Greater Toronto's Top Employers (2018) by Canada's Top 100 Employers

DIAMOND SCHMITT ARCHITECTS INC.

’ O S T T N O O P R E O M T P R L E O T Y AE E 2018

CO-PUBLISHED BY

ct100.ca/gta MEDIACORP

p In the reception area at Diamond Schmitt Architects, one of this year’s winners.

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3 SENECA COLLEGE

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12th Annual Edition

GREATER TORONTO’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2018 Magazine Anthony Meehan, PUBLISHER

Karen Le,

VICE-PRESIDENT

Editorial Team:

Richard Yerema, MANAGING EDITOR

Kristina Leung, SENIOR EDITOR

Stephanie Leung, ASSISTANT EDITOR

Advertising Team:

Kristen Chow,

DIRECTOR, OPERATIONS

Ye Jin Suhe,

CLIENT SUPPORT COORDINATOR

Sponsored Profile Writers:

Berton Woodward, SENIOR EDITOR

Ann Brocklehurst Sheldon Gordon Simon Hally

Patricia Hluchy D’Arcy Jenish

Nora Underwood Barbara Wickens

p Employees from Seneca College rowing faster to raise money for the United Way.

LEADING IN A THRIVING METROPOLIS

eciding on the winners of the Greater Toronto’s Top Employers competition is never an easy task for our editorial team. Picking the best workplaces in the nation’s largest and most economically diverse city presents myriad challenges, not least of which is the large number of head offices for most of Canada’s best-known organizations. While our national competition aims to mirror the economic and geographic composition of all parts of the country, the GTA project is actually far more competitive and difficult for employers to win: it simply reflects the best employers in the city. Our editors’ criteria for choosing the winners remain unchanged since the launch of the GTA competition more than a dozen years ago: (1) physical workplace; (2) work atmosphere and social; (3) health, financial and family benefits; (4) vacation and time-off; (5) employee communications; (6) performance management; (7) training and skills development; and (8) community involvement. Employers complete a detailed application process that covers these eight criteria. For each of the winners, our editors prepare detailed reasons for selection to provide transparency in the selection process and to encourage other employers to raise the bar. We publish these

reasons each year on the competition website as well as our popular job search engine, Eluta.ca, which is now used by seven million job-seekers each year. A special word of thanks is owed The Globe and Mail, which co-publishes this announcement magazine. Thanks to their efforts, hundreds of thousands of Globe readers across the GTA are able to learn about this year’s winners. We also invite you to visit the magazine’s online edition for hundreds of additional photos and stories on this year’s winning employers: www.CanadasTop100.com/toronto If you don’t see your organization on this year’s list, remember that it’s inevitable some excellent employers are passed over or omitted. If you think we’ve missed a remarkable employer, we invite you to contact our editors (see p. 48) to share your story – we will consider your organization for next year’s competition. For the winning employers, congratulations on securing a place on what is the most competitive year yet. But don’t rest on your laurels – we’ll be looking carefully at what you’ve been able to improve when it comes to the 2019 edition! – Tony Meehan

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MCCARTHY TÉTRAULT

p The IT team from McCarthy Tétrault taking a break from lawyers’ help-desk requests at the firm’s annual holiday party.

CITIBANK CANADA

CAPITAL ONE CANADA

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p Watching the markets for clients on the treasury and trading floor at Citibank Canada.

p Employees from Capital One

Canada putting their IT skills to work at a charity hackathon.

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q An instructor from George

Brown College pausing to savour the bouquet at the collegeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s state-of-the-art wine theatre, overlooking King & Frederick Streets.

GEORGE BROWN COLLEGE

7 FRED LUM/THE GLOBE AND MAIL

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n the time of a changing human demographic landscape, when the latest Canadian census reports that a majority of the Greater Toronto Area’s 6.4 million people identify as visible minorities, what does it take to create a great workplace where everyone feels they can not only belong, but also succeed? As employers in the GTA’s multicultural heartland, the best first ensure that their policies are progressive and that their human resources management reflects the

p Mint tins for CAA Club Group of Thornhill, Ont., one of this year’s winners.

changing faces of who we are. That’s how the best firms attract top talent in a competitive and diverse employment environment such as the GTA. Beyond that, the best stand out in their willingness to invest in their employees’ future by providing opportunities for leadership and continuing development. That’s how to retain top talent. The top organizations recognize that individuals want a career and not just a job. The GTA’s Top Employers 2018 offer a broad variety of forward-thinking initiatives to help

their employees succeed. Some of these include: programs that identify and nurture employees with high potential, including those to help advance women in the workplace; generous tuition subsidies for professional accreditation and for academic courses, both related and sometimes unrelated to an employee’s existing job; opportunities to explore new career paths and positions within a company; in-house and online training; recognition and rewards for employee innovation; support for new Canadians

in the workplace; opportunities for networking, formal mentoring and career planning services. “The twin challenges of growth and change are all here in the GTA,” says Richard Yerema, managing editor of Canada’s Top 100 Employers. “The result is a continual evolution of workplaces that help make for a very dynamic working reality for the region as a whole. It truly is a classic win-win for employers and those of us who call the GTA home.” – Diane Jermyn

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q Keeping the subway trains

running on time at the TTC.

2018 WINNERS

ARUP CANADA INC., Toronto. Engineering consulting; 268 employees. Encourages ongoing employee development with tuition subsidies for job-related courses and subsidies for professional accreditation. ASSOCIATION OF MANAGEMENT, ADMINISTRATIVE AND PROFESSIONAL CROWN EMPLOYEES OF ONTARIO / AMAPCEO, Toronto. Professional association; 42 employees. Offers a self-funded leave program as well as an unpaid leave program for up to one year while jobs remain protected. ASTRAZENECA CANADA INC., Mississauga. Pharmaceutical manufacturing; 720 employees. Offers flexible hours, a telecommuting option, paid personal days off and paid time off during the winter holidays.

ASF CANADA INC., Mississauga. Chemical manufacturing; 735 employees. Revised its tuition reimbursement program to offer $25,000 annually for graduate programs and $15,000 annually for undergraduate programs. BAYER, Toronto. Pharmaceutical manufacturing; 1,396 employees. Fosters an

ownership culture through a share purchase plan, available to all employees. BLAKE, CASSELS & GRAYDON LLP, Toronto. Law firm; 1,357 employees. Hosted a firm-wide retreat in Arizona featuring external guest speakers and a variety of training and development opportunities. BOSTON CONSULTING GROUP OF CANADA LTD., Toronto. Management consulting; 250 employees. Offers maternity and parental leave top-up payments as well as a generous subsidy to help cover the costs of adoption.

AA CLUB GROUP, Thornhill, Ont. Insurance and brokerages; 1,513 employees. Offers retirement planning assistance, a defined contribution pension plan and health benefits that extend to retirees, with no age limit. CADILLAC FAIRVIEW CORPORATION LTD., Toronto. Real estate management; 1,304 employees. Recognizes exceptional performance through peerto-peer recognition, on-the-spot awards and the CF Excellence Awards. CAMPBELL COMPANY OF CANADA, Toronto. Food preparation and packaging; 583 employees. Provides retirement planning assistance as well as phased-in work options to help those nearing retirement transition. CANADIAN STANDARDS ASSOCIATION / CSA, Toronto. Testing laboratory;

MELISSA TAIT/THE GLOBE AND MAIL

CCENTURE INC., Toronto. Management consulting; 3,576 employees. Encourages a little fun in the workplace through support for employee sports teams and a variety of social events.

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2018 WINNERS

Continued

745 employees. Encourages employees to give back to the community and matches employee donations dollar for dollar. CANADIAN TIRE CORPORATION LTD., Toronto. Retail; 85,000 employees. Offers employees generous discounts on their store purchases, as well as preferred credit card rates. CAPGEMINI CANADA INC., Toronto. Information technology; 392 employees. Fosters employee innovation through a dedicated awards program, allowing employees to share ideas on how to improve the quality of engagement delivery, ideas and solutions. CAPITAL ONE BANK (CANADA BRANCH), North York, Ont. Credit card issuing; 1,122 employees. Participated in the Not Myself Today campaign to raise awareness of mental health in the workplace. CATHOLIC CHILDREN’S AID SOCIETY OF TORONTO, Toronto. Child and youth services; 510 employees. Offers long-term peace of mind with contributions to a defined benefit pension plan. CHILDREN’S AID SOCIETY OF TORONTO, THE, Toronto. Child and youth services; 798 employees. Offers employees up to four weeks of starting vacation allowance as well as up to 10 paid personal days off, which can be used throughout the year.

CORUS ENTERTAINMENT INC., Toronto. Media production and broadcasting; 3,008 employees. Features an interior five-storey bio-wall of plant life at head office, as well as a rainwater harvesting system. CRH CANADA GROUP INC., Concord, Ont. Concrete manufacturing; 2,598 employees. Maintains a flexible health-benefits plan, allowing employees to customize levels of coverage to suit their personal needs.

IAMOND SCHMITT ARCHITECTS INC., Toronto. Architecture; 199 employees. Encourages employees to get involved in the community with paid time off, as well as encouraging employee giving through matching charitable contributions. DRAKE HOTEL PROPERTIES, Toronto. Hotels; 115 employees. Manages a high-potential development program to identify and nurture top talent. DURHAM COLLEGE OF APPLIED ARTS AND TECHNOLOGY, Oshawa. College; 790 employees. Provides employees with opportunities to provide direct feedback through an annual Retreat with the President. DYNACARE, Brampton, Ont. Medical laboratories; 2,130 employees. Provides opportunities for the next generation

CONNIE TSANG/THE GLOBE AND MAIL

CISCO SYSTEMS CANADA CO., Toronto. Computer and equipment manufacturing; 1,727 employees. Supports the employee-led Civic Council, a cross-functional team of employees who direct volunteer work and charitable giving across Canada.

COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS OF ONTARIO, THE, Toronto. Professional organizations; 385 employees. Offers generous tuition subsidies for courses taken at outside institutions, as well as subsidies for professional accreditation.

LLISDON CORP., Mississauga. Building construction; 1,793 employees. Helps employees balance their personal and working lives through a variety of alternative work options. ENTERPRISE HOLDINGS INC., Scarborough, Ont. Car rental; 2,750 employees. Maintains a comprehensive management training program to help employees advance in their careers. EQUITABLE BANK, Toronto. Real estate lending; 582 employees. Offers a two-year Rotational Leadership Development Program, which provides exposure to various areas of operation within the organization.

IDELITY CANADA, Toronto. Portfolio management; 891 employees. Participates in the Partners for Mental Health’s Not Myself Today awareness campaign. FLEET COMPLETE, Toronto. Fleet and mobile resource tracking; 190 employees. Increased its support for new mothers, fathers and adoptive parents, providing maternity and parental leave top-up payments of up to 75 per cent of salary for 52 weeks.

FORD MOTOR COMPANY OF CANADA LTD., Oakville, Ont. Automobile manufacturing; 7,856 employees. Offers employees subsidized onsite daycare that is operated by a third-party company. FRESHBOOKS, Toronto. Software publishers; 248 employees. Offers a share purchase plan to all employees, signing bonuses for some and generous referral bonuses for employees who recruit candidates from their personal networks. FUNDSERV INC., Toronto. Financial transaction processing; 113 employees. Offers maternity leave top-up payments to employees who are new mothers, as well as parental top-up to new fathers and adoptive parents.

ENERAL ELECTRIC CANADA / GE, Mississauga. Diversified technology and equipment manufacturing; 6,132 employees. Launched the Balance the Equation initiative, committing to employing 20,000 women in STEM roles by 2020 and obtaining 50/50 representation for all technical entry-level programs. GENERAL MOTORS OF CANADA COMPANY, Oshawa. Auto manufacturing; 8,614 employees. Supports adoptive parents with a subsidy to help cover the costs of adoption.

q A fixture on Queen Street West, Drake Hotel Properties is one of this year’s winners.

CIBC, Toronto. Banking; 36,482 employees. Contributed more than $65-million to charitable and community causes across Canada last year.

CITI CANADA, Mississauga. Banking; 1,187 employees. Maintains a global experience program, allowing employees to work at one of the company’s global locations.

to gain career-level experience through co-op and work terms, as well as summer employment.

2018 WINNERS

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Continued

GEORGE BROWN COLLEGE, Toronto. College; 1,433 employees. Manages a positive space campaign to ensure that the campus is welcoming and inclusive to all of its members. GREAT BLUE HERON CASINO, Port Perry, Ont. Casinos; 664 employees. Provides a number of annual social events for employees, including a children’s holiday party, staff appreciation barbecue and December cookie exchange. GRIFFITH FOODS LTD., Toronto. Spice and extract manufacturing; 351 employees. Created the Griffith Cares committee to spearhead its volunteerism and community involvement initiatives.

ALTON, REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY OF, Oakville, Ont. Municipal government; 1,857 employees. Offers an onsite cafeteria at head office, with healthy and special diet menus for employees. HATCH LTD., Mississauga. Engineering; 2,772 employees. Celebrates employee accomplishments through a range of specific recognition awards, including an award to recognize exceptional teamwork and relationship building. HEALTHCARE INSURANCE RECIPROCAL OF CANADA / HIROC, Toronto. Insurance; 97 employees. Offers employees a health spending account of up to $500 per year, allowing them to top up coverage as needed.

INTACT FINANCIAL CORP., Toronto. Insurance; 11,750 employees. Helps employees plan for the future with defined benefit and defined contribution pension plans.

PMG LLP, Toronto. Accounting; 6,620 employees. Offers a variety of flexible work options, including a Personal Care program with up to 50 hours of paid time off annually to help with a range of personal matters. KRUGER PRODUCTS L.P., Mississauga. Paper products; 2,065 employees. Hosts internal focus groups to better understand the wants and needs of millennial employees.

ABATT BREWING COMPANY LTD., Toronto. Breweries; 3,390 employees. Launched a new Better Together initiative to provide generous grants for individuals and families across Canada to help provide essentials for those living in need. LAW SOCIETY OF UPPER CANADA, THE, Toronto. Professional organizations; 526 employees. Established the Law Society Foundation in 1962 to raise funds for bursary grants for students in need who are pursuing a law degree or admission to the Bar of Ontario.

LOBLAW COMPANIES LTD., Brampton, Ont. Supermarkets and grocery stores; 28,208 employees. Provides a number of communication and feedback tools to keep employees informed and up to date.

ANULIFE, Toronto. Insurance; 12,743 employees. Offers unique opportunities for skills development through the Labs of Forward Thinking (LOFT), which allows teams to operate in ways that mimic startups. MAPLE LEAF SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT LTD., Toronto. Sports and entertainment; 785 employees. Provides paid time off during the winter holidays and summer months. MARS INC., Bolton, Ont. Food manufacturing; 1,300 employees. Maintains the Mars Ambassador Program to provide employees with opportunities to work on short-term assignments around the world at partner organizations. MAZDA CANADA INC., Richmond Hill, Ont. Auto wholesale; 144 employees. Encourages employees to keep fit with free access to an onsite fitness room, with weekly yoga and bootcamp classes.

MCCARTHY TÉTRAULT LLP, Toronto. Law firm; 1,272 employees. Encourages all employees to provide feedback through “idea+eXchange” sessions with the chief operating officer. METROLINX, Toronto. Public transit; 3,361 employees. Supports employees who want to start a family with a generous subsidy, up to $25,000, for in vitro fertilization. MICHAEL GARRON HOSPITAL | TORONTO EAST HOSPITAL NETWORK, Toronto. Hospital; 1,403 employees. Offers a number of onsite amenities, including a quiet room for meditation and religious observance. MILLER GROUP, THE, Markham, Ont. Highway, street and bridge construction; 4,705 employees. Supports employee creativity and innovation through its CARE Program, rewarding employees with monetary gifts for suggestions that improve the company. MÉDECINS SANS FRONTIÈRES / DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS (MSF) CANADA, Toronto. Medical relief organization; 265 employees. Maintains in-house wellness programming and offers a generous health spending account.

q An employee of Ford Motor Company of Canada loading new Edge SUVs at its Oakville assembly plant.

HOLLAND BLOORVIEW KIDS REHABILITATION HOSPITAL, Toronto. Specialty hospital; 532 employees. Maintains an annual Spirit of Giving Award, providing recipients with a $500 donation to the charity of their choosing. HOME DEPOT OF CANADA INC., Toronto. Retail; 14,137 employees. Offers employees working at head office free access to an onsite fitness facility, featuring instructor-led classes, such as yoga and circuit training. HOSPITAL FOR SICK CHILDREN, THE, Toronto. Specialty hospital; 5,677 employees. Offers a wellness program, including massage therapy for clinical staff, walking and running clubs, seminars and subsidized access to the staff wellness centre.

MAX CORP., Mississauga. Movie theatre technology; 321 employees. Features its own IMAX theatre at head office where employees can invite their friends and family for weekend viewings.

GLENN LOWSON/THE GLOBE AND MAIL

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2018 WINNERS

Continued

LYMPUS CANADA INC., Richmond, Ont. Medical, industrial and imaging equipment; 239 employees. Offers generous tuition subsidies for job-related courses, as well as subsidies for professional accreditation. ONTARIO PUBLIC SERVICE/ OPS, Toronto. Provincial government; 62,205 employees. Supports two major fundraising initiatives, the Federated Health Charities Campaign and the annual United Way campaign.

sign and update employee workspaces through its workspace design strategy called Sharespace. ROYAL BANK OF CANADA, Toronto. Banking; 52,519 employees. Rewards healthy behaviour with credits for a personal Wellness Account which can be used for wellness-related expenses, such as gym memberships. RYERSON UNIVERSITY, Toronto. University; 3,043 employees. Offers subsidized access to Ryerson’s state-of-the-art fitness facilities, featuring basketball and squash courts, a swimming pool, indoor running track and hockey rink.

ONTARIO SHORES CENTRE FOR MENTAL HEALTH SCIENCES, Whitby, Ont. Specialty hospital; 837 employees. Recognizes exceptional performance through various rewards, including long-service awards and peer-to-peer recognition.

ORACLE CANADA ULC, Mississauga. Computer and information management systems; 2,737 employees. Offers the convenience of onsite daycare to employees who are new mothers when they return to work.

SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CANADA INC., Mississauga. Communications equipment manufacturing; 555 employees. Provides premium parking for hybrid and electric car commuters, as well as charging stations for electric cars at its head office.

EPSICO CANADA, Mississauga. Beverage and food manufacturing; 9,433 employees. Helps employees maintain healthy habits at work and at home through a healthy living program. POINTS, Toronto. Software development; 181 employees. Provides employees with weekly deliveries of fresh fruit as well as in-house flu shots, subsidized Fitbits and a fitness subsidy. PRAXAIR CANADA INC., Mississauga. Gas and related product wholesalers; 2,293 employees. Launched a dedicated Female Emerging Leader Program to provide female managers with opportunities for professional development and networking. PROCTER & GAMBLE INC., Toronto. Consumer product manufacturing; 1,710 employees. Offers tuition subsidies up to $5,000 for employees and academic scholarships for children of employees up to $2,000 per child.

IOCAN REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST, Toronto. Real estate investments; 675 employees. Offers generous referral bonuses for employees who help to recruit candidates from their personal networks. ROGERS COMMUNICATIONS INC., Toronto. Communications, cable, publishing and subscription programming; 22,304 employees. Continues to rede-

ALESFORCE CANADA CORP., Toronto. Customer relationship management; 1,219 employees. Provides up to seven paid days off for employees to volunteer with local charities.

SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC CANADA INC., Mississauga. Industrial automation and controls; 2,663 employees. Encourages continuing employee development with generous tuition subsidies for job-related courses.

SUNNYBROOK HEALTH SCIENCES CENTRE, Toronto. Hospital; 6,362 employees. Encourages employees to send inclusive messages of thanks to colleagues through their online “A World of Thanks” initiative.

ANGERINE BANK, Toronto. Banking; 1,209 employees. Maintains the Orange Innovation Spark initiative to encourage employees to share innovative ideas. TD BANK GROUP, Toronto. Banking; 46,405 employees. Maintains a dedicated retired alumni website and provides financial support for seven alumni associations across Canada. TERANET, Toronto. Land registration; 534 employees. Played host to a Continuous Improvement Competition, allowing employees to showcase their innovative spirit by solving day-to-day challenges. THOMSON REUTERS CANADA LTD., Toronto. Publishers; 1,180 employees. Launched an Early Careers Network in 2015 to help support early career professionals.

SENECA COLLEGE, Toronto. College; 1,570 employees. Supports the employment efforts of new Canadians through its Alternative Career Pathways project.

TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL / TIFF, Toronto. Motion picture promotion and film festival; 214 employees. Offers the WINGS bursary program to help subsidize employees’ travel costs to film festivals around the world.

SIEMENS CANADA LTD., Oakville, Ont. Engineering; 4,022 employees. Features a number of energy-saving initiatives at its head office, including the installation of energy-saving lighting and the use of LED signage.

TORONTO TRANSIT COMMISSION / TTC, Toronto. Public transit; 14,122 employees. Reaches out to the next generation of talent, offering paid internships, co-op placements and summer employment in a variety of fields.

SMUCKER FOODS OF CANADA CORP., Markham, Ont. Food manufacturing; 283 employees. Offers retirement planning assistance and health benefits that extend to retirees, with no age limit.

TORONTO, CITY OF, Toronto. Municipal government; 22,070 employees. Offers employees subsidized access to an onsite fitness facility.

SPIN MASTER CORP., Toronto. Children’s toys and entertainment; 423 employees. Established The Toy Movement, a global initiative for children to have opportunities to play, learn and grow, regardless of their socio-economic conditions. STATE STREET CANADA, Toronto. Investment banking and securities dealing; 1,168 employees. Provides an offsite daycare subsidy to new parents.

BISOFT TORONTO INC., Toronto. Software publishers; 4,043 employees. Created the Boomerang Program to provide high-performing employees with opportunities to explore new career paths and positions within the company. UKEN STUDIOS INC., Toronto. Software publishers; 77 employees. Offers a number of onsite amenities, including a nap room and an employee lounge with video games, a pool table and foosball.

UNITED WAY TORONTO & YORK REGION, Toronto. Charitable organizations; 222 employees. Encourages employees to be active in the community with three paid days off to volunteer. UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO, Toronto. University; 9,574 employees. Provides workshops, discussion groups and access to a wide range of resources through the dedicated Family Care Office. UTC AEROSPACE SYSTEMS LTD., Oakville, Ont. Aircraft parts and equipment manufacturing; 1,015 employees. Offers employees who are new mothers the option to extend their leave into an unpaid leave of absence.

ILLIAM OSLER HEALTH SYSTEM, Brampton, Ont. Hospital; 3,172 employees. Recognizes the importance of employee feedback and ongoing communication and schedules town hall meetings on a quarterly basis. WORLD VISION CANADA, Mississauga. Charitable organizations; 482 employees. Offers a new training program for high potential employees that features academic, experiential and cross-functional learning opportunities.

MCA OF GREATER TORONTO, Toronto. Individual and family services; 1,733 employees. Encourages employees to think ahead with retirement planning assistance and phased-in work options. YORK REGIONAL POLICE, Aurora, Ont. Police service; 2,207 employees. Maintains a dedicated Retirees Association to help retirees stay active in the community. YWCA TORONTO, Toronto. Individual and family services; 187 employees. Offers employees the opportunity to apply for unpaid and self-funded leaves of absence for up to one year in duration. –Diane Jermyn

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q Built as part of the 2015 Pan Am Games,

J.P. MOCZULSKI/THE GLOBE AND MAIL

the Cooper Koo Family Cherry Street Centre is part of the YMCA of Greater Toronto.

ny employer with its head office or principal place of business in the Greater Toronto Area may apply for the Greater Toronto Area’s Top Employers contest. Expect the competition to be tough. According

to Mr. Yerema, managing editor of Canada’s Top 100 Employers, the GTA continues to be a challenging competition to judge on the editorial decision-making side because the region is home to so many exceptional employers. Here’s how they decide. The editors of Canada’s Top

100 Employers evaluate each employer’s operations and human resources practices using the same eight criteria as the national competition of Canada’s Top 100 Employers. Those criteria are: physical workplace; work atmosphere and social; health, financial and family benefits; vacation and time off; employee communications; performance management; training and skills development; and community

involvement. Employers are compared with other organizations in their field to determine which ones offer the most progressive and forward-thinking programs. More detailed reasons for selection, explaining why each of the winners was chosen, are published on the competition’s website, www.canadastop100.com/toronto. – Diane Jermyn

RYERSON UNIVERSITY

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p Staff and students from Ryerson University at the ultra-modern MaRS research laboratory.

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ELLISDON CORP.

TANGERINE BANK

q New hires at Tangerine Bank lending a hand to reduce youth homelessness.

p A construction team from EllisDon Corp. getting the job done at the new subway station for York University.

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p Senior product development engineer Arta Alagheband enjoying the annual ‘Summer Jam’ for Spin Master employees.

Making Things Better From immigration to world-leading technology, the environment for Greater Toronto’s Top Employers is all about finding solutions that improve workplaces.

hen she arrived in Toronto, Jackie Tan faced the same problem so many well-educated new immigrants encounter in Canada. Back in her home country of Singapore, Tan had been a marketing executive for a major luxury hotel. But after landing in Toronto with her husband in 2003, she found the job scene hard to crack. “The first year was tough,” she says. “Employers were asking for Canadian experience and I didn’t have that, even though I’d been a working professional

as well as a department head for five years. My resumes seemed to go into a big black hole.” But this was Toronto, which has always been a problem-solving kind of place – especially when it comes to employment. Tan connected with the Career Edge Organization, a not-for-profit founded in 1996 by Toronto icon David Pecault and other business leaders to help young and immigrant job-seekers get a start though internships. It’s familiar to many of Greater Toronto’s Top Employers – representatives of several sit on its board. Through a Career Edge internship program for professionals, Tan landed a placement at

George Brown College, also one of Greater Toronto’s Top Employers. It was all she needed. The placement led to a contract post in project management, then to a full-time position. “And the rest is history,” she laughs. Now, after several promotions, she is Senior Operations Manager in the college’s Division of Community Services and Health Sciences. “I am very grateful to the people who supported me,” she says. “This was literally opening doors. Without that, I might have had to go back to Singapore.” It’s a classic example of how Greater Toronto employers work to find solutions, improve business, and inevitably, make the

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metropolis an even better environment for employees. That is all the more essential in light of the recently released statistics from Canada’s 2016 census, which showed that more than half of Toronto people now identify themselves as visible minorities – 51.5 per cent, to be exact. Greater Toronto’s immense diversity has always been one of its oft-cited for employers. “It’s the No. 1 change in the past 20 years,” says Anton Rabie, Co-Founder, Chairman and Co-CEO of the Toronto toy and entertainment company Spin Master Inc., a Top Employer which he helped start just over 20 years ago, in 1994.

“Employers want to keep the talent that they have, and to do that they need to think about, how I am going to develop these people” – Leslie Quinlan, VP HR & Organizational Development ,George Brown College

“Diversity drives such great decision-making. It really helps our innovation and in spawning ideas.” But Rabie is the first to agree that Greater Toronto has many other strengths for employers. “There is such a lot of creative talent,” he notes. “I don’t think the city gets the credit that it should. Look at how many boutique studios we have. We have the number one pre-school TV show in the world, ‘PAW Patrol’,

and the animation is all done at Guru Studio on Spadina.” Then there is the way solutions-based Toronto has built up its technology workforce, now rivalling neighbouring Kitchener-Waterloo and helping to fuel many of Greater Toronto’s Top Employers, from Citi Canada, part of the global bank, to Toronto-based software-maker FreshBooks. That factor played directly into the recent announcement by Alphabet Inc., Google’s parent company, that after a global search, it had chosen Toronto to build a 12-acre, high-tech urban development on the eastern waterfront. In conceiving a futuristic neighbourhood for employers and residents, replete with autonomous vehicles and the latest urban thinking, the project would be “tapping into Toronto’s already-thriving tech sector,” said the announcement. Another key element in Greater Toronto’s success as a high-end employment centre is the prevalence of post-secondary institutions, which feed highly educated young people into the workforce and often form partnerships with employers. “There are so many organizations you can work with here,” says Leslie Quinlan, Vice-President Human Resources and Organizational Development at George Brown College. “And because we have so many educational institutions and so many streams, we have an opportunity to really help shape what the students learn and help them be successful, knowing what industry wants.”

q It’s all smiles at the annual staff

picnic at Michael Garron Hospital / Toronto East Hospital Network.

TEHN

Making things Better (Cont.)

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Making things Better (Cont.)

It all makes for a highly competitive struggle among employers to land, as Quinlan says, “the best and brightest” who are attracted to Greater Toronto. “I think it does drive employers to be good employers, because people in Toronto have options,” she says. “Employers want to keep the talent

that they have, and to do that they need to think about, how I am going to develop these people, how am I going to let them know I value them, how do I give them opportunities to grow and have a say in their workplace?” And that, of course, is what Greater Toronto’s Top Employers seeks to measure – who are

the best of the best in that highly competitive marketplace? “The bar is raised a little bit in different areas each year,” says Richard Yerema, Managing Editor for Mediacorp Canada and the list’s chief number-cruncher. “We have a 15 to 20 per cent annual change in the list. In a given industry category, we might hear that

a competitor to last year’s group has changed its vacation policy or its tuition support, or it has added a new program. So now it is included and one of the others has to drop off. To be recognized as one of Greater Toronto’s Top Employers, you cannot stand still.” – Berton Woodward

CAA CLUB GROUP

q Strong organizational values are central to the workplace culture at CAA Club Group.

p Employees of Kruger Products bringing their kids to the annual holiday party.

ROGERS COMMUNICATIONS INC.

KRUGER PRODUCTS LP

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p The newly renovated ‘Sharespace’ workplace at Rogers Communications.

( 2018 )

‘Fantastic science’ is blooming at AstraZeneca Canada

ith the rapid pace of scientific advances and medical discoveries, working for AstraZeneca Canada, a leading biopharmaceutical company, has never been more exciting. New, innovative medicines in such areas as cancer, diabetes and Hepatitis C, for example, mean that diseases that were once considered a death sentence are now becoming chronic. “It’s really a landmark time for the industry,” says Carlo Mastrangelo, Director of Communications at AstraZeneca. “Traditionally, a biopharmaceutical company would be very fortunate to launch one or two new medicines a year. Over the course of the next few years at AstraZeneca Canada, we are looking to launch more than 25 new medicines and indications, in such areas as ovarian cancer, breast cancer, diabetes, severe asthma and lupus. We’re seeing absolutely fantastic science.”

We are very fortunate in what we do: we improve and save lives. Carlo Mastrangelo,

Director of Communications

People are at the heart of AstraZeneca – both the patients in need of lifealtering and life-saving medicines and the employees at the company who are working hard to develop and deliver these. “The organization has strong values that come to life every day,” explains Gena Restivo, Vice-President of Human Resources and Communications. “Following the science, putting patients first, doing the right

EMPLOYEES AT ASTRAZENECA CELEBRATING CANADA 150

thing and playing to win. These values really resonate with our employees and guide our actions individually and collectively as an organization.” Restivo’s own time at AstraZeneca has been “an amazing journey.” She explains: “My own personal career journey reflects how AstraZeneca is focused on people development – helping people to stretch themselves, get out of their comfort zones and reach their potential in ways they never would have thought possible.” Earlier this year, the organization introduced THRIVE@AZ, a multiyear platform that focuses on three key employee areas: building skills and capabilities; employees’ (and their families’) health and well-being; and cultivating a vibrant, engaged and energized workplace. “Our program THRIVE@AZ is based on a passionate belief that we are at our best as a com-

pany when our employees are at theirs – when they are learning, growing, healthy and thriving,” Restivo says. New employees often comment on the uniqueness of the culture, where collaboration and recognition are at the heart of the company’s mode of operation. Last year AstraZeneca introduced the MVP Awards – Modelling Our Values Through Performance – where recognizing how success was achieved is just as important as what was done. The company’s values are at the core of AstraZeneca and what makes their culture so unique. Another part of AstraZeneca’s impact and footprint is its community outreach. Among other things, the company partners with the ACT Foundation, a national organization that brings CPR training to high school students. Over the years,

Proud to be one of Greater Toronto’s Top Employers

AstraZeneca has also donated more than $25 million worth of needed medicines to global relief efforts. Last year alone, the company invested just under $4 million in charitable donations and partnerships. “These are important partnerships for us,” says Mastrangelo, “because when we look at making a positive impact, we can readily see the difference we’re making in improving millions of lives through both our medicines and our involvement in the community.” Employee growth and development is an important people priority at AstraZeneca. The company offers tuition subsidies for job-related courses and professional accreditation as well as in-house and online training programs. The company also runs a series of “lunch and learn” sessions called My Science Matters – aimed at helping employees to better understand various diseases areas, the latest science, and the patient journey. “My Science Matters helps to connect employees to both great science and our purpose,” says Mastrangelo. “And we have such a terrific purpose; we are very fortunate in what we do: we improve and save lives.”

722 44 200 5,530

full-time staff in Canada years, average age of all employees charities helped last year staff volunteer hours last year

( 2018 )

BASF harnesses ‘the power of connected minds’

th more than 700 employees working out of 11 locations across Canada, including three sites in the Greater Toronto Area, BASF Canada Inc. makes it a priority to keep its people connected with each other. The same is true across the worldwide operations of BASF SE, one of the world’s largest producers of chemicals, which is based in Germany and has locations in more than 80 countries. “We believe that through the power of connected minds, no challenge is too big for us,” says Terri Howard, BASF Canada’s Director of Human Resources. “The importance of connectivity is underscored by our drive for co-creation and collaboration in all that we do. “Every idea, thought and opinion is valuable, and everyone brings something unique to the mix. We offer our employees different ways to connect and collaborate, in ways that extend beyond their teams, functions or business units.”

Every idea, thought and opinion is valuable, and everyone brings something unique to the mix. Terri Howard,

Director of Human Resources

Anne Shore is one of many BASF employees in the GTA who make the most of the company’s collaborative initiatives. “What I really love about my job is that I’m always busy and I always feel like I’m growing and learning. The company has so many opportunities to engage with people and activities outside my own

BASF CANADA PRESIDENT, MARCELO LU, SPEAKING TO EMPLOYEES AT A HOLIDAY LUNCHEON CELEBRATION

area,” says Shore, who works as Purchase to Pay and Order to Cash Liaison in BASF’s Finance and Business Services Department. Several different groups are available for employees to get involved with, including the Diversity + Inclusion Council, Women in Business, Toastmasters Club and IdeaLab, a new platform where people share ideas to make work more efficient. Shore has joined several of these groups, including Women in Business, which she notes is international in scope, bringing female employees together with BASF colleagues from other countries, in person, by phone or by video conference. “Engaging in these different communities helps eliminate the silos. You can

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break out of your bubble and network with colleagues you might not meet otherwise,” says Shore, who has been with BASF since 2010. In another initiative to promote greater connectivity, GTA employees are invited to attend quarterly town hall meetings, where they listen to guest speakers and are encouraged to be active participants in conversations on topics such as recognition and development, safety and sustainability. “Our quarterly town halls are a great way to stay in touch with all of our teams, identify gaps, set goals, and focus on solutions as one company,” says Howard. “They are hosted offsite at unique venues and give our employees a chance to

connect with each other beyond the scope of their day-to-day roles. Throughout the event, our colleagues have the opportunity to drive the conversation by taking part in interactive live-polling via their mobile phones – a wonderful tool that enables everyone to be engaged and have a voice.” In 2017, BASF Canada revamped the office spaces at its headquarters in Mississauga, Ont. Designed to enhance collaboration and connectivity, the revitalized spaces include an employee lounge called the Creator Space, where people can get together to discuss ideas, network or simply relax. Multiple work areas have also been updated to strengthen team collaboration and enable impromptu conversations that drive business activities and innovation. Connectivity at BASF extends outside the company as well. “For us, connectivity is also about our commitment to our customers and the communities where we live and work,” says Howard. “Throughout the year, our employees from across the GTA work together, volunteering their time and focusing on charitable giving activities that align with our primary philanthropic objectives: science education, ecology, health and safety.”

735 4,627 17 50%

full-time staff in Canada job applications received last year weeks, maternity leave top-up pay of executive team are women

( 2018 )

CAA drives employee education and wellness

oe MacLellan joined CAA Club Group four years ago and he has found lots to like about the organization. There’s the friendly atmosphere around the office, the accessible managers, the focus on learning and the programs to promote health and wellness. The organization retains the services of outside yoga and meditation instructors who lead weekly lunchhour sessions for employees. CAA sets aside relaxation rooms in some of its buildings where employees can go to meditate or practice yoga on their own. Associates can also take advantage of regular, 15-minute massages provided by registered massage therapists. “You sign up for your slot, you get your massage and you feel better for the rest of the day,” says MacLellan, an IT Security Administrator. “We’re also encouraged to take stretch breaks as often as possible, which is really important in a job like mine. I sit multiple hours a day between working and commuting and the lower back gets sore.”

One of the things I really love about CAA is how much focus they put on learning and developing your career. Joe MacLellan,

IT Security Administrator

Along with health and wellness, CAA encourages employee learning and development and it begins with a new-hire orientation course called Foundations. It provides associates with an overview of the membership-based organization

CAA CLUB GROUP EMPLOYEES PARTICIPATING IN AN ON-SITE YOGA CLASS

and its five lines of business. Motorists who purchase memberships are entitled to roadside emergency assistance. They can also purchase CAA travel packages, retail products, travel and medical insurance, and insurance for home and auto. “Typically, if you go into the IT department in a company, you don’t know what the business does,” says Apra Sekhon, CAA Club Group’s Assistant Vice-President IT. “Foundations tells you everything you need to know about the business. One of the very first things new employees do is take the course.” New hires also benefit from the organization’s buddy program. They are assigned an employee, typically a high

performer in the department in which they will be working, who introduces them to the job and the duties that come with it. “It really reduces the learning curve,” Sekhon says. “If they just give you a bunch of books or materials to read, you tend to get lost.” MacLellan says he has personally benefitted from CAA’s approach to employee education. He has taken courses offered in-house as well as others offered by outside organizations. “One of the things I really love about CAA is how much focus they put on learning and developing your career, whether it’s selftaught or through really good courses,” he says.

CAA Club Group is proud to be one of Greater Toronto’s Top Employers for the ninth year in a row. ®CAA trademarks owned by, and use is authorized by, the Canadian Automobile Association. Making bad days good. And good days better. is a registered trademark of CAA Club Group. (1837-10/17) 1837_CORP_Top Employer Ad-Final.indd 1

CAA Club Group has an open and collaborative culture and it is an organization with a flat hierarchy, says Chief Information Officer Kin Lee-Yow. “It’s one of the things that makes it really nice to work here,” he adds. “Our department is very closely embedded with the business units. We are at the table whenever any decision is to be made. We are strategic partners.” The organization also has a sophisticated rewards and recognition program to celebrate employee accomplishments. It’s called Applause. Employees nominate each other and junior-level employees can nominate those above them or vice-versa. There are six levels of accomplishment – Applause, Kudos, Encore, Standing Ovation, Bravo and Bravissimo. Employees collect points, which they can later redeem for merchandise from retail partners. “It’s a phenomenal program,” says Sekhon. “It’s based on how significant the accomplishment is and how it aligns with CAA’s corporate pillars – innovative, care-driven, collaborative and leading by example.”

1,513 304 68% 58%

full-time employees jobs available last year of employees are women of managers are women

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Making bad days good. And good days better.®

2017-10-16 9:11 AM

( 2018 )

Bring your heart to work at Capital One Bank

wo years ago Robyn Hunt almost didn’t take the job of Internal Communications Associate at Capital One Bank. Now she’s happy she did. She had been employed by public relations agencies for the previous five years, where “I wasn’t doing much more than working,” she says. “There was no such thing as work-life balance. I knew it was time for a change. Then I overheard someone from Capital One talking about how great their job was.” The idea of working for a bank made her nervous, however. “I thought I was way too creative and cool,” she says with a laugh. But she took a chance when an opportunity came up on the bank’s internal communications team and she has never looked back.

Culture is totally top of mind here, and it starts with people. Christina McClung,

Chief People Officer

“I’m so glad I took the job. I can’t believe how it has changed my life,” Hunt says now. “Our team works to make sure everyone is informed, and also to inspire them to think boldly. We work with other teams so I collaborate with many different people, all the way from new hires to senior management.” “Culture is totally top of mind here, and it starts with people,” says Christina McClung, Chief People Officer for Capital One, which specializes in credit cards. “We hire based on all the usual at-

CAPITAL ONE BANK ASSOCIATES COLLABORATING AT THEIR KITCHENER-WATERLOO LABS

tributes – we want people who are smart and motivated and so on – but we also look for people who bring a lot of heart to their work. “We’re recognized for our commitment to diversity and inclusion, and we know that work-life balance is important. I’ve stayed at Capital One because it’s fantastic at realizing we have a life outside work. We can have a family and a rewarding career. There’s generous time off, great benefits and we offer flexible work schedules.” Hunt has experienced the benefits of that flexibility. “I had two spine injuries a couple of years ago,” she says, “and I still have to go for an appointment once a

week, so I’m empowered to work one day a week from home. I have the sense that the company cares about me as a person.” Telecommuting is common at Capital One, McClung says, but employees who work in the bank’s offices find they are so comfortable “that you almost feel you want to live here. Our physical space is open and collaborative, designed to inspire people to be their whole selves. And it’s just going to get better at our new location.” In April 2018, Capital One will consolidate two Toronto locations in the northern part of the city into one new downtown head office at 161 Bay Street. “It will be the cutting edge of space for

collaboration,” says McClung. “There will be all kinds of cool stuff: writable and magnetic walls for posting ideas, AV integrated throughout, and white-noise sound masking to allow private conversations within the open-concept environment. It’s important for us that people can do their best work, so we invest to make it happen. “Another reason I’m here,” adds McClung, “is the bank is really committed to getting involved in the community. We think about how we can make a difference in a meaningful way.” One way Capital One makes a difference is with the annual Gift the Code Hackathon, in which technology teams create apps and redesign websites in support of Toronto-based charities. Hunt worked on the hackathon last year. “It was a proud moment for me to see how many of our people volunteered to take part,” she says. “The solutions that were created benefit the charities, not us, and they’re open-source so anyone can use them. “I’m having such a great time here,” Hunt concludes. But can she still be creative and cool? She laughs again: “Yes, I think I can.”

1,136 438 35 52.5%

full-time staff in Canada jobs available last year years, average age of all employees of employees are women

Start your career where being yourself is the most valuable thing you can be. capitalonecareers.ca

( 2018 )

CAS front-line workers receive top-notch peer support

hen Kanjana Brodie discusses what she like about her job at the Children’s Aid Society of Toronto, team dynamics tops the list. Support from peers and supervisors is essential given the nature of her work. Brodie is a Family Service Worker and routinely deals with neglected or abused youngsters and parents with complex needs. She meets families face to face in their homes and usually on her own. But she is part of a team of nine social workers and can always turn to them for advice and support. “Everyone on my team knows my challenging files and they help me,” says Brodie. “We have really critical conversations about the work we do and learn from each other how we can be less oppressive in our practice. I definitely feel that support and that’s something I really value.”

The work is important so we treat our employees as highly skilled and respected professionals. Marnie Lynn,

Chief Human Resources Officer

Front-line workers are challenged daily in their efforts to support families and create safety for their children, and the CAS goes the extra mile to support them. “The work is important so we treat our employees as highly skilled and respected professionals,” says Marnie Lynn, the society’s Chief Human Resources Officer. “We provide great

STAFF AT CAS TORONTO ON PINK SHIRT DAY, TAKING A STAND AGAINST BULLYING

compensation packages and we have one supervisor for every eight front-line workers. There’s always someone to consult or lean on.” Newly hired social workers are partnered with a more seasoned worker who serves as a mentor. The society also maintains a formal peer support network which front-line workers can turn to when necessary. “We have a mandatory referral from a supervisor if they feel a worker has been through a particularly stressful situation or a call didn’t go as expected,” says Lynn. “Members of the peer network are trained to provide emotional support.” The society has formal succession planning and leadership develop-

ment programs, both of which ensure that there are capable replacements available when there are retirements, departures or promotions. Succession planning involves such things as giving employees stretch assignments or allowing them to chair committees or lunch and learn sessions. Or in Brodie’s case taking on a master of social work (MSW) student who was doing a school placement. “My supervisor says she can see me taking on a supervisory role in the future,” says Brodie. “That isn’t in the realm of possibility right now, but having that seed planted by my supervisor instills a lot of confidence in me.” There are two streams of leadership training, one of which is offered

internally through the society’s Child Welfare Institute. The society also partners with an Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies program involving York University’s Schulich School of Business. Front-line workers typically have a case load of 14 to 18 families and they enjoy a great deal of latitude in determining what kind of therapies or interventions are necessary in each case. As well, they can keep their own hours. “Sometimes they have to work late to meet the needs of their clients,” says Lynn. “So it’s up to the individual when they start and end their day and whether they work from home or come to the office.” The agency is generous when it comes to vacation – four weeks to start – and personal leave days. Brodie says she was allowed to take four weeks after one particularly challenging year and she has taken personal days, no questions asked. “My mom was on a work trip to Collingwood and broke her hip,” Brodie says. “I messaged my supervisor and she said ‘Go. Don’t worry. We know what needs to be covered.’”

798 57 83% 4

full-time staff jobs available last year of employees are women weeks, starting vacation allowance

( 2018 )

Citi Canada staffs up on GTA tech talent

ecognizing the abundance of highly skilled technologists in the Greater Toronto Area, Citi Canada has been hiring in a big way, filling 400 new positions in 2017 alone. The bank’s technology centre in Mississauga now employs almost 1,000 technologists who build systems that are used around the world. “Citi is the world’s most global bank, and we have the opportunity to look at the talent footprint at our various sites internationally and choose where to locate new talent for development operations,” says Ed Heffer, Site President and head of Citi Canada’s Operations and Technology group. “We’re very happy with the technology talent in the GTA so it’s one of the locations we’re building on.” CITI TECHNOLOGISTS COLLABORATING ON NEW FEATURES FOR ONE OF THE COMPANY’S MOBILE APPLICATIONS

We look for people who are engaged, enthusiastic and work well in teams, because technology is best practised collaboratively. We want them to come up with new ideas. Ed Heffer,

Site President

Citi’s environment allows for a highly collaborative workplace, with exposure to new technologies and new ideas from a global perspective. To complement this atmosphere, the firm also offers an integrated graduate program, with six weeks of training and a two-year team rotation. “The people we’re hiring are a combination of new graduates and those with

more experience,” Heffer says. “We look for people who are engaged, enthusiastic and work well in teams, because technology is best practised collaboratively. We want them to come up with new ideas and implement them. There’s a lot of opportunity for employees to champion new ideas.” There’s also a lot of opportunity at Citi Canada for people to move into leadership positions, Jerry Mcgranaghan has found. She started with Citi five years ago in Belfast, Northern Ireland, following graduation, and in 2015 the company helped her move to Canada to further her career. She’s now Assistant Vice President, leading two technology teams with a total of seven people. “Our area, which is application sup-

port, has almost doubled in size over the last year, to about 120 members,” she says. “I help with hiring at the graduate level. One of the things I appreciate most about working for Citi is the company’s deep diversity.” Since technology is still heavily male-dominated, the bank offers leadership programs tailored specifically for female managers. These include Prometheus, which provides women starting out in management with mentoring, career training and one-on-one time with senior leaders; and Day in the Citi, which consists of networking sessions for female technology students while they’re still in school. Mcgranaghan has been involved in both programs. “For me, Prometheus was a

fantastic experience,” she says. “It enabled me to build a strong personal network and I was given tools that have helped me greatly. After I finished Prometheus earlier this year, I took part in Day in the Citi to help girls who will soon be graduating learn what it’s like to work here.” The bank has been rethinking its community support programs in order to engage younger employees, Heffer says. “Many of them are new to the corporate world so we talk about why we support charities and we try to find community partners with more of a technology orientation.” For example, the bank recently held a Citi Skills Marathon, a day-long event in which young Citi technology professionals provided local charities with free consulting services to help them address their specific technology and business challenges. The bank has also sponsored coding sessions for kids run by Ladies Learning Code. “These events are very engaging, with great energy and enthusiasm,” says Heffer. “It’s so gratifying to watch young ladies learning what code is all about. It opens their eyes about working in technology. It’s another type of contribution we can make as part of our larger charitable programs.”

1,300 400 52% 54%

full-time staff in Canada jobs available last year of employees are women of executive team are visible minorities

( 2018 )

CSA Group is setting standards for the future

or many Canadians, CSA Group, formerly the Canadian Standards Association, is probably best known as the organization that safety tests and certifies their electrical appliances. While that’s an important part of what the independent, not-for-profit, member-based association does, it’s far from the whole story – especially now that CSA Group is updating its own standards. President and Chief Executive Officer David Weinstein is eager to share that message with everyone, including potential employees. “There are great opportunities here,” he says. “Our work changes as our clients’ needs change so being innovative is very important to CSA Group. We are building an ultra-modern enterprise within a 100-year-old organization.” CSA employees can build an interesting and meaningful career here. They see their work make a valuable contribution right away. David Weinstein,

President and Chief Executive Officer

To do that, Weinstein says CSA Group has launched several initiatives. These include enhancing its training and development programs and increasing the scope of its research beyond project-specific analysis, to name only some. It’s the latest reboot for an organization formed in 1919 to develop engineering standards for railway bridges. Today, CSA Group develops internationally recognized standards for businesses, industries and consumers worldwide. Its mandate extends

AN EMPLOYEE AT CSA GROUP TESTING A NEW PRODUCT

beyond domestic products to a wide range of market sectors, including public safety and health, equitable trade, and environmental protection. Toronto-based, CSA Group has more than 35 labs and offices in 14 countries in Europe, Asia and North America. Its certification mark, now on more than a billion products, is recognized and accepted by many international governmental and regulatory bodies. That global span means employees can travel to take on special assignments at the various locations. Some have even transferred to work full time abroad. For Paul Keane, Executive Vice-President, Human Resources, overseas experience is just one of many advantages of working for CSA Group. As an HR professional with 30-plus years of experience, Keane says he inher-

ently cares about people. “The best and most gratifying part of my job is seeing individuals progress in their careers,” he adds. And since he joined CSA Group in 2007, he’s experienced that sort of job satisfaction increasingly often. Keane explains that in recent years, with Weinstein coming on board in 2015, CSA Group has dedicated tremendous resources to a range of professional development opportunities. With an emphasis on continuous learning, the association offers in-house training, tuition and accreditation support, mentoring and coaching, and leadership programs. The majority of employees have backgrounds in engineering, so technical training will always be important, Keane says. But now, he adds, there’s greater emphasis on being agile and adaptable: “Technology is constantly changing, which means you

CONNECTING EXPERTS. DELIVERING TRUST. Testing. Certification. Inspections. Standards Development. Learn more: csagroup.org

have to upgrade your competencies. You learn to earn.” If employees want to try something different, such as management or sales, that too is now an option. The association offers four paths to career development with training materials for each one. CSA Group even offers seminars informing employees about the learning opportunities open to them and how to access them. In another significant development, the association launched a research program to explore opportunities to create standards in important new fields, such as the sharing economy and reducing the spread of infectious diseases within hospitals. The findings of their initial research efforts, published in a series of white papers and presented at conferences, have been well received. Amid all the changes, the association’s commitment to creating a better, safer, more sustainable world remains constant. And that, says Weinstein, is a powerful draw for anyone interested in working for something other than a purely commercial enterprise. “CSA employees can build an interesting and meaningful career here,” he adds. “They see their work make a valuable contribution right away.”

745 221 10,048 43

full-time staff in Canada jobs available last year job applications received last year years, longestserving employee

( 2018 )

At Durham College, top leaders ask staff for advice

randon Carson enrolled at Durham College in Oshawa in 2005 to study web development and he never left. A six-week student placement in the college’s Communications and Marketing department led to a oneyear contract, and by then he knew he’d found a professional home. “After the fourth week of the sixweek placement I said, I love this place,” recalls Carson. “After working for the college for a year, I said I really want to work here full-time.” And that’s just what he’s done. Carson bought a home across the street from the college. He worked as a contract employee for four years before landing a permanent position. Currently, he is a Learning Technologist in the Centre for Academic and Faculty Enrichment – a role that allows him to apply what he learned as a student. Among other things, he works with faculty in various disciplines and teaches them how to use digital technology for course creation. After the fourth week of the six-week placement, I said I love this place. After working for the college for a year, I said I really want to work here full-time. Brandon Carson,

Learning Technologist, Centre for Academic and Faculty Enrichment

He has enjoyed other opportunities as well. Carson teaches digital technology-related courses part-time. He has served on committees as a member and co-chair. He is currently working on

BRANDON CARSON (RIGHT) RECEIVING HIS SUPPORT STAFF EMPLOYEE AWARD OF EXCELLENCE FROM COLLEGE PRESIDENT DON LOVISA, DURING DURHAM COLLEGE’S 2016 EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION EVENT

a bachelor’s degree in adult education and digital technology at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology and the college covers half his tuition. Once he’s completed that degree, he plans to pursue a master’s. Tuition subsidies are available to all full-time employees and that includes faculty, administrative staff and support staff, says Sandra Bennett, the college’s Associate Vice-President, Human Resources. Durham College also offers a number of other opportunities for professional growth and development. Employees can enroll in one of several leadership development programs offered by outside organizations. Many employees pursue opportunities within and outside of their employee group. Examples include support staff who move into other roles that align with their career goals, including teaching,

administrative staff who move into senior leadership roles, and faculty who are seconded to administrative positions. The college’s leadership team also encourages dialogue with employees through several channels, notably twice-yearly, day-long retreats that occur off campus. “It’s an opportunity for a small group of employees to meet with the president and the leadership team, including the chief administrative officer and the vice-presidents of academics and student affairs,” says Bennett. “Employees are encouraged to be open about what is good or not so good about Durham College and to contribute ideas they have for doing things differently.” Durham College takes a pro-active approach to employee health and wellness. Employees can take advantage of subsidized access to the college’s Campus Recreation and Wellness

Centre, which includes five gymnasiums, an indoor running and walking track as well as a 10,000-square-foot fitness centre equipped with weights, treadmills and state-of-the-art exercise machines. Two years ago, the college launched an Employee Wellness Release Time initiative in which staff can take an extra half hour at lunch three times a week in order to work out. “People have said that half hour makes such a difference,” Bennett says. “They say, ‘I feel like I’m a better employee and a better parent because I’m getting personal time, but not at the expense of my family’.” The college has several important programs to ensure that the campus is an open and welcoming environment for students, staff and faculty. The Office of Student Diversity, Inclusion and Transitions develops initiatives to support all members of the campus community, including marginalized minority groups, such as members of the LGBTQ+ community. More recently, the college has set up a committee to lead initiatives to uphold recommendations made by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

“It’s easy to come to work each day when you feel valued and supported as an employee.” W W W. D U R H A M C O L L E G E . C A

– Lisa McInerney, Office of Development and Alumni Affairs

790 132 52 42

full-time staff jobs available last year weeks maternity and paternity leave top-up pay years, average age of employees

GREATER TORONTO TOP EMPLOYER FOR

7 YEARS

( 2018 )

Employees are driven to succeed at Enterprise Holdings

hey say the days of finding a job at a company you like, working your way up the corporate ladder and making a career of it are over – but not at Enterprise Holdings Inc., whose brands include Enterprise Rent-A-Car, National Car Rental and Alamo Rent A Car. As the largest car rental company in North America, Enterprise Holdings has a philosophy of promoting from within and helping employees move up the management ranks. “One of our guiding principles is that the best managers are those who have been in their employees’ shoes,” says Margi Dolan, who is Vice President of Human Resources for Canada based out of St. Louis, Missouri, where she began her Enterprise career 24 years ago. “I love seeing new recruits come here and share this experience I had.” I feel like they give you all the resources and tools you need to be successful. One of the company’s founding values is we work hard and reward hard work. Ashley Lopez,

Assistant Branch Manager

In that case, Dolan might want to keep her eye on Ashley Lopez, an Assistant Branch Manager in Toronto. Lopez started out at Enterprise more than three years ago, working as a customer service representative at Toronto Pearson International Airport while she was still at university earning a Bachelor of Commerce degree. Her Enterprise managers offered her

AN ENTERPRISE EMPLOYEE HELPING A CUSTOMER SIGN OUT A RENTAL VEHICLE

the flexibility she required as a student. “I’d be, ‘Hey guys, it’s mid-term season. Can I take less shifts?’ They understood. They always made sure that I put school first.” After graduation, Lopez applied for the company’s management training program and was fast tracked. Now, having worked at various Greater Toronto locations, she is an Assistant Branch Manager at an Enterprise location downtown where she is involved in all aspects of operations as well as the training and development of her team of six people. “I love it. Honestly, I feel like they give you all the resources and tools you need to be successful,” she says. “One of the company’s founding values is we work hard and reward hard work. There

are opportunities for me to advance my career.” In Dolan’s case, she started in St. Louis as a management trainee like Ashley. After several promotions over her first 20 years, she moved to North Carolina as Vice President of Human Resources for the state. In 2016, she returned to St. Louis to take on her current position, which involves traveling across Canada. When Dolan talks to new recruits, she tells them what sets Enterprise Holdings apart is the ability to grow based on what you do every day. It’s not about hierarchy but rather about exceeding customer expectations while learning a business from the ground up, Dolan explains. “The Canadian market and the Toronto market are expanding rapidly,”

she says. That is creating opportunities for “anyone who wants to take charge of their career and impact their future.” So, where is the rental business headed in the coming world of driverless cars? “We have considered what the future will look like and how it may affect our industry,” says Dolan. “We know we have the best people in the business. Our employees are what set us apart and we will continue to leverage that along with technology any way this business goes.” Along with appreciating the working environment at Enterprise, Lopez also likes the camaraderie. “It’s a very fun and friendly environment. We go out on Fridays and celebrate a good week,” she says. “It’s like I’m working with friends who I get along with.” Together with those fellow employees and friends, and supported by Enterprise Holdings, Lopez has participated in charitable events including the Scotiabank Rat Race and the CN Tower Climb as well as helping prepare food for shelters. “Enterprise is very involved in the communities where it does business,” she says. “It only makes sense they give back as well.

2,750 39.4 42 450

full-time staff in Canada years, average age of all employees years, longestserving employee charities helped last year

Proud to be one of Greater Toronto’s Top Employers go.enterpriseholdings.com/canada

( 2018 )

Equitable Bank places value on values

quitable Bank does things differently from many other banks. It has no branches or ATMs, believing the future lies in a digital approach where physical cash becomes less important. In 2016, it launched the digital EQ Bank, recently rated the sixth-best digital bank in the world by an industry magazine. Equitable’s lending businesses are primarily related to real estate, from large apartment blocks to houses for self-employed people and new arrivals in Canada.

We focus on our employees to help them be their absolute best. We want to make working here a really rewarding experience.

EQUITABLE BANK EMPLOYEES CELEBRATING CANADA DAY

Jody Sperling,

Vice President, Human Resources

“We’re not a full-service bank and we don’t have bricks and mortar,” says Jody Sperling, Vice President, Human Resources. “We enable people to own their own homes and improve their credit ratings. We’re a values-driven company.” That sense of values extends to the way the bank deals with its employees and the communities it serves. “We focus on our employees to help them be their absolute best. We want to make working here a really rewarding experience,” says Sperling. “Diversity and inclusion are core values in our culture. “One sign of our diversity is the number of languages our employees speak. No matter what language a customer wants to use, we can usually find a staff

member who can talk to them. And we let our employees know that not only can you be who you are, you can celebrate who you are. As long as you share our values, we welcome you.” Teena Stanley has found that to be true. She has worked for Equitable Bank for almost 15 years, initially as an entry-level funder, then moving up to her current position of Senior Funding Manager dealing with residential single-family mortgages. “It’s absolutely a privilege to work here,” she says. “They keep employees happy, they listen to us and they allow for work-life balance. There are so many opportunities for growth and personal development. It’s a big difference from where I worked before. They have the proper tools to help people and there’s support in all different aspects of our lives.”

Thank You

To our employees who continuously give back to our communities. Proud to be a GTA Top Employer for another year!

Recently Stanley was the recipient of an unusual level of support from the bank. “The past year and a half have been the darkest time of my life,” she explains. “My five-year-old daughter was diagnosed with leukemia last year. The company has done so much to help. They went above and beyond to support me, including two fundraisers where they matched the funds raised for SickKids. “The vice president of HR called regularly and the president called. They always asked after me and my daughter, there was never any pressure to come back to work. But I wanted to, because they’d done so much for me that I had to give back.” Now that her daughter is doing well and is in school again, Stanley has returned to work in the same position as when she left. Giving back is a recurring theme at

Equitable Bank. “There’s no question that some of the agencies we support charitably are tied into people we work with on mortgages,” says Sperling. “We look to make an impact on agencies that line up with our businesses. We focus on less fortunate areas in cities where we have locations, supporting groups that deal with homelessness or mental illness, for example.” In Toronto, where the bank is based, employees volunteer their time and support for organizations such as 40 Oaks Community Centre, Madison Community Services, Reach for the Rainbow and the Indigenous Women’s Group. The bank also offers employment and scholarships to young mothers from Humewood House to help them get back on their feet. As well, staff members participate in three major charitable events: Ride for Heart, the Plane Pull for ALS Canada and JDRF Revolution Ride to Defeat Diabetes. “All our employees know we place great importance on volunteerism in our communities,” says Sperling. “It’s one of our values and one of the reasons we’ve been successful.”

582 59% 26 886

full-time staff in Canada of managers are women charities helped last year staff volunteer hours last year

( 2018 )

Mentors and mentees Match up at Fidelity Canada

idelity Canada has been on a hiring boom. In the first nine months of 2017, the company filled 464 positions, of which 278 were external hires. The company now employs about 1,000 people in Canada, approximately 900 of them in Toronto. Part of the global Fidelity organization, the Canadian organization is one of the country’s leading investment management firms. “Sometimes it is difficult for a business to maintain employee commitment when it is growing and changing, but Fidelity is able to do that,” says Diana Godfrey, Vice President, Human Resources. “Our culture of continuous learning and continuous improvement makes that possible.”

When the employees feel strongly about a cause, Fidelity is ready to match with a donation. Diana Godfrey,

Vice President, Human Resources

Employees can benefit from a variety of learning opportunities and can move into new roles within the organization. Alison Betts is an example: she joined Fidelity in 2013 as a sales coordinator and, while taking the three-year sales development program, was promoted to business development manager and then senior business development manager. She transitioned to a Content Marketing Manager role in mid-2017. “Concurrently, while I was doing the internal training, I took external courses

FIDELITY CANADA EMPLOYEES PARTICIPATING IN A FUNDRAISER IN SUPPORT OF THE UNITED WAY

to earn my Canadian Securities Course and Chartered Investment Manager designations,” says Betts. Fidelity fully reimburses tuition fees for relevant courses taken at outside institutions. Fidelity also offers an innovative mentorship program. In addition to traditional mentoring – where a senior manager advises a more junior employee – Mentor Match includes reverse mentoring – where executives are mentored by younger employees – and peer-to-peer mentoring. There have been 154 mentorship pairs since the program began in October 2014. Betts took part in peer-to-peer mentoring last year, and says the learning went both ways. “I strengthened communications skills, and learned the value of sharing my experiences as well as the importance of actively listening,” she recalls.

The company runs a popular secondment program. Employees can apply to fill other roles that are temporarily open due to leaves of absence. It allows the employee to try a different role for a meaningful period of time. He or she then returns to their existing role, having acquired a new skill set. Since mid-2014, Fidelity has conducted a company-wide listening campaign, “I’m All Ears,” which encourages employees to “Empathize, Ask, Recognize, Spotlight.” The campaign is about ensuring that all employees are listened to, whether it is managers listening to their reports or peer to peer. “Listening is not about waiting for your chance to speak,” says Godfrey. “It is about listening to someone, hearing what they have to say and digesting it. When you take the time to do that, you

Outstanding employees take us to new heights. careers.fidelity.ca

actually learn more. That has been a very successful campaign.” Fidelity’s employee resource groups exemplify its commitment to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. They include Pride (for LGBTQ), Aspire (for Blacks and Latinos), an Asian group, a women’s leadership group, and, most recently, Enable (for employees with disabilities). Collectively, the groups have 511 members. Fidelity encourages its employees to support worthy causes by giving them one paid day a year to volunteer (becoming two paid days in 2018). Betts devoted her day to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada, taking part in playground activities with elementary school children. For 2017, she and her team planned to volunteer at the Daily Bread Food Bank. Fidelity employees fielded a team of over 30 participants in the 2017 OneWalk to Conquer Cancer benefiting Princess Margaret Cancer Centre; the company supported the cause with a $30,000 donation. “When the employees feel strongly about a cause, Fidelity is ready to match with a donation,” says Godfrey.

891 290 10,724 39.3

full-time staff in Canada jobs available last year job applications received last year years average age of all employees

( 2018 )

Fast-growing Fleet Complete keeps a collegial culture

even years ago, when Katerina Gavrikova started at Fleet Complete, being a jack-of-alltrades was the name of the game and she embraced it enthusiastically. She started in the three-person fulfillment department – processing orders and ensuring that product reached customers on time. That had nothing to do with her education – a university degree in Fine Arts – but as Gavrikova puts it: “I was a young person at the time looking for an opportunity and Fleet Complete looked like a very, very good place to work.” It proved to be a good hunch. The company quickly propelled itself into a global player in the fleet telematics space and today, Katerina is the Team Lead and Senior Graphic Designer in the Digital Marketing department. We promote a lot from within. We’ve had individuals leading a team of four and, a year or two later, they needed to lead a team of 20 or more. Larry Indovina,

Executive Vice President, Human Resources

Founded in 1998, Fleet Complete offers a variety of tracking solutions to companies with fleets, assets and mobile workers. That can mean trucking companies, delivery companies, firms with technicians in the field and construction companies with high-value assets. “We’re a technology solutions company”, says Larry Indovina, Executive Vice President, Human Resources. “We aim to help businesses, big and small, with

FLEET COMPLETE RECRUITMENT STAFF AT TECHFEST

their everyday challenges and this is what lies at the heart and soul of Fleet Complete. And we still have a long runway of growth ahead.” In fact, the company’s growth curve has been trending sharply upward for the past three years. Fleet Complete employed just under 100 people in 2014, and in late 2017 is employing over 400 globally. The company has sales and service offices in Canada, the U.S., the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria and Australia, and is currently expanding into Germany. Despite the rapid growth, Fleet Complete has maintained a collegial workplace culture. The company’s commitment to its employees is reflected in benefits such as free health coverage, 75 per cent maternity leave top-up, RRSP contribution match, flexible work hours and a threeweek vacation allowance to start. Then there is the company’s onboarding program, JumpStart. New hires spend their first week together learning

about Fleet Complete, its services and products. Even the Chief Executive Officer, Tony Lourakis, drops by to ask employees about their experience, personal interests and hobbies, among other things. “It’s the people that make our company great. Without our amazing team we wouldn’t be where we are today” says Lourakis. Though the company is growing rapidly, it has always maintained the air of a smaller, tightknit group, says Gavrikova. “When I started, it was all hands on deck,” she says. “If you saw a gap, you filled it. If you wanted to grow within the organization, you could accomplish this by hard work, passion and support of the management team.” In her case, she saw an opportunity that landed her a position in what was then a one-person marketing department and a chance to apply the design skills she had learned at university. “Our products didn’t have any installation

guides shipped with them,” she says. “I approached the management team and, with their support, was able to create a guide which resulted in a better client experience.” Fleet Complete puts plenty of emphasis on professional development. The company puts its high performers through a management-training program, offered by the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management, to prepare them to step up when an opportunity arises. “We promote a lot from within,” says Indovina. “We’ve had individuals leading a team of four and, a year or two later, they needed to lead a team of 20 or more. Our partnership with Rotman helps facilitate this leadership growth.” Indovina adds that the company’s Toronto head office encourages employee collaboration. It is conveniently located in the ultra-modern RBC Waterpark complex, only a five-minute walk from Union Station. It houses a large food court, coffee shops, indoor gym, and other amenities. The office lunchroom is equipped with TVs, snacks and refreshments, while the weekly Thursday Happy Hour is a popular social event for all.

250 74 3 37

full-time staff in Canada jobs available last year weeks, starting vacation allowance years, average age of all employees

In the heart of Toronto, Fleet Complete is proud to be recognized as a GREATER TORONTO'S TOP EMPLOYER for

TWO CONSECUTIVE YEARS We thank our employees for making us great. Jumpstart your career with Fleet Complete today!

fleetcomplete.com/join-the-team

( 2018 )

George Brown College is a centre of learning for all

eorge Brown College has provided Jackie Tan, Senior Operations Manager, many opportunities for development and learning. Tan, who has a background in hotel industry marketing in her home country of Singapore, was starting anew in Toronto when she was first introduced to the college. With the help of a professional placement for new immigrants arranged by the Career Edge Organization, she soon found her niche at George Brown. “George Brown has provided me with a very supportive environment,” says Tan. “I was able to learn on the job, and learn quickly.” From a development perspective, on my journey I was given many opportunities to learn on the job, to grow in my role and to move forward. Jackie Tan,

Senior Operations Manager

From her standing start in 2004, when she began her internship as a project manager at George Brown, Tan moved into contract work as a project manager, then joined the permanent staff in 2006 and became a budget manager, an operations manager and now, Senior Operations Manager for the Division of Community Services and Health Sciences. It’s a highly responsible position, working directly with the Dean and Associate Dean. “I have a pretty big portfolio,” she says. “My main duties involve budgeting, business planning and staff development in a division with seven academic schools and 5,000 students,” she says. She also works directly with two of those units, the School of Social and Community Services and the School of

STAFF AND STUDENTS BOTH LEARN AT GEORGE BROWN

Deaf and Deaf-Blind Studies. “My plate is pretty full,” she laughs. As evidence of the support she has received, she notes that she recently returned from an eight-month professional development leave, completing an online MBA from Edinburgh Business School in Scotland. “I had been working on it for four years, but I told my supervisor I couldn’t finish it if I had to work as well. So I applied for the leave and I got it.” She also received tuition assistance. Tan feels her talents have been well recognized at George Brown. “From a development perspective, on my journey I was given many opportunities to learn on the job, to grow in my role and to move forward,” she says. “I was able to expand from budget-

ing and day-to-day operations to a much broader perspective. And now my role is transitioning again, to support the division from a more strategic point of view, including the digital transformation of our school. Student learning is changing – we are going to have a generation who are digitally savvy, so the way we teach has to change.” For Leslie Quinlan, Vice President Human Resources and Organizational Development, career development for people like Tan is a key part of George Brown’s success. “We have launched a number of new programs related to career development, including personal development plans, a teaching and learning exchange where faculty can collaborate and share ideas, and improved employee access to learning pro-

grams,” she says. The college has also added more tools and resources to help employees do their work. Some of this, she says, came in response to the latest employee survey, in which the college’s employee engagement score, already strong, rose two points to 83 per cent over the past two years. “Our turnover rate is very low – less than five per cent,” she says. “People come here and stay for their whole careers.” The reasons, she says, include a strong focus on students that keeps the entire workforce aligned, as well as the generous benefits that all colleges offer. And then there is George Brown’s environment. “It’s a pretty exciting place to work,” she says. “We are located downtown – right in the heart of the city. There’s incredible diversity on campus, both among students and faculty. There’s easy access to transit. There are also great projects going on, such as the newly announced building at our Waterfront campus, the Arbour, Toronto’s first tall wood, carbon-neutral, net-positive building. “Most importantly, though, we have committed employees and a caring culture that encourages lifelong learning, which really does make George Brown College an excellent place to work.”

1,433 90% 83% 60%

full-time staff in Canada of employees say they’re proud to work at George Brown employee engagement score, up 2 points in 2 years of employees are women

It’s Our People Who Make the Difference Our dedicated team at George Brown College are committed to giving our students the skills employers value most, while motivating them to succeed and thrive. Helping students build their careers inspires us to be better employees every single day.

Join our team: georgebrown.ca/employment

( 2018 )

Wellness is a good bet at Great Blue Heron Casino

the employee-focused workplace culture at Great Blue Heron Casino can be traced back to the original reason the company was established 20 years ago, says General Manager and Chief Executive Officer Arnold Block. “Our initial vision was to provide a vehicle that would enrich the economic development of First Nations people and offer them advancement opportunities, but since then we’ve taken that idea into the greater community,” he explains. “We wanted to create a lasting business that would be an employer of choice and I believe we’ve succeeded in doing just that. We’re not only the major employer in our small community but what we’ve accomplished has also created a multiplier effect on the entire region.” Indeed, Great Blue Heron Casino, located near Port Perry, Ont., is now one of the largest employers in Durham Region, with 700 full-time and 400 part-time staff members. Some of these employees have worked at the casino ever since it opened in 1997. We feel an obligation to provide a healthy workplace and we take to heart the concerns of our people.

GREAT BLUE HERON CASINO STAFF RECEIVING THEIR CERTIFICATION IN MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID

Arnold Block,

General Manager and CEO

As part of its workplace vision, the company has made the health and wellness of its people a top priority, launching numerous initiatives to raise awareness of the importance of wellbeing at work and in life. Most recently, mental health has become a focus of particular attention, with efforts to enhance understanding about mental illness in the workplace and reduce the stigma attached to it.

“We feel an obligation to provide a healthy workplace and we take to heart the concerns of our people,” Block says. “In any work environment you can’t avoid some degree of stress and anxiety, but we’ve noticed an increase in stress-related issues in recent years. Recognizing this need, we’ve made a conscious effort to do something through our employee assistance program.” To this end, in the spring of 2017, the casino provided mental health first aid (MHFA) training for 52 of its employees, including the managers and 16 emergency

medical responders in the security department. Like traditional first aid, MHFA is designed to help a person showing signs of a mental health problem or crisis until appropriate treatment can be found or the crisis is over. The MHFA training program, under the auspices of the Mental Health Commission of Canada, educates participants about early intervention and how to recognize behavioural cues. Most importantly, it also aims to improve mental health literacy. “For me the training program was a real

eye-opener. It shone a whole new light on mental health,” says Lorne Paudash, Security Department Manager at Great Blue Heron Casino. “Two instructors came in to give us a two-day course. It was very interactive, with a lot of role-playing.” Paudash, who is now in his 19th year at the casino and was promoted to his current position in 2016, was able to put his training into practice soon after he received it. “A staff member came forward indicating they might inflict harm on themselves due to personal issues,” he says. “I brought them into the office and spoke to them and we talked it out. I was able to determine there was no real intent for harm. “I’d run into this kind of thing previously but I didn’t know what to do before the training. It helped me a great deal on a personal level. The biggest thing is knowing the issues and having empathy.” Great Blue Heron Casino takes pride in being a leader in providing health-related programs such as this, says Block. “For us, it’s about how we run the company – it’s not only for profits but also for the way we want to conduct ourselves as a member of the community. We strive to create an atmosphere that will attract the right people, and then we have mechanisms in place to retain them and help them grow.”

700 16,903 1,013 240

WE HAVE A WINNER! Great Blue Heron Casino is very proud to be named as one of Greater Toronto’s Top Employers for the third consecutive year.

Must be 19 years of age or older. Patrons with self-excluded or trespassed status, as determined by the Great Blue Heron Casino (GBHC) will not be eligible to participate in this or any GBHC promotion; and if detected at our gaming property will be removed and trespassed.

full-time staff training hours in the last year performance awards given last year job postings in the last year

( 2018 )

Griffith Foods knows the ingredients of employee success

ajesh Mistry is a busy man. As Supplier Management Coordinator at Griffith Foods Ltd. in Toronto, he deals with the company’s 400 suppliers of ingredients and raw materials. “I manage their performance, conduct audits and make sure they meet Griffith’s requirements and customer requirements. For supplier-related issues, it all comes down to me.” Griffith Foods is a product development partner specializing in ingredients. “We are a purpose-driven organization. Our purpose is to blend care and creativity to nourish the world,” says Joyce Ballou, Senior Director, Human Resources. “We have six key values which are aligned with our purpose and are at the heart of all we do – act like family; behave like owners; build customer success; deliver results; make the future better; and work together globally.”

We are a purpose-driven organization, and our purpose is to blend care and creativity to nourish the world. Joyce Ballou,

Senior Director, Human Resources

Griffith hired 60 new employees in the past year, a combination of summer students, co-op students, part-time, contract and full-time employees. The company created eight new positions in Toronto. Griffith hires for a variety of positions, including in operations, sales and general administration, R&D and

EMPLOYEES AT GRIFFITH FOODS CLEANING UP THE COMMUNITY ON EARTH DAY

quality assurance. “We supplement our full-time staff with temporary-agency staff,” says Ballou, “so many of the fulltime positions in operations are filled through that channel.” Mistry began working for Griffith as a part-time student on the production side while earning his BSc in biochemistry at the University of Toronto. As a full-time employee for the past 27 years, he has worked in several quality-assurance positions and says it has been an “amazing experience.” Griffith makes e-learning courses available to all employees for internal training. When the company identifies a need for specific training for a particular team, it brings a facilitator in-house. A year ago, for example, it engaged the Canadian Management Centre to facilitate a leadership development program, “Go Beyond – Cre-

ating Extraordinary Leaders,” for its supply-chain leadership. The company also sends staff on external seminars. Mistry found it useful to attend Guelph Food Technology Centre’s workshop on supplier management and how to conduct supplier audits. Griffith subsidizes tuition costs up to $2,500 annually for employees pursuing programs at colleges and universities. “Employees might be working toward a degree in areas such as finance or food science, toward an MBA or a supply-chain designation,” says Ballou. Over the past three years, the company has created the Griffith Women Leaders (GWL) program, a series of leadership development sessions aimed at helping women, in particular, develop competencies to gain more senior roles. (Women account for one-quarter of the Griffith workforce and one-half

We’re proud to be one of Greater Toronto’s Top Employers, a region known for ethnic diversity and world-class cuisine!

of the managers.) The GWL has partnered with the Women’s Foodservice Forum to provide additional training and networking opportunities. Globally and locally, Griffith is a dedicated supporter of food banks. “Because we are a food company, much of our focus in our community is on food,” says Ballou. Working with the Daily Bread and North York Harvest food banks in the GTA, the company has met its goal for the past two years of providing one million meals annually in Canada. The “Griffith Cares” committee, comprising a dozen employees, was recently created to promote volunteer activities among staff. In the past year, one-third of employees have been involved in at least one community event, and some in multiple events. A volleyball event in which Mistry and 15 other employees recently took part raised over $3,000 for the Hospital for Sick Children. A Griffith Cares App, similar to a Facebook page, enables employees to post articles and photos documenting their volunteer experiences.

351 60 44 50%

full-time staff in Canada jobs available last year years, longestserving employee of managers are women

( 2018 )

HIROC: Not your run-of-the-mill insurance company

irst as a nurse, then as a lawyer, and most recently as a top executive, Catherine Gaulton had worked across Canada, observing the country’s public healthcare systems from many different angles before taking on her current role as the CEO of HIROC last year. “I knew the reputation for integrity HIROC has and its commitment to subscribers and patient safety,” she says, explaining that the mission of HIROC – or Healthcare Insurance Reciprocal of Canada – is to partner with the subscribers it insures. “That makes it not your run-of-the-mill insurance company.” There’s a wealth of knowledge here at HIROC that we all share. We’re very specialized in what we do and that’s what makes us unique. Agnese Alati,

Claims Adjuster

As an insurance reciprocal, HIROC is owned and governed by over 700 healthcare organizations and professional practice groups (hospitals, associations and midwives, for example). A not-for-profit insurer, it was started in the 1980s when the organizations that would become its subscribers were unable to find reasonably priced insurance in the commercial marketplace. Solid financial results have enabled HIROC to return surplus funds to subscribers every year. The money goes directly back into hospital operations and patient care. Another priority for HIROC is helping its subscribers to identify and mitigate risks, which, in turn, creates

HIROC CEO CATHERINE GAULTON AND CFO GREG KING (RIGHT) PRESENTING ROB CHANG WITH 30-YEAR STAFF ANNIVERSARY CERTIFICATE

a safer health-care environment for patients. HIROC mines its extensive Canadian claims database to find potential areas for improvement. It provides consultation and advice services, risk identification and management tools, and resources and education. The latter includes an annual risk management conference and reports on everything from cyber risk, including breach of personal health information, to strengthening the safety of obstetric services in Canada. When Agnese Alati, an insurance industry veteran and claims adjuster, decided it was time for a different career challenge, she moved over to HIROC, attracted by its values, the emphasis

on work/life balance, and what she describes as its family-like culture. “Upper management is so approachable,” says Alati. “Managers, VPs and the CEO listen to our ideas, what we have to say. That means a lot.” When Gaulton first joined HIROC she met with all its employees “not to talk about work but to get to know us.” Alati enjoys the regular employee appreciation days, an atmosphere that facilitates water-cooler chats, and, she jokes, workplace coffee that’s far better than average. Among other benefits, HIROC offers flexible work arrangements to help new parents and the HIROCommunity program through which employees volunteer their time

to community projects such as revitalizing a garden at a hospice and delivering meals on wheels during the winter. In the Toronto office, which has some 90 employees, Alati can walk over and ask her colleagues for assistance any time. “There’s a wealth of knowledge here at HIROC that we all share,” she says. “We’re very specialized in what we do and that’s what makes us unique.” This approachability culture extends to relationships with subscribers. “They call us with questions, even just to run something by us. It may not even be a claim,” says Alati, adding that HIROC’s website has “a wealth of information.” Likewise, when the subscribers provide feedback, Alati is happy to transmit it to the right people at HIROC. This commitment of HIROC staff to providing service to subscribers is something that has long impressed Gaulton, who wants to “leverage that talent even more than it has been to impact patient safety in this country. “The changes taking place in the health system, what you see impacting the health system, that is what we are responding to,” she says.

97 17 550 60%

full-time staff in Canada jobs available last year job applications received last year of executive team are women

Our employees make us shine!

We’re proud to be chosen as one of Greater Toronto’s Top Employers

( 2018 )

Equality is top of docket for the Law Society

ecently at its Osgoode Hall headquarters, the Law Society of Upper Canada hosted an event called “Testify: A Project of the Indigenous Laws + Arts Collective.” The show, in part a response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, pairs artists and legal thinkers to create art and writings about Indigenous laws and what all Canadians can do together to honour and incorporate Indigenous traditions.

We have robust and active equality, diversity and inclusion programs within our organization, to make sure our employees know as much about themselves and their diversity as they do about the members and communities we serve. Diana Miles,

Acting CEO

For Darcy Belisle, Indigenous Initiatives Counsel at the Law Society and a member of Ontario’s Woodland Métis Tribe, the event was symbolic of the Law Society’s commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, especially when it comes to Indigenous people among its members and the public. Osgoode’s Convocation Hall “is a beautiful space, but it’s a very colonial in the sense that it’s full of old books, stained glass and portraits of largely white people,” says Belisle. “It’s very Euro-centric. So it

EMPLOYEES AT THE LAW SOCIETY OF UPPER CANADA TAKING A STAND AGAINST BULLYING

was incredible to have those voices and those laws penetrate the Law Society space, and that’s happening more and more.” Certainly, the Law Society’s recent decision to drop “Upper Canada” from its name soon is part of efforts to reflect the contemporary, diverse province it serves as the regulator of Ontario’s legal professions. “We work to be a role model for lawyers and paralegals when it comes to diversity and inclusion, so it’s very important for us to reflect that,” notes Acting CEO Diana Miles. “In 2016, we engaged in a diversity census and an inclusion survey within our organization to collect demographic data around gender, age, sexual orientation and other dimensions, so that we know who we are and whether or not we’re reflective of the communities we’re serving. “We have robust and continually active equality, diversity and inclusion

programs within our organization, to make sure our employees know as much about themselves and their diversity as they do about the members and communities we serve,” Miles says. That focus naturally extends to being more attentive to the needs of First Nations, Métis and Inuit Ontarians. In June, the Law Society adopted an Indigenous Framework to “prioritize reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.” Belisle, a lawyer who has focused on Indigenous law and issues throughout his working life, is thrilled to be playing a policy-support role in the Framework’s implementation. “The big thing for me is being part of developing a principled approach to making positive change at the Law Society. That’s a big job, but it also speaks to the willingness of the Law Society to learn and engage.” Employee work-life balance is also very important for the Law Society, which is being named one of Greater

Toronto’s Top Employers for the 12th year in a row. “We offer a lot of flexible work arrangements, including telecommuting and flexible hours,” Miles points out. “We’re very cognizant of the fact that staff need to have a balanced lifestyle to perform at their best.” The Law Society also offers noontime activities such as lunch-and-learns, meditation, yoga and other physical activities that help promote health and performance. Professional development is also critical for the Law Society. It offers staff formal mentoring programs, in-house and online training programs and subsidies for tuition and professional accreditation activities. This year, it launched a talent management program in the interest of succession planning. Among other perks, including parental leave payment top-ups and vibrant fundraising and charitable programs, there’s the subsidized cafeteria. “The lunches are very, very good,” says Belisle. “I know it might sound a bit insignificant, but it’s actually really affected my health. They have healthy and local food here, and it’s affordable.”

526 3 4,459 65%

full-time staff in Canada weeks, starting vacation allowance job applications received last year of employees are women

Join a Top Employer that celebrates diversity, supports wellbeing, and rewards performance. Learn more about the opportunities available at lsuc.on.ca

For two days in April, join the organizers of the annual Canada’s Top 100 Employers project as they explore the key themes they will be covering in next year’s competition. Join world-class speakers, authors, journalists and dozens of business leaders from this year’s winning employers – all hand-picked by the editors of Canada’s Top 100 Employers to bring you the latest thinking on becoming an employer-of-choice. Attending the Top Employer Summit is an ideal way to have all your questions on the Canada’s Top 100 Employers project answered in a convenient two-day, non-commercial format.

For information or to register, please visit: www.EmployerSummit.ca

( 2018 )

Work locally, make an impact globally with MSF Canada

very couple of months, Doctors Without Borders/ Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) runs orientation sessions to prepare international field workers heading out on their first assignments. During these sessions, workers have a chance to talk to former field workers and learn about the conditions in the field, about mental and physical preparation, and about how to implement MSF’s principles in practice. “Over the course of those two days, you see people really become inspired and further motivated to join us,” says Recruitment Officer Karel Janssens. “It’s an organization with a very strong culture, with a lot of self-reflection and with a very clear purpose. It just pulls people into it very easily.”

Saving lives and alleviating suffering – it doesn’t get much more meaningful than that. Tiffany Moore,

Human Resources Director

Janssens has been with MSF since 2003, working in such places as sub-Saharan Africa, Haiti and Pakistan in different roles. Since 2014, he has been stationed in the Toronto office recruiting Canadian physicians, nurses and other personnel who work around the world for the humanitarian organization. “I come from a small town in Belgium,” he says, “and I owe this organization a lot in terms of the people I’ve come across,

MSF NURSE KATE GANNON LEADING A TEAM TO EVACUATE A PATIENT BY HELICOPTER

the countries I’ve travelled through, the professional growth I’ve gone through.” But Janssens is not simply one of the rare lucky ones. In fact, anyone who works at MSF for two years is entitled to apply for leave of absence to work in the field. Since starting as an office volunteer in 1998, Tiffany Moore has worked in various capacities, helping the organization deliver front-line emergency care to people in Afghanistan, Siberia and South Sudan, among other places. Currently MSF’s Human Resources Director, Moore agrees that mobility is one of the big draws of the organization. “If you’re flexible and adaptable and willing to adjust to the needs of the organization, and you can move to wherever

you’re needed,” she says, “it is certainly an organization full of opportunities globally.” People who work for MSF Canada are privy to a view on the world that most others aren’t fortunate enough to have. And the work itself is intensely rewarding. “We’re providing essential life-saving health care,” Janssens adds. “It’s a no-brainer when you’re in the field. It’s something that goes beyond being a job.” Office staff can also join meetings and talk to international visitors. Furthermore, says Moore, “you do have the opportunity to experience moving around the world and to have an impact globally not just by influencing activities but by interacting with international

actors and people in other offices.” The work can be incredibly demanding and the pay is modest, but the benefits package is generous and the opportunities to learn and develop are endless. Among other things, MSF Canada offers tuition subsidies for job-related courses and professional accreditation as well as mentoring and coaching initiatives. “Without our people, we’re nothing,” says Moore. “We’re an organization founded on the concept of volunteerism, and that makes it all the more important to truly value the people who are giving so much of themselves for our work.” After a certain amount of time, every employee has the right to “join” the MSF Association. At that point, a member can make a motion at the annual general assembly; in fact, some of the biggest changes globally have come through members. “It’s really an association of people who are drawn together by their humanitarian ideals,” Moore adds. “After two decades, I am still fiercely proud of being part of MSF and of what we do. Saving lives and alleviating suffering—it doesn’t get much more meaningful than that.”

64 201 4 50%

THE SKILLS YOU HAVE ARE THE SKILLS WE NEED. Learn more about joining our team. Check out www.Doctorswithoutborders.ca

full-time staff in Canada staff abroad in field programs weeks starting vacation allowance of managers are women

( 2018 )

Miller Group builds the road to career success

or his first job with the Markham-based Miller Group, Chris Maguire worked overnight, sweeping sand off curbs and centre medians along Yonge Street where the construction company provided winter maintenance services. That was 30 years ago. Today, Maguire is Manager, Full Depth Reclamation, Surface Treatment & Winter Works. His responsibilities include bidding on and securing contracts and then ensuring the right employees and equipment are in place to repair and resurface roads when construction is feasible and to keep them clear of snow and ice the rest of the time. I firmly believe that if you take care of the people, the people will take care of the organization. Blair McArthur,

President & CEO

The Miller Group’s supportive, family-oriented culture played a big part in his career development, says Maguire. Until his 2010 move to the company’s Aurora office, work took him to a variety of Ontario locations to carry out many of the heavy-duty operations he now oversees. While his hands-on experience in the field provided an excellent background for his current position, Maguire soon realized he needed to expand his skill set. “It was a bit of a shock at first to be inside and learning the other side,” he recalls. “I’m grateful my supervisor has

EMPLOYEES AT MILLER GROUP CELEBRATING THE COMPANY’S 100-YEAR ANNIVERSARY

been very helpful and guided me a lot. Plus we have our own internal training program, the Miller Institute of Excellence, where you take the courses you need for your professional development. It’s fantastic the way the company helps you grow into management.” Many of MIE’s leadership, management and construction related courses are accredited by the Canadian Construction Association. Some of the courses that Maguire took helped him earn the CCA’s Gold Seal Certification. The designation is awarded to construction management professionals who’ve demonstrated they meet the requirements of industry knowledge, experience, education and training. Maguire is also a proud member the Miller Group’s 25 Year Club and has the gold watch to show for it. Like many others in the club, he attends the event every other year, when new members are inducted. It’s a big crowd. “When I look

around, I see the majority of people are still working today,” says Maguire. “That’s a lot of people who’ve been around a long time.” President & CEO Blair McArthur is buoyed by the statistics; more than 600 people have been inducted into the 25 Year Club and of those, 56 per cent are still active employees. At the same time, he notes, the average age of all employees is just 43, meaning there are also substantial numbers of young workers on board. Those numbers are a testament to the company’s culture, including the care taken in filling positions, says McArthur. “Anybody can buy a piece of equipment,” he adds, “but not everybody can hire the right people to operate it.” The Miller Group, which recently celebrated its 100th birthday, continues to grow and expand. Founded in 1917 as Routly & Summers, it became A.E.

Find the Best Keep the Best millergroup.ca/careers

Jupp Construction in 1919. In 1946, Don Miller bought AE Jupp Construction and changed the name to Miller Paving Ltd. Then in 1976, McArthur’s father, Leo, and his partner John Carrick bought the company. Six years earlier, they had started McAsphalt Industries to supply asphalt cement to the road building industry. Carrick remained at McAsphalt while McArthur Sr. oversaw operations at Miller. The sister companies have synergies, with one supplying asphalt products and design services, and the other using them to build roads and bridges. Today, the Miller Group builds and supports urban and rural infrastructure for clients in the public and private sectors across Canada, the southeastern United States and international markets. And while the company now has thousands of employees, it has implemented a range of initiatives to help each one feel like a member of the family. “I firmly believe that if you take care of the people,” says Blair McArthur, “the people will take care of the organization.”

4,705 230 66 135

full-time staff in Canada jobs available last year years, longestserving employee charities helped last year

( 2018 )

Keeping the focus on people at Olympus Canada

ounded almost 100 years ago, the company that ultimately became Olympus Canada Inc. was named after the mythical Mount Olympus – the highest mountain in Greece and home to the gods. Much has changed in those 100 years. Where it once specialized in manufacturing microscopes and thermometers, Olympus Canada now develops and distributes a variety of medical and surgical products, imaging systems, industrial measurement solutions, and consumer products such as cameras and audio recorders. Equal to its commitment to manufacturing excellent products is Olympus’ commitment to being true to its employees. With over 50 per cent of its staff out in the field across the country, Olympus Canada keeps the focus on team building and camaraderie.

We strive to be a destination company that attracts individuals to our organization. Martin Branch,

Group Vice-President, Medical Systems Group

Carmela Reyes is a Customer Care Associate, Team Lead, and has been with Olympus for almost eight years. Starting in the sales area, Reyes was transferred to the service department after only six months, an “amazing opportunity” for her. “It showed me a broader picture of what we did as a company,” she says. “It’s rewarding to work for a company that makes a

OLYMPUS CANADA EMPLOYEES AT THEIR NATIONAL SALES MEETING

difference to someone’s life and health on a daily basis, and to continually contribute to that.” Reyes is also the co-chair of the SocialIn, a volunteer group of employees who organize team-building and charitable events as well as various company celebrations and sporting events, which keep employees engaged with each other and with the broader Olympus community. “Getting out there and interacting or playing sports with employees from the office gives you different perspectives and opportunities to learn more about them” she says. “It brings the team together. I’m very proud of being a part of it.” Similarly, Olympus understands that communication is pivotal to keeping employees engaged and happy. Martin Branch is Group Vice-President, Medical Systems Group, and has experienced a lot of changes and growth over his 20 years at the company. As a former sales representative in British Columbia, Branch understands that success must

be recognized, while communication as well as the company vision must be clear in order to help keep fieldbased employees engaged, focused and motivated. “When people clearly understand the direction and focus of the organization as well as the challenges we face, they’re less inclined to run into frustration.” Branch says. “We strive to be a destination company that attracts individuals to our organization.” In another effort to team-build, Olympus Canada recently held a product fair in the company auditorium. Colleagues from every department were invited to experience the latest technology, what the products do and how they help patients. “Things are ever changing here, so departmental lunch-&-learn sessions provide us with great overview and preparation,” says Reyes. “Employees build an understanding of how their job may impact and help other areas on a daily basis. Little things like that help

integrate all the departments.” In terms of employee benefits, Olympus Canada offers generous tuition subsidies for job-related courses and for professional development. The company supports employees with maternity and parental leave top-up payments and, in addition to its regular health benefits plan, provides an additional spending allowance to each employee that can be used to top-up health coverage according to their own specific needs. But the conversation always comes back to the people. “Aside from the job I do, it’s really the team and the individuals that work in my department that truly make me want to come to work every day,” says Reyes. “There are challenges, but I have a great team, and that is the key.” Branch agrees. “If we really achieve our ultimate goal of having a good, positive workplace environment, strong culture and strong morale, then people will enjoy coming to work,” he says. “We have our challenges, like every organization. But I think it’s our ability to respond to them that sets us apart from others in the industry.”

240 52 40 3

full-time staff in Canada jobs available last year years, longestserving employee weeks, starting vacation allowance

( 2018 )

Ontario Shores promotes learning along with wellness

hen Amber Smith talks about her job, one word keeps cropping up – opportunity. “I have been given the opportunity to speak at conferences on behalf of the organization and I’ve had the opportunity to lead projects and take on new and exciting initiatives,” says Smith of her experience at Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences. “It really empowers you to push yourself and develop new skills” Smith joined Ontario Shores three years ago as a learning and development specialist in the Centre of Education and Organizational Development – the department that is responsible for overseeing staff education, leadership development and team workshops, among other things. We tend to attract individuals who have a lot of compassion and desire to do well. Karim Mamdani,

President and CEO

“If people demonstrate peer-to-peer leadership skills, we put them through a five-month leadership program which is offered in conjunction with another hospital,” says Smith. “About 10 per cent of the organization has gone through the program because employee engagement is so high.” That level of commitment is neither coincidental nor surprising, says Ontario Shores President and CEO Karim Mamdani.

STAFF AT ONTARIO SHORES CELEBRATING THE HOPE CAMPAIGN

“We tend to attract individuals who have a lot of compassion and desire to do well,” Mamdani says. “Our patients embark on a recovery journey and we help change their journey in a positive way.” Ontario Shores, a specialty mental health hospital in Whitby, employs more than 1,300 people, including mental health professionals, administrative and support staff, and part-timers. The hospital offers generous tuition subsidies for those who wish to upgrade their education or move up the professional ladder, from a registered practical nurse to registered nurse, for example. Mamdani says Ontario Shores provides tuition subsidies while bursaries are available through the hospital’s Volunteer Association and Foundation.

“I’m half-way through an online master of education in educational leadership program because there’s tuition assistance,” says Smith, who has received $1,100 per year. Other benefits include generous topup payments for new mothers – 93 per cent of salary for 31 weeks – as well as 93 per cent of salary for up to 15 weeks for fathers and adoptive parents. The work is rewarding, but can also be demanding. Ontario Shores has developed an extensive and integrated wellness program for employees. That includes a cafeteria that serves healthy, made-from-scratch meals, a fitness centre equipped with weights, exercise machines and treadmills, and a gym where employees can participate in badminton, basketball and floor hockey.

ontarioshores.ca

Staff can also join a series of wellness clubs, depending on their interests. These include a book club, drawing club and walking club; members usually meet over lunch. “Our location contributes to wellness,” says Smith. “We’re located right on the shore of Lake Ontario and the Waterfront Trail goes right around the hospital. You see staff out there at lunch or on breaks taking walks all the time. Staff will have walking meetings.” Ontario Shores also invests greatly in the organization’s culture by recognizing exceptional service through various reward programs. One is called GEM, which stands for Going the Extra Mile. Employees who see one of their colleagues going above and beyond day-to-day duties can present a colleague with a GEM card; once they have accumulated 10 cards, they receive a gift card. Additionally, the hospital hosts the Values in Actions awards to honour employees who demonstrate superior performance that align with the organization’s core values of excellence, innovation, safety, respect and community.

837 18,000 42 85%

full-time staff in Ontario job applications received last year years, longest-serving employee of managers are women

( 2018 )

At Oracle, flex arrangements help employees

mong the things in his life that have benefited from Alex Crawford’s employment with Oracle Canada ULC are his dogs – Kaya, a small, black Yorkshire mixed with Maltese, and Chloe, a 90-pound American bulldog. About two years ago, Crawford’s live-in fiancée, who works at home, had a career opportunity requiring her to be out of town for three months. They fretted over care of the dogs. We view ourselves as a career destination company where, because we’re large and have so many lines of business, people have the opportunity to grow their skills, and they can come to Oracle and feel challenged. Sheryl Helsdon-Baker,

Senior Human Resources Director

“I had a conversation with my management team and explained that I’d have to pay for a dog-walker and a dog-sitter every day,” recalls Crawford, now 28 and an Account Manager in the Customer Success organization of Oracle, a leading cloud company. “I was trying to figure out if instead, I could maybe work a couple days from home. They were very understanding and allowed me to work at home for those few months as long as I got all my work done. That’s probably the No. 1 thing that I really like working with Oracle,

ORACLE CANADA EMPLOYEES CELEBRATING CANADA 150

the flexibility to work remotely. They don’t have that short leash on employees.” In fact, says Sheryl Helsdon-Baker, Senior Human Resources Director for Oracle Canada at its Mississauga head office, a significant portion of the company’s employees across the country are formally enrolled in the flex program, and probably many more take advantage of that freedom on an informal basis. She herself is in the latter category, working at home a few days a week. “We know the GTA traffic is crazy; I live in Mississauga, and even so it can take me 45 minutes to get to work,” she says. “It really frees up a good portion of your day when you don’t have to be in the car. Our flexibility with work hours and location gives people more options about where to have their home. And it really contributes to an ability to better balance your work and your

home life.” Another benefit of working at Oracle is the opportunity to develop professionally, continues HelsdonBaker. “We view ourselves as a career destination company where, because we’re large and have so many lines of business, people have the opportunity to grow their skills, and they can come to Oracle and feel challenged.” Crawford says that’s definitely been the case for him. After getting an Advanced Diploma in Marketing from George Brown College, he started in technical support with IT company Eloqua, which Oracle acquired in December 2012, soon after he started. By 2014, he had moved up to Associate Account Manager; he’s held his current job for about two years. “Career development is the reason I’ve stuck with the company,” he says. “Every time I start feeling I’m getting stagnant in a role or I’ve mastered the role, there’s

something else knocking on the door.” Both Helsdon-Baker and Crawford cite Oracle’s extensive in-house training opportunities as well as it mentorship and peer mentorship programs. The company also offers online Harvard ManageMentor and Lynda. com programs for free to employees who wish to pursue them in their free time, as well as a tuition reimbursement program of 100 per cent up, to over $5,000 a year, for post-secondary studies. In addition to numerous philanthropic activities both within Oracle, for people going through difficulties, and in the community – Crawford says volunteering in a soup kitchen last holiday season “really built the team” – the account manager also notes the pleasure of working out of Oracle’s bright new downtown office on Front Street. With its views of the Rogers Centre and its cool collaboration spaces, he says, “you get to the office and it opens up to that beautiful view, and it honestly does make you want to go to work.”

2,737 30 4 1,000+

full-time staff in Canada years, longestserving employee locations in the GTA participants in Oracle high school STEM workshops

( 2018 )

RBC brings leadership to the future of banking

ohnnie Vu is the face of the future of banking. As the Manager of an RBC branch in Etobicoke, he is not only part of the evolution of familiar forms of neighbourhood banking, he is also a “digital champion”, helping his colleagues in other locations bring in new technology. “I help ensure that all the new strategies and new tools are being rolled out smoothly to the branches in our west Toronto district,” says Vu. “I think that’s important, because there are a lot of new technologies being implemented. Each branch has appointed a digital navigator who I connect with.” All of us across the organization are being asked, how can we do things better? Johnnie Vu,

Branch Manager and “Digital Champion”

These days, RBC branches have a lot of different styles. In Toronto, Vu cites the one at RBC WaterPark Place, an open-concept space where there are no teller wickets while digital pods and client advisors abound. In coming years, it is likely to be a key model for the RBC branch workplace. On the underground PATH network, there are smaller branches with ATMs and tablet-equipped advisors who help people on the go. And as so many clients handle day-to-day banking on their smartphones, RBC recently introduced an artificial intelligence component to its mobile app that can give clients personalized insights into their finances and help them save.

RBC EMPLOYEE JOHNNIE VU WITH MEMBERS OF HIS TEAM

Vu says his own branch has also evolved. Employees are trained to enable clients to work with digital channels that allow them to fulfill more of their transactional needs on their own. This allows Vu and his colleagues to focus on delivering advice and solutions to clients’ more complex needs. Technology is also helping staff reduce the steps necessary for clients to complete services, such as mortgages and credit lines. “All of these changes are designed to help us be more agile as we transform,” he says. A Calgary native who grew up in Montreal, Vu joined RBC in that city after graduating from Concordia University. With RBC’s support in both time off and tuition assistance, he gained an MBA from Queen’s University by taking

livestreamed video courses every Monday. “The bank has been very, very supportive in my career development,” he says. He was able to meet with several senior leaders for mentorship, he adds. “They really made me feel that maybe leadership is the place I’d like to be.” Two years ago, he moved to Toronto to get broader experience at the bank’s national office and build a wider network. He again gained strong mentorship from senior leaders, he says. Now he is focusing on RBC’s new leadership model, which itself takes account of the future of banking. Helena Gottschling, Chief Human Resources Officer, explains. “A traditional leadership model lists 12 or 15 key capabilities, such as strong business

acumen or being execution-oriented – it’s very prescriptive,” she says. “What we attempted to do is create a narrative around leadership, around what matters most. There are four themes – driving to impact, adapting quickly and always learning, unlocking the potential of our people, and speaking up for the good of RBC. There are sub-themes that flesh this out. “What’s really interesting is that when we launched it to executives this spring, we initially thought of it as that – our ‘leadership’ model,” says Gottschling. “But what’s evolved is that employees are grabbing on to it, because so much of it is around how employees also need to work differently, not just leaders. People are pointing to the model to talk about how we need to adapt how we work to the changes in banking. It’s very encouraging.” Vu says the model has helped him reflect on his own strengths and opportunities as a leader. “All of us across the organization are being asked, how can we do things better?” he says. “It’s such a great time for the bank to do this, because so much is changing around us.”

52,519 11,685 51% 34,836

full-time staff in Canada jobs available last year of managers are women staff volunteer hours last year

( 2018 )

Samsung thrives on its ‘WOW’ factor

here’s a “wow” factor when you work for Samsung Electronics Canada. Take Nancy Kim, who entered the company in Toronto as an executive assistant and is now a Senior Manager on the Marketing team, supporting Consumer Electronics, Digital Appliances and corporate sports partnerships. That means she’s involved with, among other things, Samsung’s leading-edge Smart TVs, its web-connected FamilyHub refrigerator, and its sports partnerships, which include the Toronto Blue Jays and the Olympics. “One of the highlights of my Marketing career was the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver,” says Kim. “I had the opportunity to manage the whole campaign there for our company.”

Samsung is an innovator, and innovation is what draws people into the company. Paul Brannen,

Chief Operating Officer

Very cool. Then there is the company’s LEED-certified Canadian headquarters in Mississauga, an office space just four years old. “Everyone is impressed when they visit the building,” says Kim. “Samsung has done a really good job with the wow factor.” Designed with employee feedback in mind, the building includes plenty of open spaces for members creativity and collaboration, priority parking for expectant mothers and hybrid cars, a showcase of the latest Samsung

SAMSUNG EMPLOYEES CELEBRATING INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY ON MARCH 8, 2017 WITH KEYNOTE SPEAKER MICHELE ROMANOW (SECOND FROM RIGHT), NOTABLE SERIAL ENTREPRENEUR

technology, telecommuter workstations, a gym, a subsidized cafeteria and – Kim’s favourite – height-adjustable desks. “I love to stand and work,” she says. Kim is also an example of the Koreabased global company’s commitment to developing talent. A graduate of the University of Toronto in English literature, she joined the Canadian operation in 2005 as an executive assistant to the President. Shortly after, when Samsung Canada expanded, she expressed interest in sports marketing, and the company offered her the opportunity. That eventually led to her Olympic contribution, then to product marketing, and now to a post that includes both sports and Samsung’s innovative products. “It is a very supportive and encouraging environment here,” says Kim. “I’ve continuously been given opportunities

to develop my career and to progress. When I became a manager, I was supported with courses in leadership and creative problem solving. Samsung offers an abundance of training opportunities, from entry to executive level.” Kim also appreciates the Samsung flexibility over work-life balance, in which she has no difficulty finding time to drop off and pick up her two young children each day, or working from home. And perhaps most of all, she likes being around the innovation Samsung is famous for. “We’re in the technology industry, which is always progressing and evolving. It’s fast paced, and our products are constantly changing. Just look at how the smartphone has changed over the last few years. And with the latest Samsung innovation, we now have

a ‘connected home’. It’s very exciting to be part of that.” Paul Brannen, Chief Operating Officer for Samsung Canada, notes that as the technology evolves, Samsung has many new kinds of opportunities for Toronto recruits. “Content and services are a big part of what Samsung is about,” he says. “For example, we’ve created virtual reality content that is specific to the Canadian marketplace. We have a team that creates our content strategy across music, sports and entertainment. And if you think about all the screens you have in your home – now including the one on the FamilyHub refrigerator – how do we generate content that is relevant to you and your family?” Samsung is also expanding its retail presence in Toronto, with stores already open in Yorkdale Shopping Centre and CF Sherway Gardens, and a new 22,000-squarefoot location coming soon to the CF Toronto Eaton Centre downtown. “Overall,” says Brannen, “we’re trying to drive a brand experience for Canadian consumers. Samsung is an innovator, and innovation is what draws people into the company. We want to create an environment where people feel inspired when they come to work every day.”

Inspire the World, Create the Future. Where Canada’s brightest talent meets cutting edge technology. Find out more at www.samsung.com/ca/careers

555 170 41 45

full-time staff in Canada jobs available last year years, average age of all employees charities helped last year

( 2018 )

At Seneca, education is for students – and employees

harmaine Johnson’s role as a Work-Integrated Learning Coordinator at Seneca College revolves around helping students get real-world experience in their fields of study. That means integrating work into theoretical learning in the form of short-term placements at companies and organizations, also known as work terms or co-op placements. These work-integrated programs have grown and evolved into a key part of what makes Seneca attractive to prospective students from Ontario and abroad. And Johnson, who handles placements in the fields of corporate and technical communications as well as government relations, enjoys being a part of the team that makes them successful. I really like the student interaction. It keeps you young and there’s a nice energy that’s really invigorating. Charmaine Johnson,

Work-Integrated Learning Coordinator

“I really like the student interaction,” she says. “It keeps you young and there’s a nice energy that’s really invigorating.” In her job, Johnson makes use of her diverse experience and skills. A former high school teacher, she spends time in the classroom showing students how to look for a job, create the best possible CV, and do a strong job interview. Outside the classroom but still on campus, Johnson does one-onone career planning and counselling. Off campus, she meets with different employers to arrange and oversee student placements. In this capacity, Johnson’s background in public relations comes

STAFF AT THE SENECA NEWNHAM CAMPUS WELCOMING STUDENTS AND VISITORS

into play as she builds relationships with the organizations providing students with invaluable experience. “The work force is changing and has become a lot more casual. I’ve even gone to some offices and there are dogs running around,” says Johnson. “It’s a nice opportunity for me to keep abreast of workplace trends in order to keep our programs and students up to date.” Arslan Mahmood, Director of International Services for Seneca International, first came to the college in 1998 as an international student from Pakistan doing a post-Bachelor’s certificate in marketing. Like many students, he earned extra money from an on-campus part-time job in the international admissions office. Upon graduation, he took advantage of the eligibility granted to international students to work temporarily in Canada

and found an outside job in marketing and sales. He accumulated enough points to become a landed immigrant and then in 2002, when a position opened up in Seneca’s admissions office, he applied and was hired. Mahmood had decided he preferred the stability of a job in education to the ups and downs of the private sector. After two years in international admissions, Mahmood moved into a new role, recruiting students from around the province. “The opportunity to travel across Ontario was a highlight,” he says, describing the road trips he took during his seven years in that job. Seeing the fall foliage and exploring his new country while on the job was so memorable that he recently travelled with his family to Sault Ste. Marie to show them the autumn leaves. Both Mahmood and Johnson took advantage of Seneca’s professional development

Embracing innovation, excellence and diversity. Our passionate people are enriching lives through education.

tuition subsidies for staff to pursue master’s degrees in their fields. Johnson studied counselling psychology while Mahmoud completed his graduate degree in leadership through the University of Guelph. “Leadership and employee development encourages full-time employees to further their education while working at Seneca,” says Joseph Crangle, Manager, Leadership and Employee Development. “Employees can receive 50 per cent reimbursement of tuition fees from our Tuition Assistance program. In addition, full-time employees who have worked six years or more at Seneca can apply for a Professional Development leave for one year. Employees can work on credentials or projects that support their roles at Seneca.” As Mahmood was finishing up his MA, he applied successfully for the newly created position of Manager of International Services for Seneca International. After five years he was promoted to Director. “It was a new challenge building the team, serving our international students, reviewing current practices, and implementing changes,” he says, noting that Seneca’s international student population has more than doubled since 2011, when he took on his current role. “Now I’m the other side, helping international students.”

1,570 204 51 63.8%

full-time staff in Canada jobs available last year weeks, maternity & parental leave top-up pay

ONE OF GREATER TORONTO’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2018. 9 YEARS & COUNTING...

senecacollege.ca

of managers are women

( 2018 )

Spin Master offers ‘a playground of innovation’

hat kind of company offers the most fun to its employees? A toy company, perhaps? Or maybe an entertainment company? Or – how about two in one? That’s Spin Master Corp., a bustling centre of creativity in both spheres. From the time it introduced its first toy, Earth Buddy, in 1994, and then its blockbuster Air Hogs in 1998 – not to mention its current beloved Hatchimals – Spin Master has been known as a gem of Toronto innovation in children’s toys. But with the advent of its hit television series, like “PAW Patrol”, the top show for pre-schoolers in 160 countries, it has also become an important entertainment studio. “Our entertainment division is now a cornerstone of the company,” says Anton Rabie, Spin Master’s Co-Founder, Chairman and Co-CEO. “We have a proven and growing entertainment pipeline, and it has taken us well beyond toys. You’ll find ‘PAW Patrol’ on backpacks, stationery and a lot of other merchandise through our licensing programs.”

It’s a growth company with an incredible foundation and a very genuine heart and soul. Anton Rabie,

Co-Founder, Chairman and Co-CEO

With strong growth in recent years, Spin Master has a wide range of fascinating opportunities to offer prospective employees. While the company

EMPLOYEES AT SPIN MASTER’S TORONTO HEADQUARTERS DURING THEIR ANNUAL BBQ

has 26 offices around the world, Rabie notes that the global headquarters is in Toronto, and creation, oversight and marketing of award-winning brands takes place there. Kate Frostad touches all three with the globally recognized franchise Hatchimals. Based in Toronto, she is Senior Brand Manager for the fuzzy toy that literally hatches from a large egg and then interacts with its owner. Frostad was present at the creation, when designers developed the hatching mechanism and the look of the characters, and helped take the toy forward to market. “Creating a toy takes a whole village,” she says. “It’s really a team sport. We all make small decisions that culminate in one big result.” Frostad, who has a degree in English literature, came to Spin Master three years ago after working in product

development in the furniture industry. So her new job was a big change. “With toys, storytelling is so important,” she says. “It’s not just an item – there has to be a reason for being. Kids take on toys as part of their identities, so it’s very important that you put all of the thought you can into them.” She describes Spin Master’s culture as very go-go in an industry constantly looking for something new for kids. “You have to be really innovative, and Spin Master’s culture embodies that. It’s fast-paced, creative, energetic, collaborative and entrepreneurial. People who are driven self-starters are the ones who really succeed at Spin Master.” And you never know what you’ll be doing next, she adds – she and a colleague recently found themselves on the “Today” show in New York, hatching a Hatchimal on live TV.

Are YOU clever, creative & fun? Thrive in a dynamic, entrepreneurial environment, pushing the boundaries of innovation?

#LifeAtSpin

Rabie says he and other leaders are spending more time than ever with employees, imparting its culture and values. “To be in our home, which is how we view Spin Master, you have to have two things – integrity and an open mindset,” he says. “And there are five ways we play together – innovating everything we do, having an entrepreneurial spirit, using collaboration and teamwork, making partnerships, and driving results to succeed. “We strongly consider how people live our values before they get promoted,” Rabie adds. “We often rate people’s hunger, even more than academics. We’ve got to see that hunger to succeed, that tenacity. It’s such an important element for today’s world in a city like Toronto.” And then there’s that environment of toys and entertainment. “People just love being around this playground of innovation,” says Rabie. “And it’s a growth company with an incredible foundation and a very genuine heart and soul.” Spin Master’s corporate vision may say it all: “To make life more fun.”

423 185 1,800 $2,000

full-time staff in Canada jobs available last year staff paid volunteer hours last year annual tuition subsidy

( 2018 )

State Street Canada’s biggest assets are its people

ot long after Matthew Cichy arrived at State Street Canada to start his first post-university job, he began looking for ways to help make things run better for the securities valuation group in which he worked. A finance and economics graduate who had taught himself Excel and VBA (Visual Basic for Applications), Cichy wanted to introduce efficiencies and automate manual processes. “Although I was new on the job, there were people always willing to listen to a better way of doing things,” he says. While he later did a stint away from State Street, Cichy stayed in touch with colleagues within the global organization and in 2010 he returned in a managerial role. He is now a vice president within Global Operations, Securities Valuation, and leading the team where he got his start. I firmly believe in empowering my staff to make decisions. I invest myself in my staff and their careers. Matthew Cichy,

Vice President within Global Operations, Securities Valuation

As one of the world’s largest custodians of financial assets for institutional investors, State Street has more than a trillion dollars under its care in Canada for clients who include some of the country’s biggest pension funds. Custodial services offered range from holding, valuing and transferring securities (Cichy’s area of expertise) to receiving interest and dividends to giving notice of corporate actions. Globally, State Street’s assets under custody and administration add up to

STATE STREET CANADA HEAD OFFICE IN TORONTO

more than $32 trillion. “We are the largest provider in the world in the business that we’re in,” says Rob Baillie, Head of State Street Canada, which has almost 1,200 employees, more than 1,000 of whom are in the GTA. He explains that the world of custodian banking is “very much a scale business” requiring huge investment in the necessary technology. Operations in Canada are currently growing. “Whether you’re just starting out or re-entering the workforce, whether you’re from financial services or from another industry, there are opportunities for people to join this team,” says Baillie. Cichy’s team, which updated workflows and introduced efficiencies, went from servicing the Canadian operations to being responsible for 12 different operations across multiple time zones.

Cichy recently completed a sixmonth-long “expat assignment” in Poland, where State Street has two offices. He helped the Krakow office build a new securities valuation department and develop best practices. From his perspective, he says went from being “a guy holding a flashlight in the dark” to having a light come on and really being able to see the operations for Europe, the Middle East and Africa clearly. Cichy has also spent time at State Street’s London and Quincy, Massachusetts offices. “I firmly believe in empowering my staff to make decisions. I invest myself in my staff and their careers,” says Cichy, who now heads up State Street’s Canada Awards Committee which recognizes employees for their contributions. Baillie emphasizes that the professional

development opportunities at State Street are plentiful. The company spends an average of $700 per fulltime employee on training each year and runs a competitive advanced leadership program. Baillie makes it a priority to interact with employees one-on-one at breakfast and lunches arranged for small groups. The sessions are designed to increase understanding of what the organization is trying to achieve and give employees an opportunity to ask questions. While he recognizes that employees have busy lives balancing work with families, Baillie encourages them “to get involved beyond day to day.” State Street has 11 “global inclusion networks” in Canada, including a working parents group, which arranges everything from speaker series and take-your-kids-to-work day to back-to-school fashion shows and holiday presentations on must-have toys. Cichy is active in different philanthropic initiatives and giving back to communities. “If somebody’s willing to dedicate themselves to an idea there’s always a place for them at State Street,” he says. “It’s a place where you can really build a career.”

1,168 219 35 2,735

full-time staff in Canada jobs available last year charities helped last year staff volunteer hours last year

( 2018 )

Sunnybrook focuses on building team leadership

unnybrook Health Sciences Centre is a teaching hospital where the learning never stops. Much of that learning takes the form of non-clinical courses or certificate programs offered by the Sunnybrook Leadership Institute (SLI). Its courses or certificate programs are open to all emerging and existing Sunnybrook leaders across the hospital’s varied workforce – among others, physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists and social workers. Says Dr. Andrew Smith, President & CEO: “It makes sense to hire the best and the brightest and then to make sure you are constantly trying to nurture them, challenge them, grow them and give them opportunities to learn. The ideas of continuing education and professional development are deeply embedded in health care, especially at Sunnybrook.”

The ideas of continuing education and professional development are deeply embedded in health care, especially at Sunnybrook. Dr. Andrew Smith,

President & CEO

One of the institute’s greatest contributions, he adds, is bringing personnel together as cross-professional groups and “eschewing the notion of developing individual groups within their silos.” In his own career at Sunnybrook, Smith says he has benefited enormously from the professional development opportunities it has presented.

SUNNYBROOK HEALTH SCIENCES EMPLOYEES ATTENDING THEIR GRADUATION CEREMONY FROM SUNNYBROOK’S LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE

The SLI focuses on developing three tiers of leaders: emerging leaders – who are not yet in a management role, but are future leaders; developing leaders – who are already middle managers; and advanced leaders – who are usually at the director level and should be role models for others. Some courses, such as Finance 101, which covers the intricacies of health care budgeting, are created by in-house content experts. “A lot of what we, especially physicians, know about fiscal management is learned on the job,” says Smith. “We have tried to fill that gap with courses like this.” Other Institute courses are created in partnership with the York University and University of Toronto business schools and taught by their professors at Sunnybrook; while still others, like Crucial

Conversations – techniques for how to communicate effectively with colleagues on sensitive issues – are licensed from proprietary providers and taught by Sunnybrook instructors. “We brought people together to learn on-site rather than dispersing them all over the city to do their learning,” says Marilyn Reddick, Vice President of Human Resources and Organizational Development & Leadership. Since 2014, over 11,000 staff and physicians have participated in the institute’s workshops and programs. The institute offers nine programs, each comprising five to seven courses. Participants who complete a program receive a certificate. A cohort of 400 employees received certificates at a graduation ceremony in September 2017. Dr. Calvin Law, Chief of Sunnybrook’

s Odette Cancer Centre, says the institute’s courses were so valuable to his 700+ staff that the SLI and the cancer centre collaborated to design a program especially for the centre’s identified leaders. It was launched in the autumn of 2016. The first part, attended by nearly 30 leaders, focused on inter-personnel skills, “such as how to have proper conversations and create a respectful workplace,” says Law. The second part, intended for 20 leaders with greater responsibility, emphasizes skills such as coaching and financial management. There are many other educational sessions as well as just-in-time learning, depending on activities or projects within the hospital. For example, Sunnybrook is opening a complex malignant hematology unit for specialized treatment of individuals with blood cancers such as leukemia. “We will do just-in-time learning to plan for what is involved in taking on these patients,” says Reddick. The SLI strives to be broadly inclusive, says Smith. “That reflects how things happen in a health-care system. They happen by teams. They don’t happen by just one area, and you shouldn’t educate by just one area.”

6,362 76% 73% 58%

full-time staff in Canada of employees are women of managers are women of employees are visible minorities

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2019

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CanadasTop100.com/2019 Applications for our 2019 competition will be released in February and must be submitted in April.