mawer’s culture helps employees succeed. “When you care about the people you work with, you’re more willing to help them and more likely to want to perform better. I care about my colleagues and I care about my contribution to the team and that feels reciprocated.

“When everyone is striving for excellence and caring about their team, it leads to teamwork and shared excellence, which leads to great results for the firm and for our clients.” ¢

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McMillan creates space for different ways of doing things

oon after she overheard colleagues talking about a charity event, Susan Dhillon, now national manager, corporate services, with McMillan LLP, found herself rappelling down 36 storeys of a local hotel. “It was high!” she admits. “But to my surprise, many of my colleagues came out to support me. One partner left before I could thank him and when I asked him why, he said, ‘I just came to make sure you were all right.’”

We have a culture that is built around teams. Everyone contributes and everyone receives credit.”

— Tim Murphy CEO

With offices in several Canadian cities, McMillan is a leading business law firm serving public, private and not-for-profit clients across key industries in Canada, the United States and internationally. “We have a culture of helping,” says CEO Tim Murphy. “People here created a space for me to succeed and we continue that model. We see ourselves as custodians of careers.”

Dhillon has progressed along an unexpected pathway thanks to mentorship and support from her team, supervisors and even the partners at McMillan. She began as a records clerk – just to see what it was like to work for a law firm. She worked her way up, becoming a transactional paralegal along the way. But she never expected to become a manager. “‘Why is it you’re not applying for

 McMillan LLP offers the same excellent parental leave top-up to everyone at the law firm, whether staff, associate lawyer or partner. this management role?’” Dhillon was asked. A number of lawyers encouraged her and helped her to acclimatize once she stepped into management. “Everyone is so easy to reach.”

Employees are given an education allowance every year, and they can do both internal and external development programs. Dhillon belongs to a professional association and she is working through a McMillan program called ‘Leadership Essentials.’ Others can take advantage of the internal ‘McMillan Business Academy.’

“We have a culture that is built around teams,” says Murphy.

Bring your whole self to work

“Everyone contributes and everyone receives credit.” As soon as a transaction has closed, an email goes out to all employees congratulating the team. It includes the names of everyone who worked on it from staff to lawyers to partners.

Even before the pandemic had people scrambling to work successfully over virtual platforms, McMillan was set up to be a single, national team. “We identify the best person for a job, no matter where in the country they work,” says Murphy.

Murphy adds that McMillan sets out to be an employer of choice, embracing the value of achieving equity, diversity and inclusion. “If

we’re going to reflect those values, we need to reflect the community,” he says.

To this end, McMillan has opened its recruitment to students after their first year of law school in order to consider a larger and more diverse range of applicants. “We’re willing to create space for different approaches and different ways of doing things,” says Murphy.

This extends to the firm’s policies as well. One example is the parental leave policy, which is 26 weeks for everyone – mother, father or samesex partner, and whether they are staff, lawyer or partner. The policy also applies to adoption. And the company has added eight additional recovery weeks for a birth mother.

“We value respect, teamwork, commitment, client service and professional excellence,” says Murphy. “Merely being economically successful is not enough at McMillan LLP.” “I feel a sense of belonging here,” says Dhillon. “It’s being part of a community and giving back to the community.” ¢

696

full-time staff in Canada

71%

of managers are women

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Medtronic Canada drives transformative technology

hen it comes to corporate mission statements, there are few as succinct or resonant as that of Brampton, Ont.based Medtronic Canada. A leading global health-care technology company, Medtronic is dedicated to “alleviating pain, restoring health and extending life.”

Medtronic fulfills that mission by pioneering cutting-edge technologies like GI Genius, a computer-aided polyp detection system, powered by artificial intelligence (AI), that is helping to improve the early detection of colorectal cancers, one of the most prevalent, and preventable, of cancers.

This is the most passionate group of colleagues I’ve ever worked with.”

— Maisie Cheung Senior Director of Marketing But as exciting as such innovations are, they are only part of the mission undertaken by people like Maisie Cheung, Medtronic Canada’s senior director of marketing, and Jennifer Cox, the company’s Vancouver-based director of health systems strategies and government affairs.

Cheung and Cox are among many members of the Medtronic team who work closely with customers, clinicians and government policy-makers to try to expand access to innovative procedures.

“Products and technology are one thing,” says Cheung, a 15-year

 Jennifer Cox is the director of health systems strategies and government affairs at Medtronic Canada. veteran of Medtronic Canada, “but what keeps me here and makes me excited to go to work every day is the opportunity to make sure more patients have a way to benefit from these procedures.”

Cox concurs. “My job is a nonselling one; I’m here to work with clinicians and health-care systems to advocate for better access for products that will improve patient care,” she says. “That advocacy is the best and most rewarding part of my job.”

Both Cheung and Cox note that recently-licensed technologies like GI Genius are limited in availability because of restrictions that cap the number of procedures public health authorities will fund.

Careers that change lives Do meaningful work, make a difference, and improve lives - starting with your own.

Medtronic.ca/careers

The same is true for less visible innovations such as neurostimulation technology that helps patients suffering from urinary or fecal incontinence to find relief for their conditions through a simple implant procedure.

“We’ve worked tirelessly with the surgical community to help them make policy-makers aware of the need out there,” says Cheung. “We’ve been successful in helping to get funding for more procedures, but it’s still less than ideal.”

Cheung and Cox are both deeply touched by the stories they have heard directly from patients who benefited from the neurostimulation implants.

“In some cases, urinary or fecal

incontinence is the result of a trauma experienced by a woman during childbirth,” notes Cox. “They’ve struggled with this for years and have been so isolated and felt so much shame that they’ve been afraid to go to the grocery store or ice skating with their children. They tell us how happy they are to have this procedure and get their lives back.”

Cheung says that being part of innovative health-care solutions is a huge motivating factor for the entire Medtronic team.

“This is the most passionate group of colleagues I’ve ever worked with,” she says. “Everyone is committed to doing the best they can for our customers.”

Cox, who joined Medtronic three years ago after nearly a quartercentury in the health-care field, says the company’s reputation is well established.

“Medtronic has always been highly regarded as a company you aspire to work for,” she says. “It’s a huge attraction for people who want to be part of a very patient-centric organization.” ¢

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At Nutrien, you can expect unexpected opportunities

n her 10 years at Saskatoonbased Nutrien, Heini Oguike has never lacked for opportunities to grow and advance her career.

After spending nine months in the human resources department, she landed a new role in the legal department, which has proven to be a pathway for continued growth.

“I was actually encouraged to apply for a role that I didn’t even know existed, but matched with my career goals,” says Oguike, a senior analyst with the integrity group, which is responsible for ethics and compliance. “When I jumped to the legal department, I was initially outside my comfort zone, but my leaders have been supportive and invested in my professional development.”

We have a really noble purpose at Nutrien, which is feeding the future. Our senior leaders truly believe in that purpose and it cascades throughout the organization.”

— Heini Oguike Senior Analyst, Integrity, Legal Department Her team designs and implements processes, resources and training materials that help the company do business with integrity, which is one of Nutrien’s values. “We achieve results by adhering to our core values of safety, inclusion, integrity and results,” says Oguike.

Nutrien is in the business of helping to feed a hungry world with a rapidly growing population. The

 Saskatoon-based Nutrien offers a year-long program (‘Nutrien Academy’) to help female employees develop leadership skills. company produces three essential components of fertilizers – potash, phosphate and nitrogen. The potash comes from six underground mines in Saskatchewan and phosphate is mined in the U.S. Nutrien produces nitrogen in Canada, the U.S. and Trinidad.

Nutrien also serves growers and producers directly through its network of more than 2,000 retail outlets in Canada, the U.S., Latin America and Australia.

“We have a really noble purpose at Nutrien, which is feeding the future,” says Oguike. “Our senior leaders truly believe in that purpose and it cascades throughout the organization.”

“Our purpose, ‘Feeding the Future,’ is the reason we come to work each day,” adds Lori Free, vice-president of talent and organizational development. “We’re creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels safe and a sense of belonging, trusts one another and acts with integrity. The way we treat our employees and the programs we have for them are unique, because we care about investing in our people and supporting their career growth.”

Nutrien offers career growth programs for employees at all levels.

Last year, the company created its High-Performance Institute to prepare director-level employees for executive positions.

“Our Leadership Development Program is for anyone who is aspiring to be a leader or may be in a supervisory or managerial role,” says Free.

The Nutrien Academy is a yearlong program for women that begins in August of each year. Participants apply, with the approval of their leader, and 25 are selected. Oguike was one of those selected for the latest offering, which included training, mentoring, networking and field visits to see Nutrien’s operations.

The participants were also assigned to small groups, given a business challenge and asked to develop solutions, which they later presented to the executive leadership team. “The Nutrien Academy has been really pivotal in my career,” says Oguike. “It’s designed to help women develop leadership skills, business acumen and financial acumen.”

Free adds: “We’re proud of our leadership development programming, and Nutrien Academy in particular is key to building our talent pipeline for diverse representation at senior levels of the organization.” ¢

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At PCL, investing in employees is the key to success

rom the moment that Kian Shoai stood on the roof of Vancouver’s BC Place stadium as a co-op student over a decade ago, he knew that PCL Construction was the place he wanted to be.

“When I started, the old roof was gone and at the end of my term, the new roof was up, and the city of Vancouver’s skyline was changed forever,” recalls Shoai, now a project manager with PCL. “Being a part of that project cemented it for me.”

If you show your interest, the company is going to support you as far as you want to go. The opportunities are there – you just need to seize them and be hungry for it.”

— Kian Shoai Project Manager

A design like BC Place required unique ways to build it, presenting new challenges not just for Shoai, but for his more experienced colleagues as well.

“Some of the senior people had never done anything like that before, so everybody had to put on their problem-solving hats,” he says.

That ability to take on unique projects was just one of the reasons Shoai has been with the Edmontonbased company for almost 12 years now.

“I don’t do well with stagnation,” he says. “Every two to three years you’re getting a completely new

pcl.com/careers

 Employee-owned PCL Construction supports career development with leadership training. challenge with new things to discover. It keeps it exciting and fun.”

PCL’s employee ownership model is another big reason that Shoai was attracted to the company.

“It’s not just the financial incentive, it’s what it brings – everyone’s invested and driving towards a common purpose,” he says. “No one has that mentality of ‘It’s not my problem.’ It brings a different mindset and creates a more positive work experience.”

The employee-first culture is the focal point of what has led PCL to become the country’s biggest contractor, explains Harmony Carter, vice president of people and culture.

Being 100-per-cent employee-owned, however, is only part of the equation.

“We prioritize development and

growth opportunities because we want every employee-owner to reach their top potential,” says Carter, who started with PCL 22 years ago.

Internally, PCL offers ongoing professional development opportunities and leadership training to drive employee success.

“We build very intentional programs to be proactive and stay ahead in our industry,” says Carter.

Take, for example, solar energy.

When PCL found that the industry wasn’t keeping up with the training required for the technology, the company moved quickly to create its own internal training.

“No one was trained in solar, so we mobilized and trained ourselves to ensure our employees have the skills to do it,” says Carter.

Actively seeking out diverse talent has also made an impact in the day-to-day operations — something Shoai, who serves on multiple committees including PCL’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) committee, has noticed.

When he started in the construction industry and also at PCL, women were minimally represented in leadership roles. Shoai now sees the needle moving closer to gender parity, something he attributes to purposeful opportunities, development and actively working to change the perception of construction as a male-dominated industry.

“That's been amazing to see, just in the span of 10 years, how much change has happened for the positive,” he says.

The support from within the company is among the stand-out benefits that Shoai has seen in his time at PCL. “If you show your interest, the company is going to support you as far as you want to go,” he says. “The opportunities are there you just need to seize them and be hungry for it.” ¢

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A caring culture covers Questrade Financial Group

yler Haw went straight from university into customer support at Questrade Financial Group. Eight years later, he is senior corporate trainer creating materials for a company with over 2,000 employees worldwide.

“I have been very fortunate to have had a lot of career growth in the years I’ve been here,” Haw says.

“My journey is not unique; many others have also grown with the organization.”

Frankly, it’s a fantastic way of living where you get up in the morning knowing you’re going to help somebody.”

— Edward Kholodenko President & CEO Questrade Financial Group is headquartered in Toronto. Through its companies, it provides securities and foreign currency investment, professionally managed investment portfolios, mortgages, insurance, real estate services, financing, and more.

“Our mission is we care deeply about helping Canadians become much more financially successful and secure,” says Edward Kholodenko, president and CEO. “And that is a philosophy we live and breathe from our front-line employees to those who work behind the scenes.

“Frankly, it’s a fantastic way of living where you get up in the morning knowing you’re going to help somebody.”

Haw says that a caring culture

 Questrade Financial Group cares, supporting employee initiatives such as a 10K run in aid of charity. permeates his experience at the firm. Everyone was open to talking with him, notably about how job openings are made available.

“I had people reaching out to let me know of open positions they thought I’d be a great fit for,” says Haw. An emphasis on continuing education is another example of the company’s culture. Earlier in his journey, Haw was having difficulties training certain personalities. His manager encouraged him to find a course to help him, and the company would cover the cost of the tuition.

“I found one I thought would be very beneficial,” says Haw. “It drastically changed how I trained individuals where previously I had struggled.”

Questrade Financial Group focuses heavily on training, team-building and volunteering, partnering with Food Banks Canada to provide

one day’s worth of meals for every account opened and JA Central Ontario to equip young people with financial knowledge. Quarterly town halls are held to share business updates, recognize accomplishments and gather employee feedback. A few years ago, employees suggested RRSP matching, which the company adopted, emphasizing how they care for their employees’ financial success and security.

“The way that we take care of our customers is also the way we take care of our employees,” says Kholodenko. “We’re really focused on making sure they’re happy because what’s on the inside goes on to the outside.”

Employees often get direct feedback from Kholodenko. Leaders circulate glowing reports employees receive from customers.

“I personally respond to just about every email thanking the front-line

team so they know how much we appreciate them,” Kholodenko says.

In 2022, Haw approached his leaders about participating in the Sporting Life 10-km run supporting Campfire Circle, a summer camp for children undergoing oncology treatment. The resulting camaraderie thrilled him.

“My leaders gave me the autonomy to run with it,” says Haw. “I’ve organized it, and in just two years, we’ve raised $30,000 with the help of 150 employees. Our engagement in this event would not have been possible without the full support of my leaders and our organization.”

Haw wants to stay with a company that does right by its employees, and with Questrade Financial Group, he feels he has found his fit.

“I’ve really enjoyed my past eight years. Ideally, I’ll stay for eight more years and even more so,” Haw says.

This aligns with the CEO's vision.

“As our company grows, we want our people to grow with us. They play a key role in helping us revolutionize the future of financial services,” says Kholodenko. ¢

$

1,561

full-time staff in Canada

85%

parental and maternity leave topup pay, for 16 weeks

100%

of job-related training subsidies

health 10,000 mental coverage per year

Come shape your future at Questrade.

Visit Questrade.com/Careers

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Instilling care, courage and curiosity at Rio Tinto

io Tinto’s Didier Arseguel carries significant responsibility for the mining giant as Rio Tinto Iron and Titanium’s vice president, technology. He’s in charge of tech, R&D and innovation worldwide, as well as one of the company’s major decarbonization streams. But the French native – who has been in Canada since 2012, and actually prefers Québec winters to his homeland’s – also dedicates time to Rio Tinto’s newcomers.

Part of my job is to ensure that things keep going well here, and the new grads – future leaders, with different perspectives from a different generation – are absolutely crucial.”

— Didier Arseguel Vice President, Technology, Rio Tinto Iron and Titanium

“This fall,” says Arseguel, “I will be speaking with our graduate program’s North American cohort about my role in the company, and answering any questions they may have. It’s an important part of the program to have senior leaders do that. Part of my job is to ensure that things keep going well here, and the new grads – future leaders, with different perspectives from a different generation – are absolutely crucial.”

Rio Tinto’s two-year graduate program is open about the challenges that recent university grads face.

The first sentence in the program

 At Rio Tinto, employees have opportunities for mentorship and job rotations through its graduate program. guide welcomes young people to a “volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous environment (VUCA),” before moving directly to providing insight into “the Rio Tinto strategy and how we live our values and behaviours.” Those values – care, courage and curiosity – infuse the program and help attract the future leaders Rio Tinto wants.

Sarah-Lee Fortin entered the graduate program in 2018, and is now a strategic project advisor reporting directly to Arseguel, who calls her “my right hand.” For someone like the Laval chemical engineering grad, who has a strong sense of curiosity and love of travel, Rio Tinto had much to offer.

“There were rotations within the base site, Sorel-Tracy in Québec in my case, in the first year,” Fortin says, “and six months in South

Africa during the second.” The travel certainly caught the eye of Fortin, who will begin a two-year stint back in South Africa early in 2024, but so did the variety of job experience to be gained.

“Different plants, different processes, different countries – there was a lot to learn and discover,” says Fortin. “I was hired as a full-time permanent employee, except there was more time dedicated to focusing on my development, paired with great exposure opportunities. Together, it was a very attractive program, a really good fit with my personal interests.”

Outside the graduate program, Rio Tinto also matches its employees’ values through community engagement policies that can be tailored to individual interests.

A recognition program rewards

Finding better ways to move our people forward

exemplary employees with tokens, which they can give to selected local organizations of their choice. And then there’s the prospect of what Arseguel calls “the challenging but fantastically interesting” task of decarbonizing operations.

But for newcomers like Fortin, the grad program matters most, citing the mentoring she received during her two years in the program. “There were a lot of important conversations about our corporate values, professional engineering values and the situations where they have to be applied.”

And the program is significant for Rio Tinto itself, Arseguel says, circling back to his session with the North American grads. “This communication we’re talking about doesn’t work one way only. Our program participants, they care, their curiosity is very high. And their courage? They ask questions that other people may not ask. From the company side, we just have to ensure that we listen, we take care of them and we bring them to their full potential.” ¢

13,344

$

full-time staff in Canada

56

years, longest-serving employee

18

weeks, parental leave top-up pay

500

annual wellness spending account

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he transition from electrician to financial advisor may not seem like an obvious career path.

But it’s one that makes sense to Tyler McIntosh – and to his managers and mentors at Royal Bank of Canada (RBC).

One of Canada’s largest employers, RBC is in the vanguard of what’s being called a reskilling revolution.

With its recent inclusion in the World Economic Forum’s Future Skills Alliance, RBC joins a community of employers, learning providers and others committed to adopting skills-first talent management practices. The objective is to give every current and potential worker a fair and equal opportunity to excel in the global labour market.

Employees are expecting more from their employers.

They want to work where they can develop new skills and grow their careers as a result.”

— Lisa Melo Vice President, Learning and Performance The pandemic, which prompted many to rethink their options and priorities, played a key role in reimagining the workplace.

“Employees are expecting more from their employers,” says Lisa Melo, vice president, learning and performance. “They want to work where they can develop new skills and grow their careers as a result.

“More than ever, skills are the foundation of how people connect with relevant work and development

A career change starts with skills at RBC

 Lisa Melo, vice president, learning and performance (left) and Tyler McIntosh, financial advisor, at Royal Bank of Canada. opportunities, not just their previous job roles.”

That is certainly the case for McIntosh. Growing up in Kingston, Ont., he didn’t know what he wanted to do when he graduated from high school. To earn a living while he figured it out, he took up the same trade as some family members and became a third-generation electrician.

It was a job and a way to pay the bills, but it wasn’t until McIntosh started serving on the executive board of the local electricians’ union that he found his true calling. His responsibilities as a pension trustee and then as a health and welfare trustee helped him develop financial acumen while also reaffirming his passion for helping others.

With that, McIntosh made the bold decision to leave his trade of

13 years and start over. The fact he didn’t have a university degree and would begin again at an entry level didn’t faze him.

“I’ve never been scared of taking on a new challenge,” says McIntosh, who joined RBC as a banking advisor in August 2021. “I know what it’s like to be an apprentice and I looked at it as another apprenticeship.”

He credits his managers with helping him achieve his goals by encouraging him and ensuring he received the internal and external training required for the next step in his career – becoming an accredited financial advisor in October 2023.

McIntosh now works in one of RBC’s new fully digital branches, which allow advisors to work side by side with clients, educating and assisting them to use digital tools available on site.

He says he’s able to help more people in person with in-depth financial advice than he once thought possible. The branch’s digital focus also has him pondering other opportunities.

“There’s so much potential to grow here,” he says. “RBC has so many different career paths to go down, and my manager encourages me to see what else the bank has to offer.”

If McIntosh does decide to switch course once again, RBC can help him with training programs and courses designed to meet evolving business and individual needs. LEAP, for example, is an immersive and structured social learning experience and a way to reskill or upskill alongside colleagues.

Melo says that in a fast-moving, competitive world, being able to continuously learn new skills is key to success.

“Always have a growth mindset, be willing to try new things and explore different career journeys,” she says.

“Most importantly, work somewhere where you’re supported in your career growth.” ¢

66,044

full-time staff in Canada

$

75 M+

invested in training & career development

1.6 M

hours of instructor and web-based training participants have

a LEAP 6,900 + completed learning experience

Travel perks.

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SaskEnergy is all about support for the community

henever he can, Elmer Hollinger gives back to the Saskatchewan community where he lives, works and raises his kids. Knowing that his employer, SaskEnergy Incorporated, supports him and shares his commitment to helping others makes giving back easier.

Hollinger is an operations manager with SaskEnergy. When he’s not overseeing his team of front-line service technicians in Yorkton, a city of about 20,000 northeast of Regina, he’s lending a hand with some of the hundreds of charitable organizations the company helped last year. Each month, he volunteers up to 20 hours either with work-led initiatives or outside organizations such as the Kinsmen Club.

Our employees are known for stepping up and volunteering.”

— Mark Guillet President and CEO

“I know that a lot of things don’t happen without volunteers,” says Hollinger, who was born in Yorkton and now raises his three children there.

Whether he’s getting trees donated for a new playground at a local elementary school, organizing a garbage cleanup along a fivekilometre walking trail or dropping the puck at a Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) game, Hollinger is honoured to have the support of a company that prides itself on being ‘Saskatchewan’s

 Mark Guillet, president and CEO (left) at SaskEnergy, presenting a medal to Elmer Hollinger, operations manager, for his volunteerism.

Champion of Volunteers.’

“Our employees are known for stepping up and volunteering,” says Mark Guillet, SaskEnergy’s president and CEO. “We are truly honoured to stand behind these community and employee volunteers to help deliver not just large events but a lot of the small events that take place in the smaller communities.

We demonstrate that volunteerism and the spirit that Saskatchewan is known for.”

For a decade, SaskEnergy has supported Goals for KidSport to help youth participate in sport. For every home goal scored by an SJHL team throughout the hockey season, SaskEnergy donates $20. The program has raised more than $230,000.

Without his employer’s flexibility and financial support, Hollinger says, he couldn’t continue volunteering.

He uses his annual 13 earned days off – provided in addition to vacation

leave – to chaperone school field trips or lend a hand at a fundraiser.

For his commitment to volunteerism, he received the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal last year.

Hollinger is not only proud to be recognized for his commitment to the community, but to be in a position where he can advance the company’s strong safety culture. Working in the natural gas transmission and distribution industry, he champions the company’s goal to have every employee and contractor go home safely each day and meet the vision of Mission: Zero – zero injuries, zero fatalities and zero suffering.

“Safety is a core value at SaskEnergy. We talk about safety every single day,” says Guillet.

Hollinger and his team work diligently to ensure that jobspecific safety training is conducted, that safety reassessments and recertifications are completed, and

that tailgate safety meetings take place monthly to review procedures and discuss emerging issues and concerns.

Having worked for SaskEnergy for 11 years, Hollinger also appreciates the company’s learning and development programs. Starting with the company as a service technician, he saw room for growth. He completed in-house training and became a technician trainer before being offered a managerial position. He has since taken part in the company’s management development programs. “I can’t believe how many opportunities are available. If you show interest, they will support you,” says Hollinger.

Guillet values SaskEnergy’s dedicated, community-minded employees. Without them, he says, the company couldn’t provide affordable energy to Saskatchewan and deliver on its commitment to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions from operations by 35 per cent by 2030.

“Our employees are very proud of making sure we have a safe, reliable system.” ¢

1,128

full-time staff in Canada

11.5%

reduction in greenhouse gas emissions since 2019

6

weeks, maximum vacation allowance

641

community programs and events helped last year

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Shell Canada values resonate with employees

hen Stastia West was appointed as a vice president for Shell Canada Ltd. in early 2023, it was the latest move in a career that has taken her to Brisbane, Australia, Houston, Texas and back home to Calgary.

And at every step, West says, she’s been encouraged to build on her strengths and challenged to take on opportunities that sometimes felt a little out of her comfort zone.

Fortunately, no one at Shell is ever expected to accomplish difficult tasks all by themselves – you always have a team around you to lean on, West says.

Shell truly is a company where people work together to achieve great things.”

— Stastia West Vice President, Integrated Gas Canada “I had people who took a chance on me and gave me stretch assignments to develop new skills,” she says. “But whatever problem you may have, it’s likely somebody at Shell has already experienced the same thing. And there are so many great people who are willing to coach, mentor, offer wise advice and sometimes, just as important, simply listen.

“Shell truly is a company where people work together to achieve great things.”

West is with Shell’s Integrated Gas business where she’s now ensuring others have their own opportunities to grow. Her wide-ranging

 Shell Canada encourages employees to be the best version of themselves, including spreading positivity for their local community. responsibilities include the development of both the field and office employees of Shell Canada’s various integrated gas operations.

This includes those who are part of Shell’s involvement in the LNG Canada joint venture.

Indeed, mentoring is such a high priority that “collaborate with experienced colleagues” is one of the four pillars of Shell’s employee value proposition, known as Power Your Progress.

It’s a nod to Shell’s Powering Progress strategy. The company has set a target to become a net-zero emissions energy business by 2050.

Shell has extensive experience in producing and marketing liquefied natural gas (LNG) globally and is the lead investor in LNG Canada, a massive export facility under construction on the B.C. coast near Kitimat. When complete, it will ship

LNG to Asia to replace coal and other high-carbon fuels.

Shell Canada president and country chair Susannah Pierce says this means Canada has a significant role to play in helping Shell – and the world – with the necessary energy transition.

“We have the luxury in Canada of having an abundance of low-carbon natural gas at our fingertips,” says Pierce. “We have an obligation to use it as wisely, efficiently and as fast as we can.

“By exporting Canadian LNG, we’re supporting the energy transition where society stops adding greenhouse gases to the atmosphere and begins reducing them.”

LNG, in fact, represents just one of Shell Canada’s nationwide operations. They include everything from exploration, gas production, refining

and manufacturing to providing fuels and developing low-carbon energy solutions.

Pierce says she’s inspired by how employees tackle a key challenge, advancing decarbonization, while meeting customers’ current needs with enthusiasm and ingenuity every day.

She attributes this in part to how Shell’s values resonate with employees. The other pillars of Shell’s employee value proposition include the opportunity to grow skills by working on the forefront of technology, supporting the energy transition, and a values-led culture where honesty, integrity and respect encourage people to be the best version of themselves.

“People want to connect to something bigger than themselves,” Pierce says. “They want to know a company’s values are consistent with their own and are a force for good.”

That’s certainly the case for West.

“I wouldn’t be here if Shell’s values weren’t aligned with my own,” she says. “What we do here really matters for the rest of the world.” ¢

3,577

full-time staff in Canada

51

years, longestserving employee

10

weeks, parental leave + additional 6 weeks for birth parent

4

global focus areas to power inclusion

You can progress as we work on the energy transition together.

We are unique people powerful together.

Learn more at Shell.ca/Careers

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Sobeys has a full basket of ways to honour employees

hroughout the COVID-19 lockdowns, Sobeys Inc. pharmacy manager Reena Mahli found her employer to be highly adaptive and supportive.

“Among all these heightened emotions in everybody, I felt we had ample opportunity to voice what we needed, from protective barriers to new ways of home medicine delivery, and we were provided with them as quickly as possible,” says Mahli.

But this was no surprise for the Surrey, B.C. pharmacist, who has consistently found Sobeys’ values to align with her own.

The company is strongly community-oriented and actively encourages you to make a positive impact in any way you can. And they are committed to providing support wherever possible.”

— Reena Mahli Pharmacy Manager, Safeway Operations “I’m Sikh, and I am involved in a lot of community service at our temple, particularly in diabetic care,” Mahli says. “When I brought this up with Sobeys eight years ago, speaking directly with the person responsible for further education for pharmacists, she connected me to a certified diabetes educator course.

Her response was, ‘Hey, if you want to help your community, we'll cover the cost of this course for you.’ The company is strongly communityoriented and actively encourages you to make a positive impact in any way

 Reena Mahli, pharmacy manager (left) and Kerry Tompson, senior vice president of talent and inclusion, at Sobeys. you can. And they are committed to providing support wherever possible.”

Kerry Tompson, senior vice president of talent and inclusion, emphasizes that the 116-year-old grocery retailer – overseeing 1,500 stores across Canada under various banners like Sobeys, IGA, Thrifty Foods, FreshCo, Foodland, Safeway, Longo’s and Farm Boy from its headquarters in Stellarton, N.S. – places great importance on community engagement and employee recognition.

“We operate in over 900 communities, and our teammates are deeply passionate about the communities they serve. This enables us to respond promptly to the needs of these communities,” Tompson says.

“When our teammates rallied to provide support to firefighters in northern Ontario and assistance to communities and customers affected

Resilient People, The Secret Sauce of Our Success.

by Hurricane Fiona in the Atlantic provinces, our leaders ensured that their staff had warm meals, access to water and the ability to charge their devices. Many stores made sure their customers had access to a hot beverage and a snack.

“Stores also supported their community partners through in-kind and gift card donations. This reflects our community-engaged focus, which is all about taking swift action to support our communities when they need it the most.”

The company’s family culture makes it “deeply committed to recognizing and rewarding teammates for their creativity, initiative, and hard work,” says Tompson. This recognition includes Sobeys’ long-standing value champion awards, which recognizes employees who embody the company’s values every day in stores, retail support centres and offices across the country.

“Then we have the retail impact awards,” Tompson continues, “presented by our CEO and executives when they travel coast to coast, recognizing our leaders whose performance demonstrates that our retail, related businesses, supply chain, and e-commerce teams, as well as our franchise partners, deliver what it takes to become the best retailers in Canada.”

It's no wonder, then, that Sobeys boasts a high full-time retention rate and many long-term employees. Tompson mentions the quarter-century club, a sizable group within a company that maintains a robust veteran workforce – Sobeys’ longest-serving employee has now worked for the company for 59 years. Pharmacist Mahli, who has been with Sobeys since it acquired Safeway a decade ago, envisions a long career ahead of her.

“We share the same values about how you should be as an employee and how the company should be,” says Mahli. “But the real reason I will stay with Sobeys is because I feel very valued in my job.” ¢ full-time staff in

28,000 Canada

$

6

weeks, maximum vacation allowance

2,000

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59

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Paying it forward is part of the TD culture

ifteen years ago, while still a university student and parttime barista, Julia Kelly was drawn to TD Bank Group because of its focus on customer service and opportunities for growth across the organization.

“I felt that by joining TD, I could build a meaningful career around my passion for the customer,” says Kelly, now vice president, small business banking and segment strategy.

That’s really what our culture is based on – caring about others’ success, because that means we all move forward together.”

— Julia Kelly Vice President, Small Business Banking and Segment Strategy Joining TD as a co-op student with the national real estate team in Vancouver, Kelly advanced through different departments including branch banking, credit risk and commercial banking. She received guidance from leaders within each team on how to help build her career and was assisted in completing external educational courses through the bank’s Tuition Assistance Program. Years later, Kelly herself is a leader at TD. Darlene Osborne-Lawrence started her career at TD as a part-time customer service associate at a retail branch in the Greater Toronto Area.

Now a senior manager in the ‘Next Evolution of Work’ team, she says it’s the culture that attracted her to TD. “It’s a caring culture that’s very inclusive,” says Osborne-Lawrence.

TD is excited to be one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers. jobs.td.com

 Julia Kelly, vice president, small business banking and segment strategy (left) and Darlene Osborne-Lawrence, senior manager, next evolution of work, at TD Bank.

“Walking into my neighbourhood branch, I could see representation not only of myself, but of various backgrounds. I liked seeing the camaraderie of the staff who worked together. It was apparent you could be yourself at TD.” Now a member of multiple employee resource groups, including the Black Employee Network (BEN) and Women@TD, OsborneLawrence is actively helping to make an impact and support the career growth of colleagues across the bank while balancing her time as a caregiver at home.

“As a leader in the BEN professional development pillar, I would ask colleagues, ‘What help do you need?’ Then my team would leverage the feedback and create workshops to help address systemic obstacles

and provide training resources.”

Back in Vancouver, Kelly also benefited from the support of leaders across TD. “I was encouraged to explore my professional passions,” she says. “It feels like we have a limitless number of programs for development – from internal learning pathways that can be customized by employees, to external courses.”

Through a bank-supported program, Kelly attended external courses to become a chartered professional accountant. “Adding new skillsets undoubtedly elevated my career,” says Kelly. “Many of my development conversations balanced the importance of skills and experience.”

Mentorship has also played a major role in Kelly’s career — whether it's through one-on-one

conversations or bank-wide programs. Now, as a leader, she’s passionate about supporting colleagues with personal career advice, group mentoring and panel discussions.

“That’s really what our culture is based on – caring about others’ success, because that means we can all move forward together as an organization,” she adds.

As a mentor to many employees across TD through the Each One Teach One mentoring program, Osborne-Lawrence helps junior employees and shares similar feelings. “Helping colleagues navigate their career paths, achieve their goals and complete different types of training helps us all move forward together,” says Osborne-Lawrence.

Although they’ve never crossed paths, Osborne-Lawrence and Kelly separately noted that the reason they love working at TD is their ability to make an impact, experience growth and be part of a caring and inclusive culture. It’s a culture that undoubtedly has helped TD remain one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers for 17 consecutive years. ¢

64,507

full-time staff in Canada

845,230

job applications received last year

55,000

staff volunteer hours last year

100%

employer-paid health plan and family coverage

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Community care is essential to the way Teck operates

hen Nipuni Amaratunga was finishing university, she wanted to find an employer that could bring her personal passion for community and sustainability to the workplace. She already knew about Teck Resources Limited through school and, when she dug deeper, found it was a company that could help her merge that passion with her career.

I saw the great work that Teck has done around sustainability and communities and feel really fortunate to be able to work in that space now.”

— Nipuni Amaratunga Indigenous Relations Co-ordinator for Western Canada “I saw the great work that Teck has done around sustainability and communities and feel really fortunate to be able to work in that space now,” says the Indigenous relations co-ordinator for Teck, who started with the Vancouver-based mining company in 2022.

Amaratunga’s portfolio includes working on Indigenous-led initiatives, which allows her to forge meaningful relationships in the communities where Teck is active.

One of the ways she’s able to achieve that is through Teck’s community investment program, which contributes to charitable organizations and community initiatives.

“It’s been really positive and meaningful in a way that goes beyond what Teck does from an

 Teck Resources gives back to the communities where it operates by sponsoring community events. operational standpoint,” she says.

“We’re able to be active members of the community that can support different things like youth education and leadership.”

The evolution of Teck’s involvement in community is something that Kate Lafferty, director, corporate development, has seen crystallize in her 16 years with the company.

“There’s been a shift with greater importance placed on sustainability and more prominence in community giving,” she says. “There’s a more well-rounded view of mining as part of society.”

The company is grounded in its core purpose, which includes providing essential resources while caring for the people, communities and land that it loves, a philosophy that Lafferty sees as the driving force for the majority of the strategic

Better Mining.

Better World.

Join our team.

Visit jobs.teck.com

direction of the company.

“When I was working in Newfoundland, I remember people saying, ‘Oh, you work for Teck, that's such a great company,’” recalls Lafferty. “People knew the name because it was very involved with the community and gave back to the places where the operations are.”

Aside from being an active sponsor in community events or spurring economic development for remote areas, Teck’s purpose plays out in the company’s production.

“Resources like copper are essential building blocks for society,” Lafferty explains. “I like that aspect for myself, knowing that our resources are being put to use and that there's a tangible way these materials are improving people’s lives.”

Teck operates four copper mines and is a significant producer of

copper in the Americas, a critical mineral for the low-carbon transition. For example, electric vehicles can require up to four times as much copper as gasoline vehicles.

Internally, excellent benefits packages with a focus on healthy living, employee training programs and mentorship programs are just some of the ways that the company cares for its employees.

Another way that Amaratunga sees that care resonating within the company is through its efforts at reconciliation.

“It’s a journey that the organization has been on for a while and now we’re really amplifying the opportunities for employees to get involved,” she says.

Indigenous cultural awareness training and resources like books, podcasts and videos are just some of the ways that reconciliation has come to the fore within the company.

“There’s a lot of change that’s happening right now,” she says. “It’s exciting to know that there’s more to come down the road, especially in terms of reconciliation.” ¢

9,500

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51

years, longestserving employee

100%

employer-paid retiree health premium

$

mental health practitioner benefit

2,500

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Caring is for everyone at Vancouver Coastal Health

t’s a beautiful place to work, and I love my job.”

Over the past few years, working in health care has been challenging, to put it mildly, which makes Gwynneth Mwashusha’s statement about Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) all the more remarkable.

We have been working on strategies around flexibility and work-life balance. We know that a happy workforce is critical for quality patient care.”

— Bob Chapman Vice-President for Vancouver Community

Mwashusha is a licensed practical nurse and community care manager at VCH’s Richmond Community Health Access Centre, one of 120 health-care centres it operates across the region. As a single mother raising a daughter and a son, she appreciates the freedom of movement she’s had in the 17 years she’s worked there.

“Vancouver Coastal Health has allowed me to work in many different roles,” she says, “and if I need to change roles, I can do it within the organization. Right now, working in community health allows me to avoid shift work, which means I can do things like go to my daughter’s soccer games. My family comes first, and they seriously understand that.”

Taking care of everyone, including staff, is one of VCH’s core values, along with continuous education and improvement, according to

 Vancouver Coastal Health encourages a commitment to care through its recognition events, employee wellness program and continuous education programs.

Bob Chapman, vice-president for Vancouver Community at VCH. “We have been working on strategies around flexibility and work-life balance,” he says. “We know that a happy workforce is critical for quality patient care.”

Chapman also points to town halls, recognition events and a robust employee wellness program as meaningful ways the organization shows its appreciation for employees who worked with dedication throughout the pandemic and went above and beyond to care for evacuees during the recent wildfires.

“When you’re asking people to be up all night to support people getting off a plane, taking time and recognizing that commitment to care is important. So we sent thank

you cards to all the teams who helped relocate patients displaced by wildfires,” he says. “We also made an effort to thank our teams for working through incredible chaos every day during the pandemic.”

Alongside the organization’s core values, VCH has introduced four pillars that focus on its commitment to delivering safe, quality patient care: Indigenous cultural safety; equity, diversity and inclusion; anti-racism; and planetary health.

“We’ve led meaningful education sessions with staff around the pillars, like what it means to have cultural safety in a community,” Chapman says. “Those are things staff are looking for, and they inform the decisions we make and the way we deliver care.”

As a woman of colour originally from Zimbabwe, Mwashusha appreciates the existence of those pillars and how they support an equity-led, intersectional approach to care.

“In our region, it’s important for everyone to learn about Indigenous cultural practices, to understand First Nations communities and how they’ve been mistreated due to racism,” she says. “I think VCH has done well in educating staff about different cultures.”

Mwashusha also values VCH’s other educational and training programs. “There are often new technologies and tools, and you can’t use something effectively if you haven’t participated in education,” she says.

“Vancouver Coastal Health is very good at continuous education.”

Chapman emphasizes the fact that VCH’s leaders work closely with staff. “I value that our leaders are on the floor, seeing what’s going on,” he says. “It’s important that we walk the talk and put into motion some of the things we aspire to, so people will see and continue to strive for that themselves.” ¢

14,289

full-time staff in Canada

73%

of executive team are women

100%

employer-paid health plan and family coverage participants in lead-

2,800+ ership development workshops

While you’re there to support them, we’re here to support you.

Join a team that cares about the big and little things.

vch.ca/careers

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Commitment fosters connection at World Vision

ommunication, collaboration and, above all, commitment equal connection at World Vision Canada,” says Trionne Phillips, director, operational excellence.

At World Vision, we can really explore and understand the nature of a relationship that goes beyond just being colleagues, but really means having a shared calling.”

— Michael Messenger President & CEO From weekly prayer gatherings hosted mainly by president and CEO Michael Messenger and featuring guest speakers, to monthly ‘Ask Any Question’ meetings and quarterly all-staff meetings, the mostly remote staff at World Vision Canada are provided with multiple opportunities to engage with leaders and each other. They also come together in person at twice-annual get-togethers at their Mississauga, Ont. headquarters, to have fun before the summer and at the start of the new fiscal year in October.

“Through these meetings I feel like there is a mechanism to have my voice heard, regardless of my place in the organization,” says Phillips.

The global non-profit relief, development and advocacy organization helps the most vulnerable girls and boys living in the world’s most dangerous places to overcome poverty and experience the fullness

 At World Vision Canada, employees can connect with local and international colleagues at its global town hall meetings. of life.

“Fundamentally our work comes alongside communities, donors, partners and governments to change the way the world works for children, and we use a partnering approach,” says Messenger.

He says the work relationship at the organization is more than just a workplace.

“At World Vision, we can really explore and understand the nature of a relationship that goes beyond just being colleagues, but really means having a shared calling,” he says.

In fact, when Phillips did her research before her job interview nine years ago, she found her values aligned very much with those of World Vision – values such as putting a priority on people by respecting their dignity, uniqueness and the worth of every individual,

and practising open working relationships.

“I felt very connected with the organization from the day I started. I received a very, very warm welcome,” she says. “From the word ‘go’ I felt there was a connection.”

Messenger adds that connection ties in with the organization’s goals of protecting children and encouraging donors.

As one of 90 per cent of employees across the country who work remotely, Phillips finds a variety of ways to enrich her connections locally but also with international colleagues.

One of those international opportunities was sharing in a global employee forum where she was paired with another employee in a question-and-answer format.

“What I loved about participating in the global town hall was I was able to connect in a meaningful way with

my colleague from Guatemala and present our culture,” Phillips says.

With regards to national reach, Messenger is proud of the transition to remote work and adds there is a bonus as the organization considers its approach to finding talented employees.

“We’ve really benefited because it’s expanded the number of talented people who we can bring into our organization with the right skills regardless of where they live in Canada,” he says.

Phillips is also a part of a mentoring program for employees who want to mentor or be mentored.

A volunteer mentoring committee matches people with similar skills, for example. It’s all about coaching and connecting.

“They will match you with someone of similar interests,” Phillips says. “The organization also facilitates a program that you undergo together to support mentoring.”

Phillips says this is one of her favourite online supports. “I love this. This is just another of the many, many tools we have to connect.” ¢

399

full-time staff in Canada

372 M

invested for families in need

4.8 M+

people helped through emergency response efforts

3.8 M+

people aided with World Food Programme

$

Be a Change-Maker www.worldvision.ca/about-us/careers

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