Greater Toronto's Top Employers (2021)

S.M.KARLSSON / HEIMSMYNDIR

ct100.ca/gta

2021

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15 th Annual Edition

GREATER TORONTO’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2021 Magazine Anthony Meehan, PUBLISHER

Editorial Team:

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© 2020 Mediacorp Canada Inc. and The Globe and Mail.

All rights reserved. GREATER TORONTO’S TOP EMPLOYERS is a trade mark of Mediacorp Canada Inc. Editorial inquiries: ct100@mediacorp.ca

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p Even in a pandemic, this year’s competition winners are a reminder of the GTA’s exceptional capacity for growth and reinvention.

ach year, as we prepare the announcement of Greater Toronto’s Top Employers, I am struck by the dynamism of Canada’s largest city and metropolitan area. The stories and photos of the employers that call Toronto home have long told a larger story of a city and region that stands alone in its capacity to grow and reinvent itself.

In a normal year, we are reminded of this larger story by the familiar economic statistics the underline the city’s unusual growth: the most construction cranes in North America, the record numbers of newcomers who choose to settle here, the soaring housing prices. Of course, each of these brings difficult challenges – but for most residents, the overall promise of opportunity and growth have long been what keeps them in Toronto.

When the pandemic arrived this year, it wasn’t clear what would happen to Toronto’s narrative. Beyond the public health measures, it was an open question whether a city whose raison d’etre is growth and reinvention could keep its attraction when it’s required to stand still. It’s clear that the pandemic has exacerbated long-standing issues of racial justice and inequality, but here there was an added concern: would Toronto’s social contract remain intact if the city could no longer grow as before?

Early in the pandemic, as more people worked from home, the news was full of reports of city residents selling their homes or leaving their condos and moving to smaller towns outside the GTA. Bidding wars and soaring real estate prices in nearby towns seemed to confirm that, for many city residents, the old bargain wasn’t holding. Even more concerning was the prospect that social cohesion in the city

was coming undone, with protests and marches at a scale and frequency not seen before.

In the face of these challenges, the region’s best employers have doubled down – and showed why the GTA continues to inspire. In the pages of this year’s magazine, you’ll find remarkable stories of employers that have responded to the pandemic by looking after their employees and supporting the community. Most of all, though, their stories are about adaptation and moving forward even while the pandemic has emptied traditional offices and other workplaces. It’s difficult not to feel inspired by this year’s winners.

In the pages that follow, you’ll find summaries of the reasons why this year’s winners were selected as one of Greater Toronto’s Top Employers. Our editors’ detailed reasons for selection, explaining why each winner was chosen, are available via the competition homepage: www.CanadasTop100.com/toronto – this year, you’ll see a new online section detailing the special initiatives each put in place as a result of the pandemic. It’s a unique catalogue of best practices showing how the city’s best employers have responded to COVID-19.

This year marks the 15th anniversary of the Greater Toronto’s Top Employers competition. From experience, we know there are other employers taking notes from the winners and aiming to raise the bar themselves. If your organization would like to be considered for next year’s competition, please contact us. Greater Toronto’s long story of opportunity, growth and reinvention still has many chapters ahead.

– Tony Meehan

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INTRODUCTION In fact, many organizations became even more progressive in their human resources policies during this time. For instance, FreshBooks increased its top-up for maternity and parental leave, while KPMG added formal education on anti-Black racism and is conducting a review of its current talent processes to better understand and remove any biases and barriers in place for advancement.

Organizations were concerned not only for their own people, but also the community at large. Standouts include HP Canada, that organized virtual volunteer activities allowing employees to continue contributing in meaningful ways – help that included mentoring small business owners, new immigrants or participating in social entrepreneurial initiatives. As well, Holland Bloorview launched a dedicated No Boundaries Support Fund enabling employees to implement unique projects during the pandemic, such as virtual concerts for inpatients, a laptop loaning program for clients and gift bags for front-line workers.

There are examples here from every employer showing how resourceful and resilient an organization can be in challenging times. Read on.

– Diane Jermyn

2021 TEMPURA/GETTY

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s the pandemic marches on, Greater Toronto’s Top Employers 2021 continue to demonstrate the meaning of best practices in the workplace, even when the workplace is your kitchen table.

While early physical challenges were greater for some organizations than others – TD Bank Group moved thousands of call centre employees from its contact centres to working from home in just weeks – more complex challenges lay ahead.

As the base for over 40 per cent of Canada’s business headquarters, the GTA offers a culturally diverse and dynamic environment. So how do you keep staff engaged when they’re used to collaborating in a lively workspace? How do you keep communication open and inclusive?

How do you help workers stay fit and healthy without the onsite gym? Nobody expected this “emergency” situation to still be with us several months later.

Greater Toronto’s Top Employers 2021 answered with innovative and creative solutions, such as Questrade’s introduction of weekly virtual yoga and workout sessions online. Employees can also access its LifeSpeak wellness platform for online sessions on everything from mental health and preventative healthcare to financial well-being.

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TD BANK

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2021 WINNERS

p Since the onset of the pandemic, TD Bank has helped 45,000 of its employees work from home and has provided significant financial assistance and new benefits to help staff make the adjustment.

CCENTURE INC., Toronto.

Professional services; 5,453 employees. Manages a dedicated mental health group to help educate employees and launched a mental health ally program.

ACCORHOTELS, Toronto. Hotels; 9,655 employees. Reaches out to the next generation, providing co-op opportunities for high school students.

as part of its response to COVID-19 and implemented a pandemic financial assistance program.

AMD / ADVANCED MICRO DEVICES, INC., Markham. Computer technology manufacturing; 2,173 employees. Supports parents-to-be with a generous subsidy for IVF if needed as well as a subsidy to help cover the costs of adoption.

ADP CANADA CO., Toronto. Payroll services; 2,220 employees. Provides virtual health care services, allowing employees to connect with a physician 24/7.

AMEX BANK OF CANADA, Toronto.

Credit card issuing; 1,745 employees.

Supports lifelong learning with unlimited tuition subsidies for courses taken at external institutions.

AIG INSURANCE COMPANY OF CANADA, Toronto. Insurance; 371 employees. Provided a $725 grant to all employees

ARUP CANADA INC., Toronto. Engineering consulting; 391 employees. Matches employee charitable donations dollar for

dollar, to a maximum of $10,000 per year.

ASTRAZENECA CANADA INC., Mississauga. Pharmaceutical manufacturing; 884 employees. Offers compassionate leave top-up for those called upon to care for a loved one, to 100 per cent of salary for up to 12 weeks.

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ASF CANADA INC., Mississauga.

Chemical manufacturing; 1,129 employees. Set “employee engagement� as a new non-financial target as part of building a successful business.

BAYER, Mississauga. Pharmaceutical manufacturing; 1,395 employees. Offers RSP contributions, a defined contribution pension plan and health benefits that extend to retirees.

BLAKE, CASSELS & GRAYDON LLP, Toronto. Law firm; 1,370 employees. Hosts seminars and podcasts on topics such as stress management, healthy eating and physical fitness.

BORDEN LADNER GERVAIS LLP, Toronto. Law firm; 1,537 employees.

Launched a new benefits plan to provide employees with greater flexibility and choice, including increased amounts for mental health care.

BOSTON CONSULTING GROUP OF CANADA LTD., Toronto. Management consulting; 400 employees. Offers generous referral bonuses of up to $15,000 for individuals who successfully refer a candidate from their personal network.

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BOUNTEOUS CANADA, INC., Toronto.

Software development; 77 employees.

Manages a phased-in return to work program to help employees transition to parenthood.

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AA CLUB GROUP, Thornhill.

Travel insurance and auto services; 1,812 employees. Offers training and development opportunities for individuals at various stages of their career.

CAAT PENSION PLAN, Toronto. Pension plan; 172 employees. Offers generous maternity and parental leave top-up for employees who are new mothers and parental top-up for new fathers.

CAMPBELL CO. OF CANADA, Mississauga. Food preparation and packaging; 158 employees. Offers a variety of flexible work arrangements and up to 10 paid personal days off per year.

CANADIAN STANDARDS ASSOCIATION / CSA, Toronto. Testing, certification and related services; 752 employees. Provides a full suite of financial benefits from signing bonuses for some, to year-end bonuses for all, to generous referral bonuses.

CAPITAL ONE CANADA, Toronto. Credit card issuing; 1,334 employees. Launched a Parents@Work initiative to support employees during their transition to parenthood.

CERIDIAN HCM INC., Toronto. Human resources software and services; 1,932 employees. Offers new employee referral bonuses, a personal computer purchase plan, subsidized home internet plus discounted home loans and auto lease rates.

CGI INC., Toronto. Information technology; 9,918 employees. Celebrates exceptional performance through a variety of programs including the peer-nominated Bravo! Award.

CHILDREN’S AID SOCIETY OF TORONTO, Toronto. Child and youth services; 734 employees. Offers a variety of flexible work arrangements and up to 10 paid personal days, which can be scheduled as needed.

CIBC, Toronto. Banking; 36,431 employees.

Introduced a new Purpose Day encouraging employees to dedicate one day annually to do “anything that helps them achieve their life goals”.

CISCO SYSTEMS CANADA CO., Toronto.

Computer and equipment manufacturing; 1,906 employees. Starts new employees with four weeks of paid vacation as well as offering up to five paid personal days.

p Nawal Khokhar is a strategic business unit planner at CGI Inc., based in Mississauga.

CITI CANADA, Mississauga. Banking; 1,494 employees. Provided a one-time $1,350 payment for front-line staff plus a $100 monthly stipend to cover additional WiFi costs resulting from working from home.

COX AUTOMOTIVE CANADA, Milton.

Automobile auctions; 761 employees. Offers employees who are new mothers the option to extend their leave into an unpaid leave of absence.

COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS OF ONTARIO, THE, Toronto.

Professional organizations; 365 employees.

Offers phased-in work options to help ease the transition for those nearing retirement.

CREDIT VALLEY CONSERVATION AUTHORITY / CVC, Mississauga.

Environment, conservation and wildlife organizations; 213 employees. Increased maternity leave top-up for new mothers and added parental top-up for fathers and adoptive parents.

COMPASS GROUP CANADA, Mississauga.

Food service contractors; 15,247 employees.

Offers employees tuition subsidies for job-related courses as well as academic scholarships for their children.

CORUS ENTERTAINMENT INC., Toronto.

Media production and broadcasting; 3,046 employees. Offers a variety of in-house training options such as Corus University and QuickCoach – webinars and online learning tools for personal growth and development.

CRH CANADA GROUP INC., Concord.

Concrete manufacturing; 1,202 employees.

Helps the next generation of talent gain career-level experience through summer employment and co-op placements.

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IAMOND SCHMITT ARCHITECTS INC., Toronto.

Architecture; 301 employees.

Offers learning and development opportunities for individuals at various

career stages, from paid internships for recent grads to in-house Diamond Schmitt University programming.

DISTRIBUTEL COMMUNICATIONS LTD., Toronto. Telecommunications; 300 employees. Helps employees prepare for the future with matching RSP contributions plus phased-in work options for those nearing retirement.

DURHAM COLLEGE OF APPLIED ARTS AND TECHNOLOGY, Oshawa. College; 792 employees. Launched a Work@home site for employees during the pandemic, including online learning, virtual fitness classes and information on its employee and family assistance program.

DYSON CANADA LTD., Toronto. Appliance manufacturing; 155 employees. Offers referral bonuses as a reward for employees who recruit candidates from their personal networks.

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GRIFFITH FOODS LTD., Toronto. Spice and extract manufacturing; 378 employees.

Organizes dedicated success talks, workshops and other opportunities to advance women in leadership through its Griffith Women Leaders initiative.

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ALTON, REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY OF, Oakville.

Municipal government; 1,964 employees. Celebrates employee achievement through annual recognition awards, including customer service, productivity and innovation, and service/ product delivery.

HARPERCOLLINS CANADA LTD., Toronto. Book publishers; 313 employees.

Offers flexible work arrangements and up to seven paid personal days, which can be scheduled as needed.

DURHAM COLLEGE

HATCH LTD., Mississauga. Engineering; 3,381 employees. Offers a flexible health benefits plan that allows employees to customize coverage to suit their personal needs.

p An Indigenous coach leads a smudging ceremony on a professional development day at Durham College.

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CCLESIASTICAL INSURANCE OFFICE PLC, Toronto. Insurance; 80 employees. Reallocated funds for its Community Impact Grant to support high priority organizations during the pandemic.

IDELITY CANADA, Toronto.

Portfolio management; 1,165 employees. Manages a unique Voice of the Employee innovation program to encourage employee feedback.

FIRST CAPITAL REIT, Toronto. Real estate development and management; 371 employees. Offers tuition subsidies for job-related courses and subsidies for professional accreditation.

FLEET COMPLETE, Toronto. Fleet and mobile resource tracking; 278 employees.

Cultivates an ownership culture through a share purchase plan available to all employees.

FLUIDIGM CANADA INC., Markham.

Biological research and development; 184 employees. Partners with post-secondary institutions to hire co-op students and paid interns.

FORD MOTOR COMPANY OF CANADA, LTD., Oakville. Automobile manufacturing; 7,069 employees. Supports ongoing employee development through generous tuition subsidies for courses related and not directly related to their current position.

FRESHBOOKS, Toronto. Software publishers; 373 employees. Offers flexible work hours, work from home options and paid personal days that can be scheduled as needed.

FULLER LANDAU LLP, Toronto. Accounting; 125 employees. Provides maternity leave top-up payments for employees who are new mothers.

FUNDSERV INC., Toronto. Financial transaction processing; 100 employees.

Offers generous referral bonuses as an incentive for employees to recruit candidates from their personal networks.

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ENERAL MILLS CANADA CORP., Mississauga. Food manufacturing; 679 employees.

Manages a Hometown Grant program, allowing employees to nominate charities of their choice for a grant of up to $10,000.

GEORGE BROWN COLLEGE, Toronto.

College; 1,476 employees. Encourages employees to prepare for the future with a defined benefit pension plan and retirement planning assistance.

GSK / GLAXOSMITHKLINE INC., Mississauga. Pharmaceutical manufacturing; 2,632 employees. Supports a formal online health and well-being hub that provides information on preventative measures, health screening initiatives and telemedicine services.

HEALTHCARE INSURANCE RECIPROCAL OF CANADA / HIROC, Toronto. Insurance; 104 employees. Helps employees plan securely for the future with contributions to a defined benefit pension plan and retirement planning assistance.

HEALTHCARE OF ONTARIO PENSION PLAN / HOOPP, Toronto. Pension plan; 689 employees. Created the Keep in Touch buddy program to help keep new parents connected throughout their leave and enable a smooth transition back.

HERSHEY CANADA INC., Mississauga.

Food manufacturing; 866 employees.

Encourages volunteerism with two paid days off to volunteer and matches charitable donations made by employees up to $5,000 USD. HOLLAND BLOORVIEW KIDS REHABILITATION HOSPITAL, Toronto.

Hospitals; 488 employees. Launched a dedicated No Boundaries Support Fund to enable employees to implement unique projects during the pandemic.

HOME DEPOT OF CANADA INC., Toronto. Retail; 14,591 employees. Maintains a dedicated mental health strategy that focuses on awareness, care and access, and workplace support.

HOSPITAL FOR SICK CHILDREN, THE, Toronto. Hospitals; 5,913 employees. Offers extensive wellness programming to encourage employees to make healthy choices for their physical, social and mental well-being.

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HP CANADA CO., Mississauga. Computer technology and services; 498 employees.

Organized virtual volunteer activities in light of the pandemic to enable employees to continue to contribute in meaningful ways.

HYDRO ONE NETWORKS INC., Toronto.

Hydroelectric power generation; 5,905 employees. Offers a mental health practitioner benefit of up to $2,500 per year as part of its health benefits plan.

HYUNDAI CAPITAL CANADA, INC., Toronto. Financial services; 141 employees.

Offers generous tuition subsidies for courses related and indirectly related to an employee’s current role.

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ELLOGG CANADA INC., Mississauga. Breakfast cereal manufacturing; 322 employees.

Created a Parents at Kellogg employee resource group to foster community for new parents.

KINROSS GOLD CORP., Toronto. Gold mining; 241 employees. Launched COVID-19 Champions, an initiative to recognize employees who go above and beyond to help colleagues, the company and communities during the pandemic.

KPMG LLP, Toronto. Accounting; 8,399 employees. Continues to prioritize diversity and inclusion, recently providing formal education on anti-Black racism and conducting a review of its current talent processes.

KRUGER PRODUCTS L.P., Mississauga.

Paper products; 1,920 employees. Prioritizes ongoing employee development, spending over $5-million on training initiatives across the company in the past year.

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ABATT BREWING COMPANY LTD., Toronto. Breweries; 3,417 employees. Adapted its Disaster Relief Program to produce and bottle over 100,000 bottles of hand sanitizer early during the pandemic, donated to food banks across Canada.

LOBLAW COMPANIES LTD., Brampton.

Supermarkets and grocery stores; 27,360 employees. Introduced a new intranet mobile platform that reaches all support and in-store personnel to help keep communication lines open.

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ANULIFE FINANCIAL CORP., Toronto. Insurance; 12,489 employees. Hosted a unique Manulife Has Talent Event, soliciting clips from employees across the world for a virtual talent show.

MARS INC., Bolton. Food manufacturing; 1,516 employees. Lets employees share in the company’s successes through year-end bonuses.

MATTAMY HOMES LTD., Toronto. Real estate development; 1,397 employees. Helps its employees become homeowners through an employee home ownership program.

FIRST CAPITAL

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MAZDA CANADA INC., Richmond Hill.

Auto wholesale; 176 employees. Supports lifelong learning, providing up to $10,000 per year for employees to further their education.

MCCARTHY TÉTRAULT LLP, Toronto.

Law firm; 1,576 employees. Reimburses a portion of eligible expenses incurred for wellness and fitness activities and items, including sports programs, personal wellness and dietician services.

MEDTRONIC OF CANADA LTD., Brampton. Electromedical apparatus manufacturing; 682 employees. Introduced an internet subsidy of $50 per month for employees working from home as a result of the pandemic.

METROLINX, Toronto. Public transit; 4,137 employees. Encourages employees to submit ideas through its Ideas@Work initiative that result in a better workplace, improved customer satisfaction, operating efficiencies and cost savings.

MICHAEL GARRON HOSPITAL | TORONTO EAST HOSPITAL NETWORK, Toronto. Hospitals; 1,464 employees.

Manages a Staff in Need Fund to support employees who have endured a recent crisis resulting in personal financial hardship.

MONDELĒZ INTERNATIONAL, Toronto.

Food manufacturing; 2,600 employees.

Offers generous tuition subsidies to employees for job-related courses and academic scholarships for children of employees.

MUNICIPAL PROPERTY ASSESSMENT CORP., Pickering. Real estate appraisal; 1,656 employees. Offers a variety of mental health resources including e-learning sessions, guest speakers and an internal Gratitude Project to help employees find balance.

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ELSON EDUCATION LTD., Toronto. Publishers; 305 employees. Offers a range of financial incentives, including signing bonuses for some, year-end bonuses for all, discounted company products and referral bonuses.

NOVO NORDISK CANADA INC., Mississauga. Pharmaceutical preparation manufacturing; 323 employees. Expanded its

p First Capital REIT is providing its work-from-home staff with weekly ‘People & Culture’ updates.

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HYDRO ONE

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employees. Offers retirement planning assistance and phased-in work options for those nearing retirement.

PROCTER & GAMBLE INC., Toronto.

Consumer product manufacturing; 1,555 employees. Provides health and wellness spending accounts, allowing employees to specify levels of coverage, plus transfer unused credits to additional salary, savings or time off.

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UESTRADE INC., Toronto.

Financial services; 511 employees.

Ensured that over 95 per cent of employees could work from home during the pandemic, with extra precautions implemented for onsite employees.

IOCAN REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST, Toronto.

Real estate investments; 603 employees. Offers retirement planning assistance services along with contributions to a defined contribution pension plan or matching RSP contributions, depending on the position.

ROGERS COMMUNICATIONS INC., Toronto. Telecommunications, cable, publishing and subscription programming; 22,635 employees. Has undertaken a number of enlightened initiatives in direct response to the impacts of the pandemic on the most vulnerable members of society.

p At Hydro One Networks, staff provided feedback on the company’s COVID-19 response through a company-wide employee survey.

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wellness program to include a points-based element designed to drive healthy behaviours.

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LYMPUS CANADA INC., Richmond Hill. Medical, industrial and imaging equipment; 289 employees. Provides two paid days off for employees to volunteer and matches employee donations up to $2,000 each year.

ONTARIO DENTAL ASSOCIATION, THE, Toronto. Professional organizations; 55 employees. Offers compassionate leave top-up for those called upon to care for a loved one, up to 80 per cent of salary for up to eight weeks.

ONTARIO MEDICAL ASSOCIATION / OMA, Toronto. Professional organizations; 300 employees. Organizes activities for mental health awareness week and offers a mental health practitioner benefit of up to $3,000.

ONTARIO SHORES CENTRE FOR MENTAL HEALTH SCIENCES, Whitby.

Hospitals; 920 employees. Encourages ongoing employee development with tuition subsidies for courses at outside institutions plus in-house and online training programs.

ORACLE CANADA ULC, Mississauga.

Computer and information management systems; 2,411 employees. Manages the Oracle Cares Fund to assist employees who experience financial hardship or a personal emergency.

ORNGE, Mississauga. Air ambulance services; 611 employees. Encourages employees to put their health first with up to 12 paid sick days per year.

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ANASONIC CANADA INC., Mississauga. Consumer electronics; 423 employees. Provides subsidies for professional accreditation plus financial bonuses as an incentive for some course completion.

PEPSICO CANADA, Mississauga. Soft drink and food manufacturing; 10,395 employees. Maintains an extensive national community strategy and organizes an annual volunteer campaign to encourage employees to donate their time.

PHILIPS ELECTRONICS LTD., Markham.

Healthcare, lighting and consumer products; 575 employees. Cultivates an ownership culture through a share purchase plan, available to all employees.

PLAN GROUP INC., Concord. Construction; 1,802 employees. Supports a number of local charities each year, focusing its community investment strategy on issues that are important to employees.

POINTS, Toronto. Customer loyalty program software; 250 employees. Organizes annual Wellness Month activities, such as lunch and learns, to encourage employees to adopt healthy behaviours.

PRAXAIR CANADA INC., Mississauga.

Gas and related product wholesalers; 2,221

ROTHMANS, BENSON & HEDGES, INC., Toronto. Tobacco and cigarette manufacturing; 744 employees. Maintains generous time off policies, with paid time off during the summer and winter holidays in addition to annual vacation allowance.

ROYAL BANK OF CANADA, Toronto. Banking; 57,242 employees. Introduced a special daily compensation program of $50 per day for day-in, day-out support of its employees who were required to work on-site during the early days of the pandemic.

RSA CANADA GROUP, Toronto. Insurance; 2,923 employees. Invests in ongoing employee education with generous tuition subsidies plus access to a variety of in-house and online training programs.

RSM CANADA LLP, Toronto. Accounting; 656 employees. Donated over $100,000 to food banks in Ontario and Alberta in response to the pandemic, with employees taking time to help deliver food.

R.V. ANDERSON ASSOCIATES LTD., Toronto. Engineering; 321 employees. Hosts virtual social events, including mental health coffee breaks, drop-in social coffee chats, virtual games and pub nights, in response to the pandemic.

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SALESFORCE

SINAI HEALTH

p In addition to protecting employees during the pandemic, Rogers Communications has provided over one million meals to local food banks and free mobile phone service to vulnerable populations.

p Salesforce employees taking time to clean up Harbourfront Centre’s boardwalk in Toronto.

p Each year, Sinai Health hosts an open house focusing on the organization’s purpose and values.

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ALESFORCE, Toronto. Customer relationship management; 1,514 employees. Offers family-friendly benefits, including a subsidy of up to $10,000 for adoptive parents to help cover related costs.

SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CANADA INC., Mississauga. Communications equipment manufacturing; 573 employees.

Provided $250 Samsung Dollars for technology needed to work from home, including monitors, ear buds, wireless chargers and other tech.

SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC CANADA INC., Mississauga. Industrial automation and controls; 2,024 employees. Encourages employees to prioritize health and wellness, offering resources on subjects such as recognizing stress and burnout, nutrition and the power of sleep.

SCOTIABANK, Toronto. Banking; 33,418 employees. Increased paid personal days to help employees balance their personal commitments during the pandemic.

SENECA COLLEGE, Toronto. College; 1,564 employees. Offers generous maternity and parental leave top-up payments, including adoptive parents, to 93 per cent of salary, ranging from 37 to 52 weeks.

SIEMENS CANADA LTD., Oakville, Ont. Engineering; 3,740 employees. Offers employees the opportunity to apply for an unpaid leave of absence for up to two months in duration.

SINAI HEALTH, Toronto. Hospitals; 3,744 employees. Has hosted weekly online town halls with senior leaders, developed a dedicated pandemic resource page and a dedicated COVID-19 Wellness Plan.

SLALOM ULC, Toronto. Consulting; 455 employees. Offers a share purchase plan for some employees, year-end bonuses for all and new employee referral bonuses.

SCOTIABANK

SPIN MASTER LTD., Toronto. Children’s toys and entertainment; 642 employees.

Helps employees adapt their work schedules through flexible hours and working from home options.

p Gamaliel Obinyan is an associate product manager at the Scotiabank Digital Factory in Toronto.

STANLEY BLACK AND DECKER CANADA CORP., Mississauga. Tool and hardware manufacturing; 1,398 employees.

Introduced the Helping Our Makers Emergencies program to provide direct financial assistance to employees and their families affected by the pandemic.

SUEZ WATER TECHNOLOGIES & SOLUTIONS, Oakville. Waste and

wastewater services; 937 employees.

Enhanced flexible work arrangements, allowed for extended personal leaves and delayed return dates for parental and maternity leaves in response to COVID-19.

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D BANK GROUP, Toronto. Banking; 53,694 employees. Supported employees over the past year through a number of innovative and generous ways, including additional financial payments for onsite employees.

TERANET INC., Toronto. Land registration and information systems; 921 employees. Circulated multiple surveys to employees for input on pandemic progress and concerns as well as hosting live online Q&A sessions.

THOMSON REUTERS CANADA LTD., Toronto. Publishers; 1,176 employees.

Introduced a new Emergency Paid Leave policy to provide an additional 10 paid days as part of its pandemic response.

TORONTO COMMUNITY HOUSING CORP., Toronto. Housing programs; 2,067 employees. Offers compassionate top-ups, to 93 per cent for eight weeks, for employees needing time to care for a loved one.

TORONTO TRANSIT COMMISSION / TTC, Toronto. Public transit; 15,201 employees. Promotes healthy living at home and at work through a number of wellness campaigns, including workshops on a variety of topics.

TORONTO ZOO, Toronto. Zoos and botanical gardens; 267 employees. Supports employees over the long term with a defined benefit pension plan.

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KEN INC., Toronto. Game developer; 90 employees. Offers flexible hours and work from home options, plus additional support through financial subsides for home data and technology purchases.

UNITED WAY GREATER TORONTO, Toronto. Charitable organizations; 216 employees. Works directly with community and social service organizations building strong neighbourhoods and supporting people living in need across the city.

UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO, Toronto.

University; 10,456 employees. Hosted its inaugural race, equity, and action speaker series to provide members of the community opportunities to engage in critical dialogue.

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AUGHAN, THE CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF, Maple.

Municipal government; 1,351 employees. Helps new parents to be with generous IVF subsidies to $12,000.

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VISA CANADA CORP., Toronto. Payments technology; 135 employees. Helps employees save for the future with a defined contribution pension plan and matching RSP contributions.

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ALMART CANADA CORP., Mississauga. Retail; 41,396 employees. Provides supports to employee mental health, including wellness seminars and webinars, anonymous virtual chat support and online medical services.

WIPRO TECHNOLOGIES, Oakville. Computer systems design services; 1,072 employees. Enacted bonus pay cuts for senior managers to help retain employment, as part of its ongoing response to the pandemic.

WORLD VISION CANADA, Mississauga.

Charitable organizations; 466 employees.

Offers compassionate leave top-up for those called upon to care for a loved one, to 80 per cent of salary for up to 27 weeks.

p Members of the mobile COVID-19 assessment team at Women’s College Hospital prepare for a site visit.

YMCA

WORKING GROUP INC., THE, Toronto.

Custom computer programming; 145 employees. Supports a dedicated Health and Wellness Committee offering a range of programs and knowledge related to health and well-being.

WCH

WOMEN’S COLLEGE HOSPITAL, Toronto. Hospitals; 661 employees. Created a dedicated remote work toolkit that includes resources to help employee manage their work from home.

X Y

EROX CANADA LTD., Toronto.

Computer technology and services; 1,974 employees. Helps retirees stay connected through the company-subsidized Xerox Canada Retiree Association.

MCA OF GREATER TORONTO, Toronto. Individual and family services; 3,027 employees.

Launched 10-minute Aware Live online sessions, including fitness videos and webinars to encourage employees to keep healthy during the pandemic.

YORK REGIONAL POLICE, Aurora. Police service; 2,354 employees. Offers a number of in-house training on topics such as mental readiness, transgender awareness and Aboriginal cultural competency.

YWCA TORONTO, Toronto. Individual and family services; 267 employees.

Provided a 10 per cent premium for frontline essential staff.

– Diane Jermyn

p Staff from YMCA of Greater Toronto take a moment to warm up during a hike at Camp Pine Crest, near Gravenhurst, Ont.

( 2021 )

13

METHODOLOGY

A

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. Competition is tough as the region is home to over 40 per cent of Canada’s business headquarters, with many exceptional workplaces. Here’s how the winners are decided.

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. The criteria have remained the same since the competition’s inception.

Employers are compared to 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

ANDRESR/GETTY

2021

14

WALMART

T.MADAY/CSA

( 2021 )

SALESFORCE

p Staff at Toronto-based testing agency Canadian Standards Association / CSA work in over 50 technology areas.

p Employees of Salesforce sharing a lighter moment next to Berczy Park in downtown Toronto.

p Behind the scenes in distribution and transportation at Walmart Canada.

15

SPIN MASTER

( 2021 )

p The Tinker Lab at Toronto-based toy designer Spin Master is a bit like Geppetto’s workshop: it’s where the company’s newest toy ideas come to life.

A Stro n g Fou n dat i on

Greater Toronto’s Top Employers have a real advantage in the wake of the pandemic

T

he Greater Toronto Area is bursting with successful companies, and many are still going strong despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Among them, you can count a homegrown favourite, Spin Master Ltd., the now-global producer of such classic toys as Air Hogs and Bakugan, TV shows like Paw Patrol, and games like Toca Boca. Just recently, Spin Master announced it would buy the company that makes Rubik’s Cube.

You can see Spin Master as emblematic of the situation so many of the 130 winners of the Greater Toronto’s Top Employers

competition have found themselves in – especially seen through the eyes of Grazi Barbosa. She started work at the company as a demand planner shortly after the pandemic struck and everyone was at home. Her experience of joining and working at the company was entirely virtual.

“Even before I started, one day somebody knocked on my door and I got a laptop, out of the blue,” she says. “Then somebody called to give me a password. The onboarding was a very proactive, five-day program, which I didn’t expect to happen in a virtual environment.”

Then she got to work. Demand planning involves forecasting likely sales in the future. In fact, there’s a lot of demand for toys and games amid the pandemic, with so many families at home most of the time.

“Some of the brands have sold a lot more than ever before,” Barbosa says.

But naturally , it was harder getting to know her colleagues. “When you are in an office, you can meet people in the lunchroom, or just walking by,” she notes. “So I relied a lot on my peers about who I should talk to. And as time goes by, you establish connections.”

Meanwhile, Spin Master teed up a lot of virtual support for its people, including in-office yoga, Zoom challenges, leadership town halls, and its own games and TV-show previews for families at home. As the company’s chief people officer, Tara Deakin, says, “this emotional and mental support became as important as running the business better.”

Many of those successes and challenges are echoed in the employer profiles that follow. Across the GTA, Top Employers have wrestled with how to maintain team spirit, as well as their business, in these unprecedented times. But because they are

16

Top Employers – the elite of Canadian organizations when it comes to a positive work environment – they had important advantages.

“These organizations already have a very stable foundation from which to build upon,” says Kristina Leung, senior editor at Mediacorp Canada, which runs the competition. “They’ve had strong policies in place that pertain to flexibility, health and wellness, innovation and the like, and when you have that foundation, it’s easier to build thoughtful responses when things are suddenly upended. It makes pivoting a lot easier when an organization is already people-focused.”

Leung estimates that some 90 per cent of the Top Employers had forms of flex-time and work-from-home policies in place pre-pandemic. “So it was a matter of extending those policies across the board, rather than implementing a new policy that didn’t exist before.”

That helps their enterprises a lot, because the war for talent is as strong as ever, especially among Top Employers.

“There’s just so much growth and competition for talent within the GTA that we see a lot of organizations who want to do better and raise the bar,” says Leung. “So it’s always a really competitive list.”

At Spin Master, the war certainly continues, says Deakin. There was a short lull when the pandemic first hit, but no longer, she says. “In terms of volume and activity, we’re competing for talent the way we were before.”

That view is seconded by Sebastian Distefano, regional managing partner, GTA, for the professional services firm KPMG LLP. “We are continuing to grow and recruit new talent,” he says. And with the GTA such a tech hub, that sector is especially tight. “COVID-19 is accelerating the digital transformation of many of our clients, so they need those digital skills,” he says. “As you compete for people with that skill, they’re harder to find.”

All of which means that Top Employers, the ones likely to land the very best people, have to stay focused on how to keep their working environment – virtual, in-person, or a hybrid of the two – as attractive as ever.

Often the most basic Top Employer policies – healthcare, flexibility, strong communication, employee assistance – are the ones that make winners.

“These things really do matter – they make a difference,” says Leung. “And they’ve never been more important than they are now.”

– Berton Woodward

KPMG

Continued

p Morgan Rathwell, a senior consultant with KPMG in the firm’s Toronto healthcare solutions group, meets virtually with the PPE supply chain team.

SLALOM

STRONG FOUNDATION

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p Software engineers at Slalom ULC in Toronto compete in an epic battle of wits during a virtual Family Feud match on Zoom.

17

TCHC

CAPITAL ONE

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p Toronto Community Housing employee (right) with a Lawrence Heights Scholarship recipient.

METROLINX

FIDELITY

p Employees of Capital One Canada in Toronto at the company’s annual offsite Mission Day.

p Fidelity Canada employees meeting in Toronto to discuss career growth for young women.

p Transit safety officers at Metrolinx in Toronto, alert and protecting the public.

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Caring and engaging, ADP Canada has employees’ backs retain talent. The company’s executive team believes that having employees from all backgrounds drives innovation and growth. Led by a chief diversity officer, ADP’s multicultural mosaic is reinforced by its business resource groups. These encourage LGBTQ+ and women in business initiatives to drive business processes as well as other aspects of the employee experience.

It’s so inspiring to see

everybody pitching in and going above and beyond.

That’s just part of our culture.”

— Jeff Livingston Manager External Brand and Communications HOLGER KORMANN, PRESIDENT ADP CANADA (FAR LEFT), CELEBRATING 'RAPTOR APPRECIATION DAY', ALONGSIDE ADP’S ENTERPRISE LEARNING TEAM

A

s one of the country’s largest HR and payroll service providers, ADP Canada prides itself on ensuring Canadians get paid. But when the pandemic hit, rules and regulations kept changing. It was all hands on deck as employees and managers strived to help customers cut through the COVID-19 confusion.

“There were so many regulations changing in such a short period of time, our call volume increased five-fold,” says Hendrik Steenkamp, director of HR operations and advisory services.

“The company put out a request for volunteers to take calls, so I put my name forward.”

Having one of its top executives field questions alongside service reps might be unusual at other companies, but not ADP Canada. Headquartered in Toronto and part of the larger ADP family with nearly $15 billion in revenues, the company offers a wide range of HR, payroll, tax and benefits solutions. Despite its size, it’s kept its people-first focus, creating a caring and inclusive corporate culture.

“I enjoy working at ADP because it’s like a family and people care about you.

The pandemic is a very unusual situation for us to be in, but I know my company has my back,” says Steenkamp.

It’s this inclusive and engaging culture that helps ADP Canada attract and

That open-minded and compassionate company culture helped ADP Canada quickly adapt when the pandemic was declared.

“We saw unprecedented change overnight. With the majority of ADP associates working from home and nearly 200 federal policy changes introduced since the pandemic hit, we’ve continued to ensure our clients’ payrolls get processed accurately and on time and Canadians get paid,” says Jeff Livingston, manager external brand and communications.

“It’s so inspiring to see everybody pitching in and going above and beyond. That’s just part of our culture and it makes me really proud to work for this organization.”

With employees working remotely, ADP Canada uses constant communication to maintain that sense of belonging.

Executives hold virtual town halls and teams meet using collaborative technologies. Prior to COVID-19, the company dispensed with traditional annual performance reviews in favour of a weekly check-in platform called “Stand Out”.

That paid off when remote work became the norm, since the tool is 100 per cent online and lets employees relay to their managers how they’re feeling, what their priorities are for the week and if they need help with a project.

Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, ADP Canada has found ways to continue with its community engagement.

Instead of associates making their annual three-day trip to the U.S. to participate in the 275-mile, AIDS awareness-raising “Cycle for the Cause,” employees participated locally, cycling for 275 minutes and helping to add to the more than $100,000 raised since its inception.

The company has also continued to deliver its innovative training programs, moving them online. It’s a company focus that Livingston appreciates.

“ADP Canada really invests in their people and they believe in me,” he says.

“I’m encouraged to launch creative projects. I really value that and enjoy being able to share something cool with our clients and fellow ADP peeps.” 

2,220 46 100% 51%

Ask yourself what’s next. Then ask who can help you get there.

Choose the HR and Payroll partner who supports the changing needs of your business with innovative solutions like touchless time kiosks.

FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA YEARS, LONGEST-SERVING EMPLOYEE JOB-RELATED TUITION SUBSIDIES OF MANAGERS ARE WOMEN

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AIG Canada wants to hear the voices of employees have a voice,” McSavaney says. “If someone has a question or an idea, they can bring it forward to our leadership team and we’re willing to listen.”

Employee resource groups (ERGs) are one forum for generating ideas that sometimes make their way to the top.

There are four such groups – Young Professionals, Women and Allies, OutNorth (for LGBTQ+ employees) and a recently formed Multicultural ERG.

If someone has a question or an idea, they can bring it forward to our leadership team and we’re willing to listen.”

— Elizabeth McSavaney Head of Human Resources for Canada and Bermuda AIG CANADA STAFF PLANTED 785 TREES IN TORONTO, MONTREAL AND VANCOUVER LAST SUMMER

R

ose Cugliari was planning to take a year off between high school and university when, at age 16, she took a job at AIG Insurance Company of Canada (AIG Canada). However, things didn’t work out as planned. One year turned into 40 and counting, and she’s never regretted changing direction.

“My manager said I had a knack for numbers and that I should consider AIG as a career,” says Cugliari, who is now an assistant vice-president in the underwriting department. “The company put me through a certified management

accountant program and paid for all my education.”

She spent two decades in accounting and finance, and was managing a team, before making a mid-career fresh start by moving to the sales, or underwriting, side of the business. “It was a real 180, but AIG was 100 per cent supportive,” she says.

That the company backed her decision reflects AIG’s corporate culture. Elizabeth McSavaney, head of human resources for Canada and Bermuda, notes that when employees speak, leadership listens. “We have a long tradition of democracy in terms of ensuring that all our staff members

“The ERGs give employees exposure to areas of the business that they wouldn’t get through their jobs,” says McSavaney.

“They’ll constantly offer input on our onboarding, development opportunities and other programs we offer.”

In fact, the company’s Dress for Your Day initiative was created through employee input. “If the majority of your day is behind your desk, you can dress more casually than if you have outside meetings,” says McSavaney. “It’s been a big hit.”

AIG has a diverse offering of learning and development materials available to employees through its intranet site and also has a generous tuition reimbursement plan for qualifying programs. The company

covers the cost of obtaining a chartered insurance professional accreditation, a challenging multi-year program offered by the Insurance Institute of Canada.

The learning and development offering extends to management as well as junior employees. In 2019, Cugliari participated in Managing at AIG, a six-month program with a group of other managers. It began with a three-day, off-site workshop and included project work completed over the course of the year.

“It provided me with opportunities to improve my skills and I’ve been managing for a long time,” says Cugliari. “The company invested in us because times change, young people change and we need to continue to develop.”

AIG has a corporate social responsibility team that is focused on encouraging employees to give back to the community.

All employees are entitled to 16 hours per year of paid leave to do volunteer work.

Recently, some have walked dogs, cleaned pens and played with animals held in Humane Society kennels. Others have packed produce and canned goods at Second Harvest food bank.

Cugliari has volunteered on several Habitat for Humanity home-building projects. “I’ve done drywalling, installed baseboards and put in beams,” she says. “It was great.” 

371 100% 54% 2,000

FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA JOB-RELATED TUITION SUBSIDIES OF EXECUTIVE TEAM ARE WOMEN STAFF VOLUNTEER HOURS LAST YEAR

20

( 2021 )

American Express Canada leads with compassion equipment and allowed employees to take desktops home.

“We also stressed that leaders must lead with compassion and empathy and allow colleagues flexibility in their roles as they balance work and life commitments and adjust to the new normal,” says Kingsley.

It has been amazing to be a part of a team, and more broadly an organization, that has quickly pivoted to have the backs of our customers and colleagues.”

AMERICAN EXPRESS CANADA EMPLOYEES CELEBRATE THE LAUNCH OF THEIR NEW BUSINESS EDGE CARD LAST YEAR

W

hen Laela Constantine joined American Express Canada in 2018, her 10 years of experience in the hospitality industry had prepared her well to adapt to the organization’s culture.

“I wanted to change career paths, and I discussed various directions with one of my best friends, who’s been an Amex colleague for several years,” says Constantine, marketing analyst, global commercial services, who moved the Canada in 2018 after managing a hotel in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. “She spoke so highly of the collaborative company culture and the strong focus on career development that I felt like Amex would be a great place to explore new opportunities.”

As Constantine discovered, Amex Canada invests in a wide range of training and career development tools and programs to

increase employee satisfaction and provide customers with the best possible service.

Constantine’s development continued last year when she assumed a temporary role supporting large-scale projects “and developing skills that align with my goals,” she says.

In 2020, she was also completing her MBA program when COVID-19 forced Amex Canada to send its 1,700 employees home. It took fewer than 10 days for the company to make the transition.

“While we were not required to close down our operation,” says Annette Kingsley, vice president, colleague experience group, "to ensure our colleagues’ safety, work-from-home became our number-one priority for all our colleagues including customer-facing roles.”

To make the transition as smooth as possible, Amex Canada sourced laptop

— Laela Constantine Marketing Analyst, Global Commercial Services It helped that Amex Canada already encourages employees at its GTA headquarters in North York to manage their own schedules by balancing work-fromhome with the need to be in the office. By this year, they’d become familiar with the flexibility achievable through mobile technology and connectivity.

For employees like Constantine, who place a high priority on flexibility and teamwork, the adjustment was well within her capacity to handle.

“One thing I’ve learned from my career experiences is how to roll with the punches and get back up stronger every time,” she says. “COVID-19 caught many of us off guard, but it has been amazing to be a part of an organization that has quickly pivoted to have the backs of our customers and colleagues.”

Employees have felt supported and reassured, Kingsley says, by the company’s programs to manage stress, such as virtual yoga and mediation sessions, sharing personal mental health stories and continuous promotion of its Colleague Assistance Program.

“Throughout the pandemic we’ve continuously engaged in dialogue about the importance of mental health, self-care and knowing that Amex has their back if they need help,” she says.

As Constantine rolls with the punch of the pandemic, she feels optimistic about her future with Amex Canada. “COVID19 may have impacted the timeline,” she says, “but the skills that I’ve acquired will set me up for success.”

The company’s senior leaders “genuinely care about your career development,” she adds. “They lead with compassion, and they support your need for a work-life balance.”

For Kingsley, now in her sixth year with Amex Canada, the company’s supportive leadership has happened by design.

“When I speak to my colleagues, they give me dozens of reasons why they stayed at Amex,” she says, “but one overwhelming commonality is because we do the right thing for customers and colleagues. We’ve had our customers’ backs, so we must have our colleagues’ backs as well.” 

1,745 37,840 46 56%

FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA JOB APPLICATIONS RECEIVED LAST YEAR YEARS, LONGEST-SERVING EMPLOYEE OF EXECUTIVE TEAM ARE WOMEN

DON’T BREAK GLASS CEILINGS WITHOUT IT.

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Thinking big helps BASF Canada fight COVID-19 desperately needed hand sanitizer when supplies were running critically low. Frontline health workers, educators, Indigenous communities and others received 10,000 litres of free sanitizer, along with other personal protective equipment (PPE) items.

I’ve had the opportunity to see what we’re doing as a company and what my colleagues are doing on an individual level and it has been amazing.”

— Lorena Lujan Communications Specialist BASF EMPLOYEES PRODUCE A HUGE RANGE OF CHEMICAL PRODUCTS, MANY USED IN CLEANING AND SANITATION PRODUCTS HELPING TO FIGHT THE PANDEMIC

T

he COVID-19 crisis has taught Lorena Lujan not to sweat the small stuff. That’s because the company she works for, BASF Canada, has done so many big things during the pandemic.

“It’s been amazing to see how my colleagues have rallied and put all their efforts into making things happen super-fast,” says Lujan, a communications specialist.

“I’ve had the opportunity to see what we’re doing as a company and what my colleagues are doing on an individual level and it’s been amazing.”

Headquartered in Mississauga, BASF Canada is an affiliate of German-based BASF SE, the world’s leading chemical company. BASF Canada’s approximately 1,200 employees produce a huge range of

chemical products, many used in cleaning and sanitation products helping to fight the pandemic.

BASF Canada took immediate steps to protect employees when the COVID-19 crisis hit. Employees were given help in setting up their home offices, training in distance technologies and financial support if they couldn’t come to work. For employees working at the company’s facilities, screening and disinfecting protocols were put in place, shifts were changed and other additional safety measures implemented.

Those were some of the big internal changes, but BASF Canada doubled down when it came to helping the larger community. The company turbo-charged efforts to convert its Windsor plant from an automotive coatings facility to produce

We create chemistry for a sustainable future basf.com/ca

“We saw the clear need and we responded to it. We also donated all the personal protective equipment that we didn’t need,” says Thilo Birkenheier, chief financial officer and director of business services.

“Many of the products we produce go into cleaning services and sanitation, so we are an essential business and worked hard to ensure we could meet the increased demand.”

BASF Canada and its employees have also donated blood, found safe ways to participate in charities like CIBC Run for the Cure and carried out other community activities to show their commitment to helping Canadians make it through the COVID-19 crisis.

Despite the pandemic, the company continues its tradition of charitable works.

It launched a virtual Food Bank drive, raising $64,000 to help feed struggling Canadians. When the company donated a large quantity of hand sanitizer to CN, the

railway company responded by donating an additional $10,000 to Food Banks of Canada on BASF Canada’s behalf.

BASF Canada went even further by working with other chemical companies to set up the Rapid Response Platform, which helps distribute PPE to communities and stakeholders that need it most.

“We wanted to create a platform where the whole industry could exchange information to serve these stakeholders. It was teamwork with other industry partners and it was inspiring to see how competitors put their heads together and pulled in one direction to benefit Canadians,” says Birkenheier.

A strong corporate culture that puts safety first and emphasizes constant communication is one reason why BASF Canada has been able to respond so positively to the problems posed by the pandemic and will continue to apply in the “new normal,” says Lujan.

“What’s been key during the pandemic is to keep employees informed and engaged. Moving forward we’ll continue to do what has been working for us,” says Lujan.

“We don’t have all the answers of how the new normal is going to work, but we are going to continue being transparent and honest while communicating as frequently as we can to our employees.” 

1,129

FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA

7,559

JOB APPLICATIONS RECEIVED LAST YEAR

17

WEEKS, MATERNITY LEAVE TOP-UP PAY

45

YEARS, LONGEST-SERVING EMPLOYEE

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( 2021 )

Bayer Canada employees are stronger together depended on the company’s IT network to conduct daily meetings and to interact virtually with sales, operations and other divisional staff.

“The IT team has been amazing,” she says. “We’ve relied on them for everything from showing us how new apps work to explaining new hardware set-up.”

As they addressed the company’s first priority of employee safety, Bayer’s management turned their attention to other concerns. Employees in its divisions like crop science and radiology still had to provide their services to customers. Patients who depend on the company’s pharmaceuticals needed an uninterrupted supply, and supply chains had to be monitored so they could operate without delays.

Everybody’s DR. SHURJEEL CHOUDHRI, SVP AND HEAD, MEDICAL & SCIENTIFIC AFFAIRS, PRAISES THE WORK OF THE BAYER IT TEAM IN KEEPING EMPLOYEES OPERATIONAL AND CONNECTED FROM THEIR HOME OFFICES.

W

passionate about continuing our critical services during the pandemic. I’m so

hen Adrienne Harrison’s manager at Bayer Inc. walked through the office on a Thursday afternoon in March to tell employees they’d have to work for two weeks from home, she grabbed her laptop and some other items and left the building.

“We all wondered how we would navigate remote work for two weeks,” says Harrison, senior manager, commercial operations, in Bayer’s consumer health division in Mississauga.

“But as time passed, we knew we had to adjust,” she says. “I haven’t been back since March 13.”

To make the transition as easy as possible, Bayer’s senior management formed a committee to address the needs of employees at home. They allowed people to

return once to the office at an appointed time to retrieve personal items and to take their ergonomically designed office chairs with them.

If necessary, they shipped monitors and other computer equipment to employees’ homes or helped with purchasing new ones.

“We also had to make sure our IT network could handle the increased traffic created by virtual meetings and video calls,” says Shurjeel Choudhri, head of medical and scientific affairs and senior vice president of Bayer Inc. “Through it all, I’ve been impressed by how well the organization has continued to function during the pandemic.”

Providing internal customer service support for Bayer’s operating divisions, Harrison and her five-person team have

proud of the team.”

— Shurjeel Choudhri Senior Vice President and Head of Medical and Scientific Affairs Bayer also took steps to support the community through donations to foodbank programs and initiatives to inform medical specialists about advances in COVID-19 research.

Some of that research is being conducted by Bayer itself, including a major collaboration with the Population Health Research Institute at McMaster University to identify potential COVID-19 treatments.

Under ordinary conditions, says Choudhri, it takes a year to put such a study into practice.

“But this was urgent,” he says. “We needed to find out if any existing treatments could be re-purposed for COVID-19.”

Dozens of people, all working virtually, put everything else aside to get the study up and running.

“Together with PHRI, we finalized the study protocol, obtained approvals from Health Canada, the research ethics board and our global organization, obtained study drug supply and enrolled the first patient in just 29 days,” says Choudhri. “It was unprecedented.”

The study now involves researchers in 14 countries, and the team expects results by early 2021. “Everybody’s passionate about this work,” he says. “I’m so proud of the team.”

For Choudhri and Harrison alike, the pandemic has required an immediate adjustment to a rapidly changing world. For Choudhri, “that means being resilient and learning quickly.”

For Harrison, who has two daughters, five and seven, it means “a re-prioritization of people and family and a more balanced view of work and life,” she says.

“A lot of organizations talk about putting family first. Well, this is family first.”

It may also be the silver lining in the cloud of COVID-19, she adds. “Until the pandemic sent everyone home, I’d never walked my kids to school.” 

1,395 16,950 6 47%

FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA JOB APPLICATIONS RECEIVED LAST YEAR WEEKS, MAXIMUM VACATION ALLOWANCE OF EMPLOYEES ARE WOMEN

Health for all, Hunger for none www.bayer.ca

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Blake, Cassels & Graydon steps up its pro bono work looking for assistance with a bail courts monitoring program to examine potential reforms to the bail system, and Blakes was happy to jump on board, says Nicole Henderson, a partner in the Blakes Toronto office. “It was an opportunity to provide engaging work done pro bono for dozens of our summer students across Canada.

It is more important than ever that we use our legal expertise to support organizations which are focused on helping people in need.”

BLAKE, CASSELS & GRAYDON ENCOURAGES ITS LAWYERS TO WORK ON WORTHY CHARITABLE CAUSES, INCLUDING THIS EFFORT TO OBTAIN JUSTICE FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT VICTIMS IN KENYA

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hen the pandemic struck in March, leading Canadian business law firm Blake, Cassels & Graydon (Blakes) was quick to start helping different organizations in the community, consistent with its long history of commitment to pro bono work.

“Because the pandemic creates more isolation and has a more significant impact in disadvantaged communities, it is more important than ever that we use our legal expertise to support organizations which are focused on helping people in need,” says Mary Jackson, chief officer, professional resources, at Blakes. “In fact, one of the first calls Blakes made was to Pro Bono Ontario to ask how we could help. We im-

mediately encouraged our lawyers to volunteer for the free legal advice hotline run

by Pro Bono Ontario.”

For Jackson, pro bono work (done without charge) is very much part of the fabric of the firm. Over 15 years ago, Blakes established a formal policy where a certain number of pro bono hours per year are treated like billable hours, thus supporting and encouraging lawyers to invest their time in pro bono work. Each year, Blakes lawyers provide the equivalent of over $5 million in legal services through pro bono work. “Our lawyers and law students get a sense of fulfilment from doing this work,” Jackson explains.

Another organization, the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA), was

— Mary Jackson Chief Officer, Professional Resources “One of the challenges of the pandemic and working remotely was finding ways to ensure that students were meaningfully integrated into the firm,” notes Henderson, who helped with the project and has been involved with numerous other pro bono endeavours at Blakes – including one called 160 Girls, which achieved a landmark victory in 2013 whereby Kenyan law enforcement officials were ordered to investigate and prosecute crimes of sexual violence.

“The students had the opportunity to work virtually with one another and with lawyers in the firm on this project with the goal of improving the equity in the justice system,” she says.

Blakes also partnered with Pro Bono Students Canada in the development of a Toronto clinic to assist trans-identified clients navigate changes to their identifi-

cation, including name and gender marker changes. Blakes lawyers also support such clinics in Calgary and Victoria, with plans to expand to other cities. The firm recently established a three-year commitment to the project. Lawyers participating in the project find they are inspired by the people they meet at the clinic who are navigating challenging circumstances.

Amid the pandemic and the stresses and isolation that have come with it, “Blakes continues to look after our own internal community as well as the broader community outside the firm,” says Henderson.

“In addition to encouraging our lawyers to participate in pro bono work, the firm made sure to provide all employees with the tools that they need to successfully work remotely and ensure we continue to stay connected.”

Moreover, Henderson notes that Blakes already had a robust policy around mental health, offering regular seminars and having increased its mental health benefit coverage to $3,000 per year. The firm regularly communicates with staff to remind them of existing mental health supports as well as new ones, including the availability of its in-house counsellor for virtual sessions. Blakes has made a substantial commitment to training its leaders and managers on supporting the mental health of employees. 

1,370 14,540

FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA JOB APPLICATIONS RECEIVED LAST YEAR

97

RECENT GRADUATES HIRED ON A FULL-TIME BASIS LAST YEAR

54%

OF MANAGERS ARE WOMEN

Looking forward and giving back Giving back matters now more than ever. Each year, Blakes lawyers provide over $5-million in legal services through pro bono work, helping causes they care about deeply. At Blakes, we share our time to make an impact.

Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP | joinblakes.com

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BLG keeps people together even when apart aligned with our goal of promoting health and wellness.”

Munro says the pandemic made leadership look at how people could stay connected when you no longer had those unplanned moments in the elevator, halls and lunchroom. First, they asked people what they wanted and made sure the technology was in place. A lot of suggestions came from BLG employees, says Munro, such as “Coffee Roulette,” a weekly ongoing activity.

The more we can draw people in and stay connected, the more they feel part of something bigger.”

— Leanne Cherry Chief Talent Officer ENSURING THE FIRM'S CULTURE IS CLEARLY ARTICULATED FOR NEW HIRES AND ARTICLING STUDENTS WORKING REMOTELY IS A KEY GOAL AT BLG

E

very morning for four weeks this summer, Mary Munro walked in her neighbourhood to replace her usual pre-pandemic commute to Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG).

Then at the end of day, she’d do it again, walking a total of five kilometres daily.

Under the banner “BLG Walks Across Canada,” the law firm’s walkers, bikers, joggers and hikers tracked their collective steps in their neighbourhoods, cottage country or wherever they happened to be.

After months of people working remotely, the idea was simply to encourage everyone to get outside in the good weather and connect over their stories.

“It was a good motivator and so much healthier,” says Munro, national director of paraprofessional services and chair of BLG’s recently formed volunteer engagement committee. “The response was amazing.”

Initially, the committee’s plan was to accumulate about 5,000 km to achieve a path that touched BLG offices from Vancouver to Montréal, but participants ended up doing over 19,000 km – enough to go virtually from coast to coast to coast, all the way up to CFS Alert in Nunavut.

“We asked people to share what they’d done,” says Munro. “The photos were phenomenal and the initiative really

“Individuals sign up and we randomly assign people to have coffee together virtually,” says Munro. “It’s resulted in many new relationships between individuals who are from a different office or practice group or have different roles and may never have connected.”

“It’s a way of combatting loneliness.

Someone working remotely may not be in a position where they talk to many people or maybe they live alone. We also have special editions, like one we did for articling students and partners. It’s hard for students doing their articling remotely so we matched them with people they would have met but couldn’t because of the current situation.”

Leanne Cherry, chief talent officer, says engagement and mental health go hand

in hand in coping with the pandemic as a firm. BLG’s health benefits include inhouse mental health counsellors, internal programs with speakers on topics such as resilience, and an additional $5,000 annual benefit to spend on therapists, social workers or psychologists.

“The more we can draw people in and stay connected, the more people feel part of something bigger,” says Cherry. “That really matters when you’re sitting at home alone or struggling because you’re tired or the kids are running around while you’re still trying to work. It’s important that people don’t feel like they’re the only one having bad days.”

After surveying its people, BLG expects that many will choose to continue to work remotely at least part time, so long-term engagement plans are in the works starting with an engagement summit. Another challenge is onboarding new articling students and lawyers during this period.

“We need to ensure our culture is clearly articulated to them so they’re getting a sense of who we are and can feel they’re part of the fabric,” Cherry says.

“As we look at the long winter ahead, it’s important to keep a sense of togetherness and that we’re here to support each other.

We continue to challenge ourselves to find ways to do that.” 

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CAA Club Group corporate values pass the test our laptops and screens home with us,” says Srinivas.

While the transition affected more than 2,000 associates, many of them had already adopted flexible work arrangements. “Some of us were already working from home, one or two days a week. We have that kind of flexibility at CCG,” says Srinivas. “Our call centre staff all work from home.”

Our associates have never once stopped helping our members.

From the get-go, our travel associates helped to repatriate over 2,000 stranded CAA CCG ASSOCIATE USING THEIR PREDICTIVE ROADSIDE TECHNOLOGY CALLED GEN 2

S

oon after he moved to Toronto from Mumbai in 2019, Sandeep Srinivas heard about CAA Club Group (CCG).

A friend who works there recommended the organization to Srinivas. “She spoke highly of its leadership and its stability,” he says. “It’s a highly diversified organization, with a lot of businesses under one roof.”

Srinivas’s younger sister had entered a PhD program in the U.S., and their parents wanted them to remain accessible to each other. Toronto was not only accessible, it’s also the financial capital of Canada, notes Srinivas, a qualified chartered accountant with an MBA in finance and strategy from the Indian School of Business. And it’s the headquarters of CCG. Srinivas now works in the Audit and Risk department at CCG in Thornhill.

Travel members from all over the world.”

Founded more than 115 years ago, CAA advocates for its 2.2 million members on issues such as road safety, infrastructure and consumer rights. It also offers products and services ranging from roadside assistance and home and auto insurance to travel services and travel insurance.

The organization thrives by accommodating the diversity of its membership, reflected in the diversity of its associates, says Mary Duncan, chief human resources officer.

“We hire associates who share our corporate values of collaboration, innovation, being care-driven and leading by example,” she says.

Those values were put to the test when COVID-19 hit in early 2020.

“We were told on the Friday before the state of emergency was declared to take

— Mary Duncan Chief Human Resources Officer That’s one reason why CCG adapted so readily to COVID-19 conditions. “Our associates have never once stopped helping our members,” says Duncan. “From the get-go, our travel associates helped to repatriate over 2,000 stranded CAA Travel members from all over the world.”

CCG went beyond its immediate member responsibilities to support the local community, as well. “We delivered vital food and supplies,” says Duncan. “Associates, drivers and even our CEO helped to deliver PPE supplies to frontline workers across the province.

“We also called our elderly members to ensure they were safe and doing all right

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during the shutdown. And CAA Insurance Company went above and beyond the industry standard issuing both a rate reduction and a financial relief benefit for our policy holders.”

Internally, the organization supported associates as they adjusted to their new circumstances. Even with one-third of them working in the area of travel, which has suffered an enormous blow from the pandemic, “we committed to not laying off any employees,” says Duncan.

Instead, the organization has retrained more than 100 associates over three months and deployed them to other parts of the company, she says. “This has allowed us to keep all our retail stores open and continue to keep a local presence to support our members in their communities.”

The organization also introduced new health and wellness initiatives such as Maple telemedicine, AbilitCBT online cognitive behavioural therapy and a number of other resources for associates and their eligible family members.

Instead of going to the office, Srinivas now spends hours of his day on Zoom calls. “We’re operating under a different set of conditions. A lot of processes had to be re-aligned,” he says.

“But the quality of the outcome is just as high as ever.” 

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Core values count at CAAT Pension Plan a wider range of employers and employees.

The Plan now has over 63,500 members and 56 additional participating employers throughout Canada from nine different industries and 14 labour unions.

Acting in the best long-term interests of its stakeholders, CAAT has earned a reputation as one of Canada’s leading providers of sustainable defined benefit pensions. So, early on, CAAT reassured members that despite upheavals in the investment market, their pensions were secure and would be paid on time. Its message to employees also focused on easing anxiety: their jobs were safe.

When the unexpected happens, everybody’s EMPLOYEES AT CAAT PENSION PLAN FOUND A WAY TO CELEBRATE STAFF BIRTHDAYS LIKE THEY HAD DONE BEFORE THE PANDEMIC (SHOWN ABOVE)

O

n their first day of work at CAAT Pension Plan, newcomers used to find balloons greeting them at the reception desk and their workspace. Prepandemic, it was a fun way to welcome them to an environment that thrives on teamwork. So what happens when everybody’s working safely from home and nobody’s in the office?

Even as the COVID-19 crisis led to widespread layoffs elsewhere, CAAT continued to hire. Indeed, in the first six months of the global pandemic, 70 newcomers were onboarded. So creating a special online welcome for them was among the myriad details that CAAT attended to as it expanded and enhanced its virtual resources.

In the process, it went beyond providing the secure connections needed to keep

the Plan running smoothly – it launched initiatives to help employees themselves feel secure. A new staff portal, for one, provides timely, accurate information from top public health officials about COVID19. Learning opportunities, wellness tools and resources, feedback channels, informal interactions with colleagues and more are all also just a click away.

“I feel very comfortable saying we left no stone unturned serving our members and employers, and supporting the ongoing health and safety of our staff and community,” says Derek Dobson, CEO & Plan Manager. The guiding philosophy behind all CAAT’s pandemic-related activities is CAAT’s purpose and culture, he says.

Established in 1967 to provide pensions for 2,300 full-time employees of Ontario’s 24 Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology, CAAT gradually extended the Plan to

LIVING OUR VALUES EVERY DAY

workplace culture gets tested, but we’re emerging stronger than ever.”

— Derek Dobson CEO & Plan Manager The CAAT office in the downtown Toronto core eventually re-opened with extensive sanitation and social-distancing protocols in place. Nobody, however, was required to return; the decision was up to each individual.

Openness, trust and respect for one another are core values at CAAT, Dobson says. Those and other key tenets of the workplace culture, including teamwork and innovation, facilitated CAAT’s transition to a virtual workplace, he says, noting technology was the enabler and not the focus.

Jennifer Goerz agrees. When her position as CAAT workplace wellness specialist was created in 2019, her responsibil-

ities included developing and delivering physical, mental and financial wellness initiatives. Those three pillars haven’t changed, she says.

“CAAT objectives and priorities are the same,” says Goerz. “It’s only the method of delivery that has changed.”

Each employee working from home faced unique circumstances, whether unsuitable workspaces or feeling overwhelmed by multiple obligations, so solutions centred on flexibility and resilience, she says. This included extending the cap on the number of counselling sessions available through CAAT’s employee assistance program; dedicated sessions on mental health; expanding the fitness incentive to include things such as virtual yoga; and providing ergonomic equipment to make working from home more comfortable.

“We can all be proud of what we’ve done,” says Goerz.

Although CAAT managers stayed in regular contact with their team members, Dobson says it “warmed his heart” when he learned that employees had taken to spontaneously reaching out to one another to make sure they were all right.

So while no one wanted the pandemic, there were some silver linings, he says.

“When the unexpected happens, everybody’s workplace culture gets tested, but we’re emerging stronger than ever.” 

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Good communication rallies the staff at CSA Group week, he’s been able to ensure everyone understands what’s going on and what we as an organization are doing.”

As it happens, that is quite a lot. It includes allowing flexible work hours for employees with young children or aging parents who require attention, as well as providing the equipment needed to set up home offices. “A lot of people, myself included, didn’t have home offices,” says Rondeau. “We’ve all had an opportunity to give input on what we need.”

Our employees have done a terrific job even as the challenges and stresses have increased.”

— Paul Keane Executive Vice-President, Human Resources & Health, Safety, Security and Environment THE TRUSTED CERTIFICATION MARKS OF CSA GROUP APPEAR ON MORE THAN A BILLION PRODUCTS WORLDWIDE

C

lifton Rondeau has done a lot of moving this year. At the outset, he was at his desk at the head office of the testing, certification and standards organization CSA Group, but when the pandemic hit it was time to work from home. He started in the basement, migrated to the master bedroom and then moved to his son’s bedroom after the young man went off to university.

But at every step of this unusual and trying year, the organization has been supportive. “Credit for our ability to work effectively has to go to the leadership of CSA,” says Rondeau, program manager,

energy efficiency, ICT and renewable energy. “Our CEO has been very open and transparent about where we are going and the implications of this pandemic.”

The president and chief executive officer of CSA Group, David Weinstein, has been sending email updates weekly to employees. “With the majority of our global workforce working from home once the pandemic hit, David wanted to ensure everyone felt informed and connected,” says Paul Keane, executive vice-president of human resources, as well as health, safety, security and environment. “By delivering transparent and inclusive updates each

Providing a safe workplace has always been a top priority at CSA, says Keane.

Some employees working in labs test hundreds of different types of electrical and gas products, including gas barbecues and electrical appliances, that involve high voltage and flammable or explosive substances. Lab work has continued, with strict safety protocols in place, during the pandemic.

Prior to the pandemic, CSA Group created a mental health and wellness program called Project Care, based on CSA’s own standard CSA Z1003: Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace. The initiative has taken on a new urgency this year, says Keane.

“It’s about helping our employees manage the stress and anxiety associated with

this big unplanned experiment that we’re all going through,” he says. “We’re going to be in this for a while and the effects are going to be long-lasting.”

Rondeau notes that the impact goes well beyond merely setting up a home office. He and his team are often involved in arranging committee meetings of 10 to 30 outside experts or interested parties involved in setting standards in the areas of energy efficiency, renewables, and information and communication technology.

“Pre-pandemic, we would meet with our committees face-to-face,” says Rondeau. “Now everything is virtual and what used to be a simple one-day meeting has to be broken up and held over two or three days.”

Despite such challenges, employee engagement and productivity have actually improved. “People have had to learn and adapt to new ways of working,” Keane says. “Our employees have done a terrific job even as the challenges and stresses have increased.”

The pandemic has opened a potential new area for testing and certification.

CSA Group has set up a lab to test medical-grade personal protective equipment.

“The number of manufacturers of medical PPE in Canada was minimal and so was the ability to test and certify the products,” says Keane. 

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CAS of Toronto finds new ways to keep children safe stance the child welfare sector has been known for, ours is an approach based on early intervention and prevention.”

Part of that, adds Rosebush, is about staff training and getting team members to operate from a fundamentally different mindset.

“We don’t want our people to go in with the old attitude that we are here to investigate your family,” he says. “Rather, we are here to assess the situation, find out what your needs are and see how we can work together for an outcome that’s desirable.”

It feels good to go to work each day to be part of a team that can make such a big difference in the lives of so many people.”

THE CHILDREN'S AID SOCIETY OF TORONTO IS ONE OF THE LARGEST CHILD PROTECTION AGENCIES IN NORTH AMERICA

R

amona Chereches, director of intake services for the Children’s Aid Society of Toronto (CAS of Toronto), has no trouble explaining why she finds her work meaningful.

“I’m truly passionate about what I do,” says the 18-year veteran of the organization. “Keeping children safe and helping families and communities is incredibly rewarding. It feels good to go to work each day to be part of a team that can make such a big difference in the lives of so many people.”

Chereches also appreciates that in addition to being one of the largest child

protection agencies in North America, CAS of Toronto is one of the most innovative.

“We are always thinking outside of the box in terms of the services we offer and how we can get better at what we do every day,” she says.

A key example is the recently implemented Journey to Zero program, which focuses on working with families, community partners and other social service agencies to help prevent children from having to come into care in the first place.

“Our journey is about changing the way we work,” says Paul Rosebush, CEO of CAS of Toronto. “Instead of the reactive

— Ramona Chereches Director, Intake Services When it comes to hiring, Rosebush says, CAS of Toronto looks for people with a high degree of compassion and empathy.

They must also be flexible and adaptable, he adds, because the situations they will face never occur the same way twice.

And because the work can often be stressful and challenging, resilience is another key attribute.

“We reinforce that resilience by setting ourselves up in teams and ensuring every frontline worker receives a lot of support and feedback,” says Rosebush.

To prevent potential staff burnout, CAS of Toronto offers a robust employee assistance program, including mental health wellness seminars, flexible work hours, a generous vacation package and counselling

and support services for workers and their families.

The organization is also centred around a shared set of values, including putting children first, promoting trust, respect and honesty, and demonstrating excellence.

“A value we are really focusing on right now is diversity, equity and inclusion,” says Rosebush. “It’s front and centre in everything we do, from staff training to how we interact with families and the larger community.”

CAS of Toronto also places a strong emphasis on continual learning. The organization offered some 400 in-house training and development sessions last year, including ones on anti-bias training, anti-racism and personal wellness. CAS of Toronto covers the cost of external webinars and conferences as well as tuition reimbursement and up to one year’s leave for those who want to upgrade their education.

“You can’t be in the child protection sector without constantly wanting to learn about new practices and ideas that come forward every day,” says Chereches. “I really value the shared learning environment I’ve experienced here. We talk openly about how we do our work, hold one other accountable and support each other in the huge responsibility of finding the best ways to protect children and families.” 

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Technology links Citi Canada to the world ny, primarily because of Citi’s worldwide scope.

“Citi does business in 160 countries,” Mathews says. “Its global presence is incomparable.

“In my work here, I interact with people in Europe, the U.S., India and Hong Kong. Enterprises of this scale are simply not often seen in Canada.”

We have to make sure we keep up with development of applications for thousands of clients in Canada and globally. Citi THE MISSISSAUGA-BASED TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT CENTRE OF CITIBANK CANADA HAS GROWN TO EMPLOY OVER 1,700 TECHNOLOGISTS

“W

e live in a challenging, rapidly evolving age,” says Renu Mathews, senior vice president, advanced analytics and public cloud, for Citi Canada. “The technology we use now will not be the technology that we use tomorrow, and most companies have trouble keeping up with change.”

As an alternative, thousands of client companies turn to Citi Canada and its parent Citi to help them keep up. Working from its fast-growing Technology Development Centre in Mississauga, an innovation centre for world-class digital development, Mathews and her team of data engineers develop sophisticated technologies that examine almost infinite quantities of data generated by financial trading and other activities to illuminate deeper insights, make predictions, or generate recommendations.

“As a technologist, I’m eager to learn and apply technology to banking,” Mathews says.

The platforms and applications that she and her team develop are used by Citi in its own financial activities and by its clients, for whom it administers over 200 million accounts. Citi Canada’s core financial services are safeguarding assets, lending money, making payments and accessing the capital markets on behalf of its clients, and technology plays a major role in these activities.

“Our technology teams are involved in developing world-class capital markets platforms to be used to better serve Citi clients around the world,” says CEO John Hastings. “The continued growth of our Mississauga technology centre is a key strategy for Citi in Canada.”

Mathews joined Citi Canada in 2018 from a major telecommunications compa-

always thinks ahead.”

— Renu Mathews Senior Vice President, Advanced Analytics & Public Cloud As she advances her technological experience and credentials Mathews was also attracted by Citi’s commitment to its people and technology. “What Citi offered was what I wanted,” she says.

With Citi’s encouragement, Mathews recently completed the ISG E4 training program, a high-level course for which she developed a leading-edge self-generating application that builds on existing technologies to create new applications.

“We have to make sure we keep up with development of applications for thousands of clients in Canada and globally,” she says. “Citi always thinks ahead.”

Recruiting about 300 technology professionals a year, Citi Canada builds, develops and manages applications in Mississauga that fuel the international

trading side of its business as well as applications for internal business supply chains; transaction, order and back-office processing; financial management; and corporate business banking functions.

Earlier this year, advanced technology helped Citi Canada to adjust quickly to conditions imposed by COVID-19.

“No one expected it,” says Mathews.

“Everyone was told to work from home.

But Citi was ahead in the game. We all have cloud.”

This enabled employees like Mathews and her team to continue their activities from home with no loss of data storage or computing power.

“If you have access,” she says, “you can work from anywhere.”

Technology has also allowed Hastings and his management team to stay informed about employee and client needs and to respond to them quickly.

“We have regular calls and touchpoints,” he says, “regular written communications, and I’ve held many sessions with small groups of employees and full town halls to hear concerns, which ensure they continue to feel connected to the business and our priorities.

“Sometimes people need information,” he adds. “At other times it’s more of a virtual pat on the back for a job well done.” 

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OF MANAGERS ARE VISIBLE MINORITIES

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Change culture helped CPSO help its doctors “That brought people closer together because it was a big challenge and they were successful.”

Overnight, every employee had a laptop. Drive-through pick ups were set up for employees to bring office equipment home.

The IT department worked overtime to move everyone to Skype and Microsoft Teams. CPSO also moved registration and other services online to serve members.

We really try to build that sense of community and bring people together. We let each other know that we’ll get through this together.”

CPSO EMPLOYEES PARTICIPATE IN BBQ ACTIVITIES LAST SUMMER

W

hen the pandemic hit, staff at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) suddenly found themselves on the frontline of the COVID-19 crisis. Tasked with registering and licensing physicians and regulating their practice, they were deemed an essential service, just like hospitals. Shutting down simply wasn’t an option.

That meant transforming what had until recently been a largely paper-based organization with aging computer systems into a virtual powerhouse almost overnight.

Working together, CPSO people made it happen.

“We’re in the frontline business of regulating physicians to ensure they’re providing quality care to patients. Getting doctors in the field and licensed as quickly as possible was our first priority,” said

Nathalie Novak, chief transformation officer.

“We continue doing not just business, but more business than usual. We’re exceeding all of our targets and we did it in a way that staff were safely and quickly transitioned to work from home.”

CPSO regulates the practice of medicine in Ontario. Established in 1866 and headquartered in Toronto, its 385 full-time staff register physicians, monitor and maintain standards of practice and respond to complaints. Two years ago, the college brought in Dr. Nancy Whitmore as registrar and CEO with a mandate to modernize the somewhat staid organization. That helped CPSO to respond swiftly to the pandemic.

“The culture of change enabled us to transform and build a new virtual model from scratch during a pandemic virtually overnight,” says Novak.

— Mark Sampson Senior Internal Communications Adviser Internally, CPSO put support services online. Yoga, gym and wellness classes are all virtual, as are training classes. People stay in touch with daily and weekly Huddle meetings.

But CPSO went the extra mile by offering staff $1,000 per person as a wellness and work-from-home taxable benefit so employees can purchase a piece of gym equipment, retrofit a portion of their home office or do whatever helps them maintain their mental and physical well-being.

It’s part of its commitment to employee wellness – especially in the midst of a pandemic.

“They’ve encouraged people to keep work-life balance in mind, to take vacation days,” says Mark Sampson, senior internal communications adviser.

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“CPSO has said don’t let the pandemic prevent you from recharging your batteries and made a point of ensuring if someone wants to shift their hours, they can do that.”

Sampson was among the first to return to CPSO’s offices in downtown Toronto when restrictions eased. The building had been retrofitted with new HEPA filters, touchless doors, taps and sinks and other COVID-19 measures. “Retro” also describes the resurrection of a coffee cart for each floor to reduce congregating in the lunchroom.

The focus on home and office hasn’t limited CPSO from continuing its community outreach. It supports Blake Boultbee Youth Outreach Service, which works with high-risk youth and their families.

Cake auctions and other fundraising to support the service goes on – they’re just virtual instead of in-person. CPSO also built a relief program for physicians who were put out of business to help pay dues.

Keeping connected to the larger community outside and building community within will keep CPSO going throughout the pandemic, says Sampson.

“We really try to build that sense of community and bring people together,” he says. “We let each other know that we’ll get through this together.” 

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Cox Automotive Canada cares for its people Ishankov started running every day and doing yoga stretches twice a week. “I completely changed my lifestyle,” he says. “It has made a huge difference to my well-being and my productivity.”

To lead by example, Ishankov also tried not to work on Friday afternoons. “I knew I’d feel guilty telling others to take time off and not do it myself,” he says. “I was continuously thinking about work, and that short break helped restore my sanity.”

Putting people first brings better results for business.”

— Alexander Ishankov Chief Technology Officer

EMPLOYEES AT COX AUTOMOTIVE STAY CONNECTED VIRTUALLY DURING THE PANDEMIC

W

hen Mississauga-based Cox Automotive Canada sent its employees home to work in the early days of COVID-19, Alexander Ishankov happily gave up his three-hour daily drive in heavy traffic to and from the office – and ended up with a healthier lifestyle that allows him to work more efficiently.

A subsidiary of the global Cox Enterprises Inc., Cox Automotive Canada is a leading provider of automotive products and services. As chief technology officer, Ishankov oversaw setting employees up online at home with new technology,

tools and training. “I’m very proud of how quickly we made sure that everyone was comfortably working remotely without losing productivity,” he says.

Flexible hours were offered to employees with young children, and those who were anxious were encouraged to take time off to recharge. To prevent burnout, in the summer employees were encouraged to take an afternoon of their choosing off once a week. “Putting people first brings better results for business – if our employees are happy and well, it will be good for our company,” says Ishankov.

In order to keep balanced himself,

When Ishankov joined in 2018, he had no idea that his task of building a technology strategy for Cox would include developing and implementing a pandemic plan. “I’ve had trust and support from our leadership team right from the beginning,” he says.

Ishankov was hired by company president Maria Soklis, whom he finds inspiring. So does Ola Ajayi-Salako, director of the Canadian subsidiary’s enterprise program management office.

“Maria is a leader who genuinely cares about her people,” says Ajayi-Salako.

During Black Lives Matter, for example, Soklis called Ajayi-Salako to ask how she was doing. “The caring way Maria deals with her team makes you want to do better for your own team,” she says.

“She’s one in a million.”

Ajayi-Salako is a member of Cox’s Black Employee Network, which was created shortly before the Black Lives Matter

movement began – and is now even more important. The group’s goal is to better understand and combat anti-Black and systemic racism. Inspired by the company’s Women With Drive employee resource group, it’s open to employees from all ethnic backgrounds and genders who want to help promote equality and inclusion.

After working as a consultant for Cox in 2006, Ajayi-Salako became an employee the following year and has been promoted twice. “I like the people, the open culture and the challenges, and it’s a good environment where you can grow.

The leadership team is willing to listen to all ideas, it doesn’t matter what level you are.”

Internal and external training has been an important part of Ajayi-Salako’s career growth, from coaching to how to conduct effective conversations with team members based on their personality type to a year-long leadership program.

“The company really invests in its employees,” says Ajayi-Salako. “And for every class I’ve taken, no one has told me I’ve had to stay for a certain number of years more because of it – I could have walked away and taken that training to another company. But why would I? I love it here.” 

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Distributel keeps Canadians connected when needed most “Customers looked to us for support during this time,” says Aleks Radovic, manager of enterprise support. “Many of the businesses we deal with didn’t have their own IT team to guide things, so we took the time to go out of our way to help in any way we could.”

Distributel also stepped up its external communications, posting information on social media to help educate customers on working from home and leveraging technology to meet their business needs.

Imagine being confined to your home at a time like this without adequate internet access.”

EMPLOYEES AT DISTRIBUTEL'S OTTAWA OFFICE ENJOYING A TEAM MEETING

F

or Distributel Communications Limited, coping with the COVID-19 pandemic reinforced the importance of one of the company’s central missions – ensuring all Canadians have access to reliable highspeed internet service.

“Imagine being confined to your home at a time like this without adequate internet access,” says Isabelle Leger, director of human resources for Distributel, one of Canada’s leading independent telecommunications service providers. “It would be very difficult, both from a human perspective and in terms of keeping connected to your work. Connectivity truly is an essential service.”

Even before the pandemic, Distributel had strongly advocated for greater competitiveness in Canada’s telecommunications

industry to address what is sometimes called “the digital divide” – the gap between internet services in urban and rural communities.

Two years ago, Distributel forged a groundbreaking partnership with Cree communities in northern Québec to provide the same level of high-speed internet service as urban residents enjoy, and at the same price.

When the pandemic struck, Distributel’s first challenge was to migrate all of its own employees to a work from home environment, a tremendous accomplishment that the company’s IT team was able to deliver in less than a week.

Simultaneously, the company moved aggressively to help its business and residential customers adjust to the new work-from-home reality.

— Isabelle Leger Director, Human Resources Internally, the company kept the lines of communication open on several fronts, including frequent virtual town halls with the company’s CEO and regular updates on best practices for staying safe through the pandemic.

The company also stressed the need for employees to find a work-life balance while working remotely from their own homes.

“It’s sometimes difficult for people in this situation to disconnect,” says Leger.

“One of the things we did was to share ‘Day in the Life’ videos of senior executives, where they tried to lead by example.

So you’d see them going for a jog before work or for a bike ride with their kids in the middle of day. The message was: ‘yes, work hard, but also value your personal

time and find a healthy balance.’”

Managers were also encouraged to reach out to employees on a more personal basis.

Radovic says he would normally meet weekly with the two business teams he leads. After the pandemic hit, he started to also have virtual meetings with individual employees.

“People were sometimes feeling stressed or anxious and so a lot of what we talked about had nothing to do with business,” says Radovic. “I’d be asking them: How are you feeling? Are you okay? How can we help you?”

Leger says that sense of caring occurred throughout the organization, boosting employee morale.

“We had a good team dynamic before, but it’s become even more apparent in the last several months.”

Employees, she adds, also appreciate that the company has responded proactively to customer needs during the pandemic.

“We were the first telecommunications company to waive data overage charges for all of our internet customers and the first to make that move permanent, starting in August,” says Leger. “That speaks to our core value of ‘do what is right’ and it’s something that makes our employees very proud.” 

300 24 3 $1000

FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES

WEEKS, MATERNITY LEAVE TOP-UP PAY WEEKS, STARTING VACATION ALLOWANCE ANNUAL MENTAL HEALTH BENEFIT

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( 2021 )

Durham College builds community relationships in 3D says. “I’ve always felt supported when I’ve gone to them with new ideas.”

The stunner was what happened next.

To help with the cost of the plastic filament used in the printing, Daniel posted an online fundraising request for $1,000.

Reaching $8,000 in the first day, donations eventually totalled nearly $16,000.

When you work together, incredible innovation, transformation and collaboration are always possible.”

— Dr. Elaine Popp Executive Vice-President, Academic

DURHAM COLLEGE PROFESSOR CHRIS DANIEL WITH A 3D PRINTER USED TO PRODUCE PPE FACE SHIELD FRAMES

A

s the global pandemic swept Canada, Durham College of Applied Arts and Technology (DC) swiftly pivoted to a remote service and program delivery model for the first time in its 53year history. The March 2020 in-person campus closure involved a lot more than simply moving lessons online.

In the face of uncertainty, employees suddenly had to find solutions to scores of pressing matters. It’s also when Chris Daniel, a professor in the Mechanical Engineering Technology program, made an unusual request – he wanted to take the college’s 3D printers home with him.

Daniel wanted to use the machines to create parts for face shields for healthcare workers battling on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. His wife Nicole, a DC nursing professor, had confirmed alarming reports that personal protective equipment (PPE) was then in short supply.

Straightaway, Daniel packaged and transported six 3D printers from the college's Oshawa and Whitby campuses. The professor, who’s also a faculty adviser with DC’s FastStart entrepreneurship team, was pleased but not surprised that his request was approved.

“Whenever I’ve approached my deans, I’ve always felt they had my back,” he

The now viral campaign also prompted DC students, alumni and community members to volunteer their time and diverse skills. Daniel soon found himself managing a team of 65, who at the peak kept 83 3D printing machines running.

“It was pretty crazy,” he says. “We were going 24/7.”

The project wound down in late May when major manufacturers had finally retooled and began making massive quantities of PPEs. But by then, Daniel’s team had produced and distributed 6,350 face shield headbands and 32,700 ear savers.

Daniel was one of a number of DC faculty and staff whose activities helped forge stronger relationships with the broader community during the COVID-19 pandemic. DC's W. Galen Weston Centre for Food, for instance, organized and distributed food boxes to seniors and a homeless shelter in Durham Region.

Dr. Elaine Popp, executive vice-president, academic, and a member of the

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college’s leadership team, says these and other activities exemplify DC’s new mission, “Together we’re leading the way.”

At the same time, DC was busy introducing numerous other pandemic-related measures. This included launching online professional training to bring instructors up-to-date on the latest developments in e-learning and special modules to help keep students engaged. “We accomplished more in one month than we thought possible in 10 years,” says Popp.

While DC moved as many classes as it could online, Popp says this wasn’t feasible in all cases. Face-to-face, experiential learning is integral to some programs, so DC put all the appropriate protocols in place to partially re-open for required classroom instruction in the summer term.

In September, DC’s measures to protect the health and safety of all students, employees and the surrounding communities proved their worth. That’s when the Canadian government approved DC as one of the first four public Ontario colleges to accept international students who met requirements and quarantined for 14 days upon arrival.

For Popp, the way DC adjusted to pandemic conditions contained some valuable lessons. “When you work together, incredible innovation, transformation and collaboration are always possible,” she says. 

792 93% 61% 120+

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“Durham College encourages and supports a culture of collaboration where every member of the team can learn, innovate and apply their expertise to benefit the community.”

CHRIS DANIEL Recipient – Minister of Colleges and Universities Award of Excellence

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At Ecclesiastical, charity truly begins at work women and children as well as for the homeless; organizations that provide food or that deliver meals to vulnerable Canadians; and groups that offer counselling services.

That giving-back element is really important, so the people we bring on board are likeminded.”

— David Huebel President

ECCLESIASTICAL STAFF SHOW THEIR SUPPORT AT A HEART & STROKE FOUNDATION EVENT LAST YEAR

I

t is hardly surprising that a company owned by one of the largest registered charities in the United Kingdom, Allchurches Trust Ltd., would have a strong culture of giving -- it’s in the company DNA. In fact, any excess profits made by Toronto-headquartered Ecclesiastical Insurance Office plc are distributed to charitable initiatives across Canada. So far, the group of companies has given the equivalent of almost $170 million to charities worldwide.

“It’s always top of mind for us in terms

of what we do when we hire people,” explains Ecclesiastical Insurance president David Huebel. “That giving-back element is really important, so the people we bring on board are like-minded.”

On top of the annual $250,000 that the company is giving to 12 charitable organizations in Canada, this year Ecclesiastical Insurance added an additional $250,000 Community Impact Grant to be divided between 38 frontline charities across the country that have been severely impacted

by COVID-19.

Among the recipients are shelters for

Graydon Ritchie started his job as human resources coordinator at Ecclesiastical Insurance in February, just a few weeks before the lockdown, and even with his short time with the organization he has seen how staff can come together with the goal of strengthening the communities in which they live, work and serve. “It’s been my first go-round with the Community Impact Grant, and it’s really been a joy to be part of it,” he says.

In the new year, the company plans to set up a website hub to give fundraising ideas to charities – something that Ecclesiastical already has underway in the U.K. We know there’s a bigger need in these times because a lot of these organizations are impacted by COVID-19,” explains Huebel. “There are many communities impacted and we shall be expanding our focus to include broader groups who serve communities across Canada.”

In non-pandemic times, volunteering is core to Ecclesiastical Insurance. The company gives each employee two paid

ECCLESIA STICAL INSUR ANCE OFFICE PLC

Work at a company where giving back is part of our DNA Join us at ecclesiastical.ca/careers

days off a year to volunteer and it arranges group events with some of the charities it supports. “This year has been challenging for everyone,” says Ritchie, “but we’re always looking for new ways to give back to the community, including some volunteer-from-home opportunities.”

And once things open up again, Huebel says, they plan to have employees volunteer in the sectors the company insures – retirement, faith, charity and education.

“They can get a better understanding of what people are going through,” he adds, “and we volunteer part of our time.”

In the meantime, for the company’s business associate internship program, part of the training involves spending time at a charity. The most recent intern worked with the Alzheimer’s Society. “They built a good relationship – they were very thankful for what he had done,” Huebel says. “It worked both ways.”

An Alzheimer’s Society representative was present last year as Ecclesiastical Insurance won the Insurance Canada Business Award for Philanthropy, which recognized the company for its time, leadership and financial support and the significant impact it has had on the communities it helps. “It’s a big part of what we do,” says Huebel. 

80 3 50% 514

FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA WEEKS STARTING VACATION ALLOWANCE OF MANAGERS ARE WOMEN VOLUNTEER HOURS IN 2019

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Fidelity embraces dramatic change amid COVID-19 colleagues to take the place of in-person meetings or casual chats to get the day started.

“I have a daily meeting with my team, virtually of course,” says Li. “We like to have cameras on because it increases engagement. Even though there are no face-to-face meetings in the office, we’ve still managed good effective communications.”

I think we’ve created great opportunities for the employees to shine and we strive to do more.”

— Diana Godfrey Senior Vice-President, Human Resources

EMPLOYEES AT FIDELITY CANADA COMING TOGETHER (BEFORE THE PANDEMIC) TO RAISE FUNDS FOR CANCER RESEARCH

S

ince joining Fidelity Canada in the summer of 2019, Mengting Li has taken full advantage of the rich suite of learning and development workshops, as well as online resources, the company offers to its employees. Among others, she has participated in sessions on communications skills, how to hire the right people and how to retain top talent.

“But there’s one more I really look forward to,” says Li, who is manager, finance. “It’s called embracing change, which is especially relevant in today’s world.”

Indeed, change of an entirely unexpected nature has been thrust on almost every aspect of daily life this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Employers as well as employees have had to adapt. “It really has been quite a dramatic change,” says Diana Godfrey, senior vice-president, human resources. “We have proven to ourselves that we can work differently.”

All but a small cohort of Fidelity employees are working from home and many, like Li, had never worked remotely for an extended period of time. That meant establishing new routines with

Setting up a home office was another challenge, but Fidelity has provided plenty of support. “We’ve reimbursed people for office supplies, including chairs, desks and keyboards to name a few things,” says Godfrey. “People could book time to go to the office to pick up personal effects and we shipped out monitors to several employees.”

Fidelity has introduced several measures to keep the workforce connected and engaged throughout the pandemic.

"I think we’ve created great opportunities for the employees to shine and we strive to do more,” Godfrey says. “We also had a mechanism for them to report any help they needed and we brought in an external firm to provide online health support.”

The company has even managed to retain service award luncheons for employees who have put in five, 10, 15

Remarkable times.

Remarkable employees. careers.fidelity.ca

or more years with Fidelity. A member of Godfrey’s team came up with a way of holding the events remotely. They have pizza delivered to each honoree’s home half an hour before the start of a Zoom lunch.

“We have a conversation with the employees,” says Godfrey. “They tell us what challenges they’re having, what’s working and what’s not. It’s been a lot of fun.”

Fidelity has gone well beyond supporting employees. The company has introduced a community outreach initiative to help Food Banks Canada, given the increased use of local food banks throughout the pandemic. For every dollar employees donate, the company contributes $2.

The company also launched a social media campaign called Fidelity Heart Challenge which encouraged everyone, including employees, their family and friends, to create a short video or take a selfie of themselves holding a paper cutout of a heart. They post the image or video on their preferred social media platform tagged with #FidelityHeartChallenge and the company donates $5 for each hashtag to Food Banks Canada.

The goal was to raise $50,000. The target was quickly reached and surpassed. 

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OF MANAGERS ARE WOMEN

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First Capital REIT takes care of its neighbours For the Canada Day weekend, First Capital gave staff a free vacation day to be “unplugged” – away from the computer and phones – in order to spend time with family and friends and celebrate. And as a way of thanking and supporting both tenants and employees – and as a means of marking its 20th anniversary – the company gave each employee $100 to spend at one of its tenants’ businesses that was closed during the pandemic. “The caveat was they had to take a selfie enjoying this gift,” says Walkau. “It was really appreciated by our staff and it was a nice way to celebrate our 20th.”

It was really important for us to make sure that all of our employees were supported and had a routine.”

FIRST CAPITAL REIT'S HEAD OFFICE IS LOCATED IN THE HEART OF LIBERTY VILLAGE

A

t First Capital REIT, rolling out a flexible work policy was already on 2020’s to-do list. But within 48 hours of COVID-19 being declared a pandemic, every employee of the Toronto-based mixed-use urban real estate developer was set up for working from home.

“It was pretty amazing, actually, that we were able to marshal the resources and get everybody up and running so quickly,” says Michele Walkau, senior vice-president, brand and culture. “That was a real testament to our IT team.”

And right out of the gate, the company was taking steps to ensure the health and

safety not only of its employees but of many of the small businesses that operate in First Capital REIT’s properties. For one thing, the company introduced a small business support program to help tenants in need with rent deferral – prior to the announcement of any federal program.

Starting last April and continuing through the summer, the company also engaged its restaurant and grocery tenants to prepare and deliver meals to support frontline and community service workers.

Over the months, that added up to over 1,600 nutritious meals to hospital and mental health workers as well as those in women’s and youth shelters.

— Michele Walkau Senior Vice-President, Brand and Culture Employees have also benefited from a wellness program that the company started as soon as people were working from home. “Each day, they provided a voluntary session: hour-long workshops like Pilates, yoga, sessions about mental health, about finances – basically a lot of educational workshops that you could do each day,” says property manager Caroline Ip. “The company really provided this program to make sure everyone is in a good place mentally.”

And while the traditional summer party didn’t happen, she adds, First Capital REIT threw a virtual party, where for an

hour every day for three days employees could attend bingo games or trivia sessions in the hopes of winning a gift card. “It helped all of us stay connected with each other,” says Ip. “We have properties across Canada, so it was great to be see people from everywhere.”

“It was challenging to adjust in the beginning,” adds Walkau. “So it was really important for us to make sure that all of our employees were supported and had a routine.”

Employees are also involved in the company’s just-launched FCR Thriving Neighbourhoods Foundation.

“We want to support charitable initiatives that make a positive impact in the neighbourhoods in which we operate,” Walkau explains. “Employees come up with the ideas and then fundraise; our first focus will be on poverty and food insecurity. It’s about helping to support our neighbourhoods.”

If there’s one thing the experience of the past several months has made clear, it’s that a flexible work policy is nothing to be afraid of. But, Walkau adds, “Although we have been working productively from home over the past few months, being back in the office and seeing people in three dimensions has been wonderful. You can’t beat face to face.” 

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For Fluidigm, a pandemic means a surge in demand legal, among them – were able to work from home. Even scientists are working in the lab only for the hours that are necessary and then writing their reports from home. For example, when possible, those involved in the manufacturing of the instruments are working alternate days, half the crew at a time, to limit potential spread of the virus.

Nor did the pandemic slow down Fluidigm’s active social committee. A regular virtual women’s forum has given employees the chance to talk over new hobbies, favourite recipes and the joys and perils of working from home. The company also provides webinars for employees at home with young kids and teenagers.

Everyone takes it seriously and everyone tries to help. I’m very proud of our crew FLUIDIGM CANADA DEVELOPS AND MANUFACTURES INSTRUMENTS AND REAGENTS FOR MASS CYTOMETRY (ALL PHOTOS TAKEN PRIOR TO COVID-19)

W

hen much of the world was packing up and moving their offices home, the people at Markham-based Fluidigm Canada Inc. were pivoting production of instruments, reagents and assays for scientists who were studying the human immune response to COVID-19.

“When the pandemic hit, we realized that there may be a high demand for our Maxpar Direct Immune Profiling Assay, and we had to make sure we could manufacture according to the demand,”

explains Dr. Dmitry Bandura, senior vice-president and general manager of the Canadian operations of the San Francisco-based company. “The business invested significant resources to this scale-up.”

As a result of the pandemic, he says, there was the obvious impact on revenues in the second quarter, but the company opted to reduce everyone’s salary rather than let anyone go. “It was the fair thing to do, to try not to lose anyone,” adds Bandura.

Many departments – accounting, IT,

here.”

— Dr. Dmitry Bandura Senior Vice-President and General Manager of Canadian Operations Fluidigm’s virtual coffee breaks are “similar to water-cooler discussions – very lighthearted,” says Janice Colis-Lazzaro, office manager and head of the social committee. “We would see a different side of our employees, which really allowed the culture to remain as it is when we are in person, which was nice.”

The company donated 1,000 medical-grade masks to a local hospital.

“Employees started to make their own before they became available, and we were able to spare those masks and give them

to the frontline workers,” says Bandura.

One employee made ear-savers on her 3D printer, to make wearing the face masks more comfortable. “Everyone takes it seriously and everyone tries to help. I’m very proud of our crew here.”

Another employee made masks for facilities staff out of Spiderman pillowcases. “That’s appropriate as they are the superheroes,” says Colis-Lazzaro. “The facilities team were here every day, all hours of the day. And because we had to extend some of our work to allow for distancing, we had to open our offices to be functional seven days a week.”

When the pandemic hit, Colis-Lazzaro’s big fear was what was going to happen with everyone working apart. But despite the distance, she says, Fluidigm employees have grown closer. “It’s not just ‘How are you?’, it’s ‘How are you and your family? What are the kids doing?’”

Recently, employees at Fluidigm took part in a virtual Halloween event. The one who best decorated their cubicle or home working space received a gift card to help support their households. “We make it a big deal to make sure everyone is still doing well,” says Colis-Lazzaro. “And if not, we will support them however we need to.” 

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FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA WEEKS, STARTING VACATION ALLOWANCE

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OF EMPLOYEES ARE WOMEN

30%

OF MANAGERS ARE WOMEN

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At Fundserv, saying thank you includes cheesecake now that the commute wasn’t there. Another worry was that people felt they had to be super professional, all dolled up with their hair done and no one walking around in the background. So Adams set out to make people more comfortable at home.

“One of the first things I did was dress down and have stuff going on, like engineering one of my dogs to bark,” says Adams. “We found oddly that relationships ended up strengthening since we’ve gone remote. People can see into my home and know what my pets and kids look like.

And I’ve met their kids and cats and birds.

We know each other on a whole different level now.”

It’s clear we’re never going back to five days in the office. We’re going to be more flexible going forward, FUNDSERV EMPLOYEES ENJOY SOME DOG THERAPY BEFORE THE PANDEMIC

W

hen Fundserv Inc. mobilized all staff to work from home last March, president and CEO Karen Adams was confident they could run uninterrupted during the pandemic.

The company, which provides electronic business services to the Canadian investment industry, was disaster-ready with a tested business continuity plan and a forward-thinking IT employee who radically increased the bandwidth so nobody had connectivity issues. Still, she expected to see productivity drop.

“The biggest challenge wasn’t the logistics – whether or not we could run this big humming machine from afar,” says Adams.

Collaboration.

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because people are happy and productive.”

“Rather, it was concern for the health and safety of our employees and their families.

Would people have to set up at the kitchen table? What about their kids who weren’t in school? What about the pets?”

There was so much worry about how people were going to be, not just in the first few days but for the long haul, that Adams prepared to make allowances.

“I thought for sure we’d get behind and told people that was okay – we can miss some deadlines,” she recalls. “But we didn’t. Instead, productivity actually increased. I was shocked.”

The employee response was overwhelmingly positive. In fact, Adams was concerned people were working longer hours

— Karen Adams President and CEO

Nadia Hayford, an executive assistant who serves on Fundserv’s business continuity team, says that while the transition to home went smoothly, adjusting to the virtual environment from the social and mental health aspect was harder. Because their workplace was very collaborative, she particularly misses working with her colleagues face to face. The silver lining was how quickly people learned and adapted to the new technologies.

“The biggest improvement is now we’re using all our collaborative tools to peak capacity for virtual meetings and events,”

says Hayford. “We have virtual weekly town halls instead of in person, and had an employee summit with a speaker on mental health and resilience to help us deal with the emotional burden of being home all the time. I was surprised by how personal and intimate the event was.”

Since staff have been able to work from home so efficiently, she believes it will change the frequency with which people are in the office after the pandemic.

“People will continue to use the office as a collaborative space when we need it,” says Hayford. “But I think we’ll evolve to working at home more often. There’s so much benefit for people with families.”

Adams agrees. She also feels that when they do go back, there will be a stronger sense of teamwork because they’ve been through this together.

“It’s clear we’re never going back to five days in the office,” she says. “We’re going to be more flexible going forward, because people are happy and productive.”

Happiness at Fundserv also includes cheesecake. Instead of the usual potluck at Thanksgiving, the company sent everyone a pumpkin cheesecake, delivered to their door.

“It was a lovely opportunity to say thank you,” says Adams. “We received so many cute notes and pictures of the cheesecake being eaten. It was really appreciated.” 

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OF EMPLOYEES ARE WOMEN

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George Brown pulls out all the stops to go virtual transition, but the college’s Teaching and Learning Exchange stepped in with some timely assistance.

“About 1,000 faculty went through a program to teach them how to be effective with digital tools, how to be comfortable teaching online and how to convert programs to online,” says Quinlan. “We created a portal to help students transition to the realities of learning online and we had over a million hits on that site.”

We created a portal to help students transition to the realities of learning online and we had over a million hits on that site.”

STUDENTS GAIN FOOD INDUSTRY SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE AT GEORGE BROWN COLLEGE'S CULINARY SCHOOL

H

annah Thande was both an employee and a student at George Brown College last March. That meant she had to adapt unusually quickly when the college abruptly closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and transferred almost all work and study from in-person to online.

“It’s been amazing, after the initial shock and everything that’s happened with the pandemic,” says Thande, who remains employed as an entry advising clerk and in August was due to complete a one-year career development practitioner program. “The organization has made

sure we’ve had access to all the tools and resources we needed.”

That the college has largely succeeded in making those resources available is to its credit, given the number of students and faculty involved and the range of programs on offer. Leslie Quinlan, vice-president of human resources, public safety and security, says the winter semester was nearly complete when the pandemic hit in March.

The bigger challenge came when faculty had to offer the full spring and summer semesters online. The spring session had to be delayed a few weeks to ease the

— Leslie Quinlan Vice-President, Human Resources, Public Safety and Security Labs were converted to online where possible. So, for instance, chefs recorded sessions from kitchens on campus while students watched remotely and then prepared food in their homes. Some labs, especially those involving trades, must be delivered in person, which means bringing as many as 2,500 faculty and students into buildings across the campus, though not all at one time.

“We’ve done what we needed to do in terms of way signing, where to enter, using elevators, screening and contact tracing,” says Quinlan.

Practicums – or temporary job placements – presented another challenge.

Thande and other students in the career practice professional program were sched-

uled to do theirs over the summer. “Our program coordinators took the initiative to find placements for us,” says Thande. “I was really, really happy with that.”

The college has organized virtual town halls to keep faculty, staff and students up to date on the financial and other repercussions of the pandemic. Sessions held on successive days in early October attracted as many as 700 participants who tuned in virtually.

The college has given generously to local institutions, including St. Michael’s Hospital, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and Hazelton Place Retirement Home. It has distributed 12,000 pairs of latex gloves and 950 medical gowns. Students and faculty in the fashion program made 7,500 non-medical face masks, which were shared with the same institutions.

In partnership with the Student Association, the college raised $1 million for students who had financial need arising from the pandemic. These funds were generated through individual donations and funding from both the college and the Student Association. Unions affiliated with the college partnered to raise money for food boxes for students and employees.

The college also loaned over 600 mobile computing devices for students who needed them. 

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IT’S OUR PEOPLE WHO MAKE THE DIFFERENCE Many thanks to our dedicated team at George Brown College for their incredible efforts helping the college navigate the tremendous challenges thrust upon us by Covid-19.

Our continued commitment to giving our students an education that works, with the skills employers value most, inspires us every single day. We are proud of our employees and broader community.

Join our team: georgebrown.ca/employment

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( 2021 )

GSK employees pull together in challenging times around the world and with governments to develop and design solutions to COVID19, with research collaborations on both the vaccine and on the therapeutic side.”

As part of its collaboration with Sanofi, GSK and Sanofi have signed agreements with the Government of Canada to supply up to 72 million doses of adjuvanted COVID-19 vaccine.

A lot of us felt anxious about what was going on, but there was a real sense of need and purpose about what we were doing. The pandemic wasn’t going to IN ALL PARTS OF ITS BUSINESS, GSK EMPLOYEES USE THEIR SKILLS AND EXPERTISE TO FULFILL THE COMPANY'S GOAL TO HELP PEOPLE DO MORE, FEEL BETTER AND LIVE LONGER

L

ast March, Ryan Lock took on an urgent task.

As manager, national policy, federal affairs, for global healthcare company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), he was responsible for building new internal guidelines and systems so GSK could deal with the myriad of pandemic-related requests that were pouring in – and do it quickly. Those requests – from government, charities and patient groups that GSK works with – were for personal protective equipment (PPE), emergency funding and information.

“A lot of us felt anxious about what was going on, but there was a real sense of need and purpose about what we were doing,” says Lock. “The pandemic wasn’t going to wait. We had to triage and coordinate all

these requests to determine what we could respond to within good governance and what we couldn't – and act effectively in real time.”

Needs evolved as the pandemic continued so it became less about PPE and more focused on funding and information.

With fundraising disrupted, community organizations were facing big shortfalls, so GSK greatly expanded its philanthropic program. There were also increased requests for independent medical education and for data, insights and trends.

“A lot of smart people work at GSK who are experts in their fields, so we were able to package that information up and deliver it to our customers in a responsive way,” says Lock. “Where we’re at now is working closely with our collaborators

wait.”

— Ryan Lock Manager, National Policy, Federal Affairs Lock points out that while work needed to continue through the pandemic because the company has people who depend on its medicines and services, GSK took every step to keep employees safe and accommodate the different reality of people working from home. He says the company also did a great job communicating with employees in a transparent and ongoing way.

“From the beginning we were being treated and thought of not just as employees but as whole people,” says Lock. “We were given a lot of flexibility – particularly those of us with younger children – to be able to work non-traditional hours and prioritize meetings, so it was not just business as usual.”

Nicole Stuart, human resources country head, says GSK’s first priority is to

ensure the health and safety of employees throughout this pandemic. In addition to implementing work from home right away for office-based employees, the company implemented new site safety protocols for its manufacturing employees and essential workers. But there was much more offered.

“We were all trying to find new ways to do things,” says Stuart. “One was increasing our paid personal days from five to 15 to support people who were having to deal with more, over and above the job, than would normally be required. Another was making adjustments to our vacation policies. There was just so much impacted by the pandemic.”

Other new supports included a childcare benefit, an extended timeframe to use funds in healthcare spending accounts and a fitness subsidy since employees no longer had access to the company’s on-site gym.

“One of the important wellness aspects is your physical well-being – and there’s certainly additional stress during a pandemic,” says Stuart. “So the fitness subsidy encourages staff to purchase workout equipment to use at home. We also provided online ergonomics training on how to create a safe and healthy workstation. Working from home isn’t just about computers and tools, but also how to re-create a healthy work-life balance.” 

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17

WEEKS, MATERNITY LEAVE TOP-UP PAY

45

YEARS, LONGEST-SERVING EMPLOYEE

62%

OF MANAGERS ARE WOMEN

A healthcare company with a special purpose Today millions of people have no access to basic healthcare, millions more suffer from everyday ailments and there are thousands of diseases without adequate treatments. So we’re working to develop tomorrow’s treatments and to find new ways to get today’s treatments to those who need them.

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HIROC’s culture of agility serves clients and staff HIROC has been busier than ever, says Gaulton, “not only due to the pandemic but because our strategic priorities have ramped up and we have huge growth in the number of subscribers.” New hires have been onboarded virtually, including one-on-one meetings with Gaulton where she outlines HIROC’s priorities.

HIROC emphasizes agility to address the evolving needs of its subscribers.

“We’re fully invested in design-thinking methodology,” says Gaulton. “Over a couple of months, we work to identify a solution to a problem, pitch the solution and implement it. We do a call for whoever wants to be involved, from all levels of the organization, a truly collaborative approach.”

EMPLOYEES HAVING FUN AT HIROC'S SUMMER EVENT LAST YEAR

K

athy Saldanha has a passion for excellence in customer service.

For the past seven years, she has been the lead of client services at Healthcare Insurance Reciprocal of Canada (HIROC). “It’s all about taking care of the client and responding to their requests for information and support,” she says.

HIROC is Canada’s leading provider of healthcare liability insurance. A non-profit organization, its mission is to provide insurance, risk management and innovative solutions supporting safety and collaboration in healthcare.

HIROC clients, called subscribers, include hospitals, long-term care homes, community health centres, homecare providers and midwives, to name a few. As a trusted healthcare safety advisor, HIROC’s

goal is simple, but difficult to achieve – turning the corner on patient safety.

HIROC has many long-serving staff, which enables it to promote knowledge transfer among its employees. “I’ve been with HIROC 19 years, and my VP has been here 30 years,” says Saldanha. “Over the years, she has been my mentor, always willing to offer help. Now, I’m passing on my knowledge to my staff. It’s very rewarding.”

The corporate culture at HIROC is “phenomenal,” says CEO Catherine Gaulton. “Down to the last person in the organization – and no matter what the role – the commitment to providing excellent service to subscribers is unmatched. That also translates into how we operate with each other.”

During the COVID-19 pandemic,

We give staff a role in developing the things that will work well for them.

It allows them to have input into corporate decisions that will impact them.”

— Catherine Gaulton CEO The organization applies the process not only to subscribers’ needs but also to internal issues. For its annual employee performance review, “we got feedback from more than half the organization on what factors were important in that process,” says Gaulton. The team that worked on the project tested possible solutions and then recommended a way forward to the executive team. It was accepted and implemented a month later. Similarly, the methodology was used to develop a new program of HIROC employee rewards and recognition.

HIROC’s culture contributes to employees feeling supported and engaged.

“We give staff a role in developing the things that will work well for them,” says Gaulton. “It allows them to have input into corporate decisions that will impact them – and to be recognized for their own ability to make great decisions.”

Since the pandemic, HIROC has launched a full set of virtual activities, some of which are purely social while others foster learning together. The HIROC Open Mic showcases employees’ musical talents.

A murder mystery, game show and puzzle contest have been introduced as virtual social activities, replacing previously offline events such as summer ice cream socials and autumn Halloween costume parties.

Other virtual offerings include Lunch with Catherine, a Friday noon-hour lunch break with the CEO. Another longstanding tradition at HIROC is monthly all-staff meetings. Previously held in person (with cake), the meetings have gone virtual in the pandemic era.

“You see 100 faces on your computer,” says Saldanha, who also attends a monthly virtual meeting of her department and hosts a weekly virtual meeting of her six client-service reps. “We all work virtually just fine,” she says. “We’re not missing anything.” 

104 17 3 57%

FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA WEEKS, MATERNITY LEAVE TOP-UP PAY WEEKS, STARTING VACATION ALLOWANCE OF EXECUTIVE TEAM ARE WOMEN

We make healthcare safety our #1 priority – Together We’re proud to be named one of Greater Toronto’s Top 2021 Employers

Find out more at HIROC.com

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Caring matters at Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan became increasingly disruptive in Ontario, HOOPP’s senior leadership wasted no time in deciding to transition all employees to working from home, for their safety.

That was on a Thursday. By Monday, everyone at HOOPP was set up to work remotely, thanks to the efforts of the IT department. The near-seamless transition took place just months after it had completed implementing an innovative three-year IT strategy which, among other things, was designed to ensure HOOPP’s operational resiliency and efficiency.

EMPLOYEE TURNOVER AT HEALTHCARE OF ONTARIO PENSION PLAN IS EXCEPTIONALLY LOW, AT JUST 1.5% ANNUALLY

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hen Jorge Soto started at Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP) in 2011, he had high expectations. He says he was impressed

by HOOPP’s clear mission to provide Ontario’s healthcare workers with a financially secure retirement. He also believed a job in a stable field like pensions would offer plenty of opportunity.

“All that has proven true,” says Soto, who as strategic communications manager is in his fifth position at HOOPP. In addition to on-the-job training, he says he’s benefited from HOOPP’s extensive professional development programs. “Each position enabled me to take the next step in my career,” Soto adds.

The moves also enabled him to see firsthand how making a difference in the lives of HOOPP’s more than 380,000 members across Ontario is deeply embedded in the

organization’s culture. “We all want to take care of the people who take care of us,” Soto says.

Elena Palumbo-Sergnese, senior vice president, human resources, adds that HOOPP’s pension promise motivates and guides all aspects of the organization. This includes everything from its investment strategy to the friendly and supportive workplace environment that boasts a low annual turnover rate of 1.5 per cent.

“We lead with compassion and a people-first perspective,” says PalumboSergnese. From physical and mental wellness to continuous learning and development, there is a strong focus on supporting employees’ overall well-being. This is also evident from the robust healthcare benefits and wellness programs available to employees, including free fitness and meditation classes.

In March 2020, as the global pandemic

WORKING TOGETHER TO DELIVER ON OUR PENSION PROMISE hoopp.com/careers

We lead with compassion and a people-first perspective.”

— Elena Palumbo-Sergnese Senior Vice President, Human Resources “The experience was quite positive,” says Soto, who, in little over 72 hours, went from interacting face-to-face with others nearly 90 per cent of his time to communicating with them entirely online.

The timely pivot to remote work and program delivery meant there was no interruption to HOOPP operations or to the ability to reassure members their pensions remained safe and secure.

Not only that, HOOPP understands how healthcare workers face unique problems in these uncertain times. In order to support them during the ongoing pandemic, HOOPP has been providing them with additional flexibility and access to the information and services they need, when they need them. The feedback has been positive, Soto says, with thousands of

members expressing their appreciation.

Palumbo-Sergnese says that the feedback from employees about their new virtual workplace has also been largely positive. HOOPP enhanced and augmented its internal online presence, enabling employees to access a wide range of tools and resources virtually, including learning opportunities and wellness initiatives. And to reinforce its one-team spirit, Palumbo-Sergnese says HOOPP also set up fun activities like virtual lunches and at-home scavenger hunts.

HOOPP also increased the number of sick days available to staff, in case any employee fell ill due to Covid-19. The same benefits were extended to temporary staff as well. Support measures are in place for employees who struggle at home, she says.

To ease their concerns, Palumbo-Sergnese says the senior leadership united behind a straightforward message – because the lines between work and home have blurred, employees will have a lot more flexibility to balance their personal and work commitments, while continuing to focus on their well-being through these stressful times.

To Palumbo-Sergnese, that gesture exemplifies the organization’s value system.

“Caring about the well-being of others permeates HOOPP’s culture,” she says. 

700 50% 7 3-5

FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA OF MANAGERS ARE WOMEN PAID PERSONAL DAYS OFF, WHERE EMPLOYEES CAN CHOOSE THE DAYS WEEKS VACATION, DEPENDING ON TENURE

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( 2021 )

The founder’s legacy still shapes Hershey Canada “We have quarterly talent development discussions, which is quite frequent,” says senior marketing manager Zehra Raza.

“It’s how we strengthen people internally.”

A key element of the corporate culture holds that personal growth leads to business growth. “We’re a huge believer in making sure that every single employee has a development plan,” says Kaloti. “It can go vertical or horizontal, whatever makes sense for the individual.”

We give our employees paid time off every year to spend time on volunteer efforts.”

— Hilori Kaloti Human Resources Leader

EVEN BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY WAS ALWAYS A KEY PART OF THE CULTURE AT HERSHEY CANADA

W

hen head office employees at Hershey Canada were advised in March to start working from home due to COVID-19, most were able to adapt quickly. After all, they had had a head start. “A few years ago, we started to encourage employees to work from home one to two days a week,” says Hilori Kaloti, the company’s human resources leader for Canada.

“We invested a ton in the right tools, the right technology and the right resources to support our employees and make them feel almost like they’re working in the office,” Kaloti says. “We have software that allows team members to see each other all the time through video conference calls.”

Hershey also invests heavily, in terms of time and effort, in developing employees and helping them grow professionally.

The company also has a generous tuition reimbursement program. “We see a lot of utilization of it every single year,” says Kaloti. “Almost anything is eligible as long as it aligns with your development plan and your manager is supportive.”

Giving back to communities is another core component of the culture. It reflects the legacy of Milton Hershey, who founded the company 125 years ago in the Pennsylvania town that bears his name.

He and his wife were unable to have children, so they founded a Milton Hershey School for underprivileged children.

Milton Hershey left his entire fortune to the school, which continues to operate and supports as many as 2,000 orphan and underprivileged students per year.

“We give our employees paid time off every year to spend time on volunteer

efforts,” says Kaloti. “For the last several years we’ve really focused on supporting children in need, reducing our environmental impact and improving life in the communities in which we live.”

Last year alone, the company donated $3.5 million in products to various organizations and gave $150,000 to a range of charities. “Our employee-run corporate social responsibility committee raises funds through company auctions, barbecues and raffles,” says Raza.

Hershey has made considerable effort to help employees with young families manage the inevitable stresses and anxieties caused by the pandemic. For one thing, the company has had in place for some time a program called Smart-Flex that allows employees to adjust hours of work to accommodate family pressures.

As well, Hershey has a Quality Through Engagement committee, which in a normal year holds 10 to 12 social events, ranging from Halloween and holiday parties at Christmas to shorter events held at lunch hour or end of day.

This year, online has replaced in-person – with some innovative twists. Raza says the committee has organized a summer baking competition, trivia contests and a Halloween costume contest open to employees and their families. 

866 5,222

FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA JOB APPLICATIONS RECEIVED LAST YEAR

44%

OF EXECUTIVE TEAM ARE WOMEN

45%

OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS ARE WOMEN

The last 125 years have been filled with moments of goodness experienced by consumers all over the world…

Our remarkable employees make it all possible.

There’s more to be made.

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With strong values, Kellogg Canada stays agile channels, she meets regularly with the broader marketing team, not just to discuss their business-related activities but also “to catch up on how people are doing.”

As news spread of her newly expanded family, she says, “People started checking up on me. They give me lots of reassurance. They remind me to pace myself, don’t burn myself out.”

I knew I could learn from people who know what they’re doing and do it well.”

— Maureen Kitheka Brand Manager, Mini-Wheats & Kellogg’s Masterbrand

EMPLOYEES AT KELLOGG CANADA TAKING PART IN A FARM-TO-TABLE EVENT FOR WORLD FOOD DAY IN OCTOBER 2019

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hen Kellogg Canada Inc. closed its Toronto offices in March, Maureen Kitheka, brand manager, Mini-Wheats & Kellogg’s Masterbrand, took it in stride.

“We were asked to pick up our work requirements and wait for further notice,” she says. “But we already had flexible work arrangements, so it wasn’t too disruptive.”

A much bigger deal for Kitheka and her husband occurred about three months later, with the arrival of two newly adopted children, ages four and two. It was still “a whole life-change,” she says.

For the company, a detailed crisis-management program enabled it to make a smooth transition to pandemic conditions.

“We acted quickly to protect our employees,” says Tony Chow, president of Kellogg Canada. “Prior to government direction, we immediately closed our Canadian head office and asked employees to work remotely, removed our sales teams from stores, and cancelled travel and all non-essential work while closely monitoring evolving public health and government guidance.”

Even working remotely, Kitheka could rely on the company and her teammates for support. Through formal and informal

Born in Kenya, Kitheka emigrated with her husband to Canada about eight years ago and joined Kellogg Canada in 2017 with two key priorities in mind, she says.

“First, I looked at the culture,” she says. “I knew people who worked for the company, and they said it was a warm environment, where people are valued.”

Kitheka also wanted to work with people who would challenge her to excel as she acquired new skills in marketing. “I knew the company did great work,” she says. “I knew I could learn from people who know what they’re doing and do it well.”

On both counts, she adds, “my prayers were answered.”

The feeling is mutual. “We look for cultural fit consistent with our values,” says Chow. “We want employees who are courageous, who are willing to take calculated risks and step up to address difficult issues, saying what needs to be said. We also look

for employees who demonstrate passion for what they do and the humility and hunger for continuous learning.”

While the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way Kitheka goes to work every day, it hasn’t changed the approach that she and her team take to their marketing initiatives. “It has certainly tested our skill set,” she says. “We don’t know how many cases we’ll have next week, let alone next year, so we have to stay agile.

We plan new campaigns with that in mind, always with a Plan B.” As an essential supplier to Canadian communities, Kellogg Canada relies on teams like Kitheka’s to “keep the business moving,” she says. “We think constantly about relevant messages to send out to the community. We look for ways to support our essential workers and rally employees to go over and above their commitments.”

With two new members of her family at home, Kitheka isn’t unhappy about her current work conditions. The company’s parental-leave policy enables her to take advantage of an enhanced top-up program that applies to adoptive parents. And through virtual coffee meetings, she keeps in touch informally with her co-workers “to see who’s affected by this situation.”

But she’s looking forward to returning to a more regular routine. “I’m an extrovert,” she says. “I miss my team.” 

350 17 39 54%

FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA WEEKS MATERNITY & EIGHT WEEKS PARENTAL TOP-UP YEARS, LONGEST-SERVING EMPLOYEE OF MANAGERS ARE WOMEN

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( 2021 )

Kinross Gold staff help communities – and each other protocols to ensure employees can do so safely and avoid exposure to COVID-19.

The Toronto headquarters and regional offices shut down in early March, with everyone working remotely from home.

Starting in July, employees were given the option of returning to the office or not, again with strict health and safety protocols in place.

It’s been wonderful to see our employees and company living out our values at such a unique time.”

— Tara Wiseman Vice-President, Global Human Resources EMPLOYEES FROM KINROSS GOLD CORPORATION'S SUPPLY CHAIN AND COMMUNICATIONS TEAMS WORK TOGETHER AT ITS TORONTO OFFICE, PRECOVID-19

F

or Alyssa Chin, a legal department executive assistant at the Toronto headquarters of Kinross Gold Corporation, baking has long been a personal passion.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s one that she’s shared with co-workers to increase employee morale and keep people connected.

Beginning in April, Chin volunteered to host weekly virtual baking lessons for employees and their families. She provides participants with her recipes and the ingredients they will need and then walks them through the baking process in a one-hour video call. They can ask questions, share their creations and get to know each other in a new way.

“It’s bringing together people who

might not normally meet,” she says. “You see their kids, meet their significant others and get a glimpse into what their life is like outside of the office.”

Chin is one of 14 global Kinross Gold employees who have been recognized by the company as “COVID-19 Champions” for going above and beyond to support their colleagues during the pandemic in the areas of health and safety, innovation, community support and team morale.

Kinross Gold is a senior gold mining company with a diverse portfolio of mines and projects in the United States, Brazil, Chile, Ghana, Mauritania and Russia. It employs about 9,000 people worldwide.

Since the pandemic struck, the company’s mines have continued to operate, while adhering to strict practices and

Kinross Gold is proud to be one of Greater Toronto’s Top Employers

Across its operations, Kinross has been supporting employees through a variety of measures, including 24/7 emergency medical assistance, flexible work hours and access to human resources specialists to ensure their needs are being met.

Kinross has also undertaken an ambitious global COVID-19 response plan, committing a total of US$5.8 million to support host governments and meet the needs of the communities where it operates.

Working with community, regional and national health authorities, the company identified four key areas of support – healthcare institutions and hospitals; vulnerable populations; small businesses; and medical research.

In Brazil, for example, Kinross helped provide ventilators and test kits for local hospitals. In Mauritania, it donated 38 fully equipped ambulances to the Mauritanian government and provided food

supplies to rural families during Ramadan.

In Alaska, the company supported groups that provide food security for the elderly and homeless as well as a hotline for families in crisis.

In Toronto, Kinross donated $100,000 to the Sunnybrook Foundation as part of a community of donors that raised $1 million to support a Canadian clinical trial investigating the use of plasma antibodies to treat COVID-19 patients.

Individual employees have also stepped up, whether it’s sourcing masks, assisting food banks or volunteering to help vulnerable groups.

“At Kinross, we’ve always believed that our values and culture are the foundation of everything we do,” says Tara Wiseman, vice-president, global human resources.

“It’s been wonderful to see our employees and company living out our values at such a unique time.”

Wiseman adds that it has also been heartening to see Chin and the other COVID-19 Champions reaching out to support their colleagues.

“This pandemic is challenging and a bit of a rollercoaster; you have good days and bad days,” says Wiseman. “It’s a huge credit to our people that we’ve found ways to keep the company operating safely and help each other along the way.” 

227 8,121

FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA JOB APPLICATIONS RECEIVED LAST YEAR

27

WEEKS, MATERNITY LEAVE TOP-UP PAY

37

CHARITIES HELPED IN CANADA LAST YEAR

OUR PEOPLE. OUR CULTURE. OUR KINROSS.

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KPMG draws strength from their diversity happening within a pandemic for our community,” she says.

That led to a unique action by the BPN. “We asked people to do video messages about their feelings – we called the series Our Experiences Matter,” she says. They took it to the senior leadership who then showed the video at a national town hall in June, led online by CEO Elio Luongo.

Respecting each other and drawing strength from our differences is one of our core values.”

— Tarisai Madambi Senior Manager, Management Consulting

MEMBERS FROM KPMG IN CANADA’S BLACK PROFESSIONALS NETWORK (BPN) WHO SHARED THEIR COURAGEOUS PERSONAL STORIES AS PART OF THE FIRM’S “OUR EXPERIENCE MATTERS” CAMPAIGN

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hen Tarisai Madambi returned to KPMG LLP (Canada) in Toronto after an absence of eight years, she was impressed with the change in the diversity of people she saw around her.

“It was amazing and inspiring,” she says.

“There were so many more people who looked like me.”

It almost seems like fate that the Zimbabwean-raised management consultant rejoined the professional services firm as a senior manager in Advisory in 2018, after time in industry. By the next year, she and other Black employees had begun connecting informally, and in early 2020, she launched the Black Professionals Network (BPN) during Black History

Month as a new employee resource group in the GTA office. The timing turned out to be critical.

Only a few months later, a series of horrific events culminated in a global outpouring of support for the Black Lives Matter movement.

Among BPN members, she says, “people had so many emotions, but I think it’s safe to say there was a real, deep sense of sadness and pain. And for many of us, we didn’t know where to put that – we didn’t even know what to call it.

“The Black Professionals Network recognized a need for our people to come together. It provided a safe space to talk about these emotions and the mental health crisis that was essentially

“Our leaders were forthright in recognizing this as a social justice issue that we couldn’t remain silent on. Respecting each other and drawing strength from our differences is one of our core values,” says Madambi. “And I think that by seeing our own Black professionals share their experiences, our colleagues recognized with a greater sense of awareness how deep and close to home these issues are.”

Open to everyone at KPMG, the BPN now counts some 180 members among Black professionals and allies, out of close to 300 Black professionals at the firm.

Madambi points to its creation as a great example of KPMG’s culture. “There was an opportunity, and I was supported in pursuing it,” she says. “The KPMG culture is diverse and collaborative, and we

Bringing together diverse perspectives that make a difference.

Discover a career at home.kpmg/ca

really do have an enterprising spirit. Each of us has full licence to bring ideas to the table and take action on them.”

Sebastian Distefano, regional managing partner, GTA, says he’s proud that the BPN originated in Toronto. “And when the events happened, we were very quick to start formal education programs on anti-Black racism in Canada, we supported programs for Black professionals and youth in the community and we are tailoring some of our mental-health programs for our Black professionals.”

Similarly, he says, throughout the pandemic KPMG has been intent on supporting its people, particularly those who may have suffered anxiety working at home. “We created a Health at Work program, with sessions focused on physical, mental and financial well-being. We also had a four-week health challenge. And more broadly, we developed a Working Parents’ Network and a Home-Alone Network.”

Distefano also stepped up communications with staff, via a weekly newsletter and an open door. “There is always an open line if people want to talk to myself or any of the leaders in the practice here in Toronto,” he says. 

7,631 47

FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA YEARS, LONGEST-SERVING EMPLOYEE

7,500+

STAFF MOVED TO HOME OFFICES IN 2 DAYS

44,547

EMPLOYEE VOLUNTEER HOURS LAST YEAR

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Labatt helped maintain morale by pivoting fast ees, most of whom were cast into the unfamiliar role of working from home.

“We’re a very informal company, which sets us apart,” says Oksana Chuyko, vice-president people. “That informality fosters connections between employees. It was important to keep those connections alive, especially from a distance.”

That meant many regular social events had to be adapted to the online world.

Under normal circumstances the company holds “stein sessions” once a month on a Wednesday or a Thursday. Near the end of the work day, employees gather to enjoy a beer or other beverage while they welcome new hires or recognize personal milestones such as long service.

I felt supported by everyone. It really made you feel like we were all in this together.”

FOR SOHIL JANIEH, THE PANDEMIC RESPONSE AT LABATT BREWERIES OF CANADA BROUGHT EMPLOYEES CLOSER TOGETHER AND DEFINED A SENSE OF PURPOSE

S

ohil Janieh and his team of sales representatives at Toronto-based Labatt Breweries of Canada had to do some fancy footwork to keep pace with the pandemic-induced changes to their business when, in midMarch, the Ontario government shut down bars and restaurants across the province.

“We had to pivot quickly and focus on the retail side of the business – LCBOs, The Beer Stores and grocery stores that sell beer,” says Janieh, Labatt’s territory manager for the Greater Toronto market.

“With greater restrictions on the hospitality sector, retailers, especially grocery stores, saw a major surge in sales. We knew they needed our help to meet the demand.”

In many cases, Janieh and his fellow sales reps pitched in and helped the grocers merchandise Labatt’s displays.

“We really had to jump in and serve our customers,” he adds. “We took on many different roles.”

Janieh and his team went the extra mile for their customers. The company, in turn, went all out to support its employ-

— Sohil Janieh Territory Manager, Greater Toronto Market

run-up to Canada Day, the company’s certified cicerone – the brewing equivalent of a sommelier – gave a lesson on how to barbecue steaks and burgers to perfection.

In early May, the company organized a one-hour, online Wellness Wednesday event with Max Kerman, front man for the hugely popular, Hamilton-based rock band Arkells. Kerman performed a few numbers on acoustic guitar, discussed his daily online music class, and took questions from employees participating through Zoom.

Such events proved popular and lifted spirits, but Labatt also took extra steps to maintain morale, especially during the early days of the pandemic when so little was known about the nature of COVID19 and its effects on human health.

“We introduced quite a bit in terms of wellness resources, training and lectures,” says Chuyko. “We had medical professionals come in and talk about the pandemic to help our employees understand it a little better.”

For many employees, these initiatives were both reassuring and effective. “I felt supported by everyone,” says Janieh. “It really made you feel like we were all in this together.” 

“We pivoted those to the virtual world and, in addition, each team replicated them on a weekly basis to get everyone together, because it’s really been a challenging year for everyone,” says Chuyko.

The company also holds regular Wellness Wednesday social activities that bring employees together and build camaraderie. In the absence of in-person events, the company tapped food bloggers and chefs to share their advice and expertise with employees through webinars broadcast from their own kitchens. In the

Labatt’s Spirit of Resilience #OneTeam – Together

Still strong after more than 170 years

Proud member of the Anheuser-Busch InBev family

3,417 42,919 51 7

FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA JOB APPLICATIONS RECEIVED LAST YEAR YEARS, LONGEST-SERVING EMPLOYEE WEEKS, MAXIMUM VACATION ALLOWANCE

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( 2021 )

Manulife’s core values take on a new resonance While responding to external needs, Manulife has also stepped forward to support its more than 12,000 Canadian employees as they adjusted to working and living in the midst of a pandemic.

Being able to make a positive impact in people’s lives is a very satisfying experience.”

— Loveleen Modi Director, Digital Marketing “After pivoting to people working from home, we knew our employees faced unique situations balancing work and personal responsibilities,” says Kathryn Kitchen, head of human resources, Manulife Canada. “We’ve worked witha them on a flexible basis to make sure they are getting the support they need.”

MANULIFE EMPLOYEES AT THEIR WINTER SOCIAL BEFORE THE PANDEMIC Executive leaders are keeping in touch with employees on a regular basis through virtual Q&A sessions and real-time updates on the pandemic. ne of the core values at The team also trained agency staff Some senior leaders are also posting Manulife is to “share your on how to use the digital tools so these more light-hearted videos from their own humanity.” After the COVIDbenefits could extend well beyond the homes, often featuring interactions with 19 pandemic struck, Loveleen pandemic. their children.

Modi and three of her colleagues at the “We made a difference by applying the Team-by-team, employees are taking insurance and financial services firm’s skill sets we use every day,” says Modi, the initiative to stay connected through digital marketing team did just that – by who is director, digital marketing. “Being virtual coffee chats, happy hours and lending their expertise on behalf of four able to make a positive impact in people’s fitness challenges. food banks and pandemic response lives is a very satisfying experience.”

To further promote well-being, Manuagencies in the Greater Toronto Area as Since the beginning of the pandemic, life provides a variety of online resources, well as in Kitchener-Waterloo.

Manulife has donated $1.1 million to including dial-in meditation and livestream The Manulife team worked with the Canada-wide pandemic relief efforts, with fitness and yoga sessions. local agencies to boost their social media a strong focus on food security and support Mental health is a key priority. Manulife presence and better leverage their websites for frontline healthcare workers. and donor networks. The result: increased In Kitchener-Waterloo, Manulife B:9.25 inwas already a leader in this field: starting in 2017, the company provided $10,000 online exposure and a more than doubling matched community donations to raise of donations flowing to these agencies. more than $695,000 for a local hospital. T:9.25 inper year for every employee and every

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dependent to spend on any mental health support they might need.

“At a time when personal and working lives are colliding, that’s certainly a benefit we see some of our employees using,” says Kitchen. “We’ve also been getting our mental health experts and others to share tips with employees on managing stress, nutrition and building in fun activities to their daily routines.”

The company also organized Camp Manulife, a virtual summer camp for over 2,000 children of employees.

Kitchen says she has been most impressed by the way employees are managing the personal challenges of dealing with a pandemic while continuing to contribute to their communities and provide excellent client service.

She traces this back to Manulife’s core values, which also include doing the right thing, thinking big, getting it done together and obsessing on customer satisfaction.

All of these values, which were developed and adopted in consultation with employees two years ago, have taken on a new resonance.

“Responding to this pandemic has been a strong example of us living our values every day,” says Kitchen. “We’ve really demonstrated the power of connecting to each other and to our firm’s purpose.” 

12,489 45% 689 30,848

FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA OF MANAGERS ARE WOMEN CHARITIES HELPED LAST YEAR STAFF VOLUNTEER HOURS LAST YEAR

S:9.25 in

T:1.75 in

B:1.75 in

S:1.75 in

We are committed to our employees. Every day.

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Reinforcing a close-knit culture at Mattamy Homes a change of heart. “It didn’t feel like the right time to keep all of them,” says Carr.

Instead, they gave most of the masks to hospitals in Toronto, Kitchener, Ottawa and Oakville. Mattamy founder Peter Gilgan, through his foundation, also donated $3.2 million to Toronto’s St. Michael’s Hospital to accelerate COVID-19 testing and $1.5 million to food banks. “We were trying to do our part during a very challenging time,” says Carr.

Things are always changing, and I’m always learning.”

— Jehan Batliwalla Senior Financial Analyst

JEHAN BATLIWALLA, SENIOR FINANCIAL ANALYST WITH MATTAMY HOMES’ GREATER TORONTO EAST DIVISION

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he last two weeks of March were among the busiest of Brad Carr’s career, even though his team voluntarily suspended operations at Toronto-based Mattamy Homes Canada. The CEO of Canada’s largest home builder, along with many senior leaders, put in long hours during that time to develop COVID-19 safety protocols to protect Mattamy’s employees, customers and tradespeople.

“This crisis has brought everyone together and highlighted what makes Mattamy a great place to work and a good corporate citizen,” says Carr. “I’m proud

of our entire team’s willingness to do the right thing.”

The company not only took care of its own people but also shared its safety protocols with government, suppliers – even competitors. “We’ve had economic challenges before, but nothing like this,” says Carr. “We couldn’t look back at history to guide us, so we prioritized what was most important, which was our people.”

Before masks became mandatory, Carr and Mattamy’s executive team thought they might be helpful for their employees and tradespeople. When the order of 100,000 arrived, however, they had

Carr is most proud of how his employees have stepped up, from home and on site.

His concern isn’t accomplishing day-today tasks, which are getting done, it’s maintaining the company’s close-knit culture. “For example, looking at each other through a computer isn’t the same as being together in person, in terms of socializing and engagement,” he says.

So they have come up with creative ways to connect. In August, hundreds of employees and their families attended a town hall at a drive-in movie theatre in Oakville. After the company’s presentation on the big screen ended, many stayed to watch Sonic the Hedgehog and The Invisible Man. “A team member suggested that, and it was a great alternative to a regular town hall,” says Carr.

Jehan Batliwalla appreciates how much work went on behind the scenes to get office staff set up at home. The senior financial analyst for Mattamy’s Greater

Build dreams.

Experience exciting possibilities.

Belong to an extended family.

www.mattamyhomescareers.com

Toronto East Division misses the office’s in-person interaction but has adapted to working remotely. He has daily calls with some co-workers to catch up and does virtual circuit-training workouts with others.

Batliwalla applied to Mattamy Homes as a freshly minted Western University engineering and business graduate. He wasn’t certain what he wanted to do but knew he enjoyed numbers and finance. His job interview felt like a conversation – it was relaxed, and he felt an easy connection with the hiring committee.

“I had seen the company’s signs and knew they built houses close to my own backyard,” says Batliwalla. “And it’s a Canadian-founded company, which is a bonus.”

After a year, Batliwalla wanted to understand the operations side of the business. Completing the company’s finance leadership development program helped him achieve that goal. “My supervisor was listening to what I wanted to do,” he says.

“My voice was heard and I felt supported.”

This year more than ever, being adaptable has served Batliwalla well so he can continue doing what he loves. “Things are always changing, and I’m always learning.

I’m taking numbers in the budgets and financial forecasts and creating a story with them to help the company make strategic decisions.” 

1,397 20,476 100% 130

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Mazda Canada puts support in the driver’s seat pharmacies and grocery stores to deliver prescriptions. They offered free oil changes to emergency service workers. One dealer even provided RVs to frontline healthcare workers so they’d have a place to stay to reduce the risk of transmitting the virus to their families.

“It’s just been incredible how our people have thought outside the box to find things we can give back to our communities,” says Fleming.

It’s just been incredible how our people have thought outside-the-box to find things we can give back in our community.”

MAZDA CANADA'S AMY FLEMING WAS NAMED ONE OF THE TOP 100 LEADING WOMEN IN THE NORTH AMERICAN AUTO INDUSTRY

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hen the pandemic sideswiped Mazda Canada, it went into overdrive to protect its employees and make the difference to customers and communities across Canada. It’s done that while maintaining the highest safety standards — and even having a little fun.

“Safety for us is our non-negotiable – it’s our number one quality standard,” says Amy Fleming, senior director, regional operations and sales.

“But we still have some fun, which really reduces the stress and helps us all get through this crisis. It’s brought our team closer together.”

Headquartered in Richmond Hill, Mazda Canada has regional offices in Montréal and Vancouver, employing nearly 180 Canadians. It has 163 dealer-

ships across the country and is responsible for the sales, marketing, customer service and parts support of Mazda vehicles in Canada.

The company immediately mobilized to shift employees to work from home when the COVID-19 shutdown hit. Many had the ability to telecommute, making the transition smoother. Call lines were installed so employees could take calls from home and the usual face-to-face meetings switched to virtual overnight.

Mazda Canada continued to make a difference in the community by helping customers impacted by the pandemic.

It offered payment deferrals, lease and warranty extensions and other measures to take a load off customers’ minds.

Their dealerships also had their creative wheels turning. They provided vehicles to

— Amy Fleming Senior Director, Regional Operations and Sales “It’s about showing you care about your neighbours even though we can’t get together physically. But our dealers and our company have also shown how we can connect within our own communities and give back, help each other and get through this tough time together.”

Working in an open and collaborative manner is a core piece of Mazda’s leadership values. Employees and managers worked across departments on the building safety committee to devise a comprehensive COVID-19 response. Extensive consultation and teamwork helped address everyone’s concerns, giving them confidence every possible safety measure had been implemented.

“We made sure that everybody’s needs, concerns and questions were met and answered,” says Erica Zanetti, special-

ist, retail marketing, who served on the committee.

“Folks respect the need to work from home, but if they do need to go into the office, there are a lot of initiatives Mazda Canada has taken to ensure everyone feels safe at all times,” Zanetti says.

Like many of her fellow employees, Zanetti found a way to contribute to her community as an individual. She signed up for the GroceryHero Canada Program that matches people with essential healthcare workers in their neighbourhoods.

“I was matched with a nurse who lives less than five minutes away from me and didn’t have access to a vehicle,” says Zanetti.

“I dropped the groceries off on the front porch and she was really grateful. I felt amazed to be able to help her and her family through all of this.”

From daily team meetings to the online talent show page in Microsoft Teams, Mazda Canada employees have embraced the challenges the pandemic has posed and reinvented the way they take care of each other as well as their clients. It’s a natural extension of a corporate culture that’s family-oriented and encourages innovative thinking.

“I just love how everybody’s sharing ideas on how we can do things differently,” says Fleming. 

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How Medtronic eased patients into the new normal Medtronic Canada is helping hospitals and clinics adapt to the new normal.

“Overnight, most clinics shifted from in-clinic care to almost zero in-person care, in some cases,” says Tarini. Diabetes patients now have to receive their care from home – on their mobile phones or by video-conference on their computers.

Medtronic customers and their care providers can use CareLink, the company’s online data management software, to monitor their status remotely if they are on a Medtronic insulin pump, continuous glucose monitor or cardiac device, thereby helping to protect both patients and caregivers.

We’re trying to maintain connection, show that we care and are JOSH TARINI MANAGES DIABETES TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION AND LEADS WEEKLY RELAXATION SESSIONS FOR MEDTRONIC CANADA EMPLOYEES FROM HIS HOME osh Tarini enjoys making a difference in the lives of Canadians with diabetes. Since 2010, he has worked at Medtronic Canada ULC in its diabetes division, first as a diabetes clinical specialist, and most recently as manager of diabetes training and education.

“You can make a real impact on people who live with this as a chronic condition,” he says. “Although my role is almost exclusively managing now, our 20 diabetes clinical specialists often come to me for consultative help with patients who may require extra support, so I’m still indirectly helping people, sometimes one at a time.”

People with chronic diseases such as diabetes are at much greater risk of serious harm from the COVID-19 virus,

so managing their condition – including with devices such as insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors – has never been more important.

Medtronic is the largest medical-device employer in Canada – including over 350 employees in Ontario. The majority of staff are located in its Brampton, Ont., headquarters, which comprises the training and education centre, sales, marketing and administrative functions.

Tarini, 42, is among the 94 per cent of the company’s employees who have been working from home due to the pandemic.

“The biggest adjustment I’ve had to make is ensuring that I’m providing – from a small space in my home – the same high level of support to the internal colleagues we serve as well as to patients.”

trying to make staff’s lives easier.”

—Neil Fraser President

The Medtronic Assurance Program has added a new option for current diabetes customers who have lost their private health insurance due to COVID-19related layoffs. Now, eligible customers can receive a three-month supply of certain diabetes supplies free of charge. “We hope this would be a bridge to coverage if they are impacted by COVID-related job loss, so they could continue to access supplies for the ongoing management of their diabetes,” says Neil Fraser, president of Medtronic Canada. More than 200 customers have used this benefit so far.

During the pandemic, the company also has emphasized employee well-being and

communication. Field service technicians and clinical specialists are provided with personal protection equipment (PPE) when they make visits to hospitals and clinics. “We’ve also sent care packages to employees’ homes with PPE for their families, as well as fun things to do and read,” says Fraser. “We’re trying to maintain connection, show that we care, and are trying to make staff’s lives easier.”

All employees have free access to virtual health and wellness programs, including the Not Myself Today program for mental health. Medtronic partnered with the Canadian Mental Health Association to inform staff how to maintain a good worklife balance.

When COVID-19 struck, Fraser began hosting a weekly (now bi-weekly) allemployee virtual call to ensure everyone has a chance to voice their concerns and ask questions. He invited a public health expert to take part in the calls to provide perspectives on the pandemic and respond to health-related questions that they may have.

Looking beyond the pandemic, Fraser says: “More things will be done virtually on an ongoing basis, because there is tremendous productivity in working that way, so we will keep doing education and some types of clinical support virtually.” 

685 5,717 17 50%

FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA JOB APPLICATIONS RECEIVED LAST YEAR WEEKS, MATERNITY & PARENTAL TOP-UP PAY OF MANAGERS ARE WOMEN

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Making and baking inclusion at Mondelēz Canada Inclusion (DE&I) Council, dedicated to building an equitable and inclusive culture.

In addition to the Rainbow Council, Mondelēz Canada has recently established a range of other Employee Inclusion Groups (EIGs), including the Women’s Network, the Black Colleague EIG, the Indigenous Peoples EIG, and the People of Colour EIG.

Our diverse, inclusive and connected community of colleagues is the key to our success.”

— Martin Parent President, Mondel󠄓​󠄓​󠄓​󠄓​󠄓 󠄓​󠄓​󠄓​󠄓​󠄓​󠄓

MONDELĒZ CANADA RECENTLY ESTABLISHED NEW EMPLOYEE INCLUSION GROUPS (EIGS) TO FURTHER ITS DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION GOALS

I

t started with a hallway conversation, as so many great ideas did in the days before the pandemic kept people away from their offices. At the Mondel󠄓​󠄓​󠄓​󠄓​󠄓 󠄓​󠄓​󠄓​󠄓​󠄓​󠄓 headquarters in Toronto’s west end, Christian Baes ran into a senior leader on assignment from the U.S., who suggested that Baes start a Canadian network for LGBTQ+ employees.

That conversation led to the birth of the Rainbow Council Canada in 2017 and helped ignite a series of programs to build awareness and strengthen allyship for the LGBTQ+ community at Mondelēz Canada, home to such iconic snacking

Make it happen

brands as Cadbury chocolates, Oreo cookies and Ritz crackers.

For Baes, that’s just one of many positive experiences he’s had since joining Mondelēz Canada in 2013. After graduating from Western Michigan University’s Cooley Law School, he came to Toronto, fell in love with the city and joined Mondelēz Canada as a law clerk. He became a senior law clerk just a year later.

Now, after articling with the Mondelēz legal team, he’s a licensed lawyer and was recently promoted to the role of global marketing & media counsel.

Baes is an active member of the company’s Canadian Diversity, Equity and

For Martin Parent, president of Mondelēz Canada, DE&I is a critical part of the company’s values. “Our diverse, inclusive and connected community of colleagues is the key to our success,” he says. “As we focus on walking the walk, this summer we dedicated our annual Culture Day to diversity and inclusion and created a range of virtual opportunities for employees to connect, share their experiences and discuss our commitment to driving long-term systemic change in our workplace and society.”

The GTA is home for Mondelēz in Canada – all its manufacturing plants are located there, where the company, whose name is designed to suggest a world of delicious treats, makes some of Canada’s most popular brands.

Amid the pandemic, Parent says, many consumers counted on Mondelēz Canada and its brands for a sense of comfort and familiarity as families spent more time at

home. During this time, the company also demonstrated its strong commitment to the community. This included donating over $1 million in food and cash to organizations like Food Banks Canada, Moisson Montréal and Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada, as well as providing more than 4,000 Oreo and Cadbury Easter treats as a thank-you to frontline healthcare workers in Toronto.

The company is also building for the future, actively working with Canadian universities to raise its recruitment profile and developing apprenticeship programs with local trades schools in the GTA. “As we attract new talent, it’s important for our recruiting efforts to focus on what makes us passionate about our work: it’s the great people, brands and workplace culture that drive this team,” Parent says.

It was this environment that first attracted Baes to Mondelēz, who notes that another great aspect is the chance to try new products before they reach the marketplace. But it’s the company’s people-first culture and being able to bring his whole self to work that’s the sweetest.

“To be able to build a community where I see myself and where I feel whole is incredibly gratifying on both a professional and personal level,” he says. “I don't know if I would have found that anywhere else.” 

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OF CANADIAN EXECUTIVE TEAM ARE WOMEN

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MPAC became a rock of support in difficult times ments could be made. Regis is now a member of MPAC’s new volunteer diversity and inclusion team, which includes McNeill. The company is also looking to hire a consultant to help in building a diversity, equity and inclusion strategy.

“Involving employees like myself in this initiative is important,” says Regis.

I feel more in touch with the pulse of the organization than I was before the pandemic. I feel more connected than ever and our employees tell us they feel that way.”

PPE AND SAFETY PROTOCOLS ALLOWED MPAC EMPLOYEES TO RESUME THEIR WORK UPDATING ONTARIO’S PROPERTY DATABASE

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hen the Black Lives Matter protests on racial injustice came to prominence this past summer, Judith Regis felt stricken emotionally and was determined to affect change.

Like her colleagues, Regis, an account manager, municipal and stakeholder relations, for Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC), had been working from home since March because of the pandemic. An independent non-profit company funded by Ontario’s municipalities, MPAC manages the largest property database in North America, responsible for assessing and classifying all properties in the province for taxation.

To stay connected while apart, president and CAO Nicole McNeill held

frequent video chats on timely topics with the entire staff, which encouraged people to talk more openly as an organization and brought them closer to senior leadership. Some of the stand-out virtual chats for Regis were those that raised the issue of anti-racism, diversity, equity and inclusion.

“As a Black woman, this was really important to me,” says Regis. “A lot of companies might shy away from this, but that wasn’t the case with MPAC. Nicole realized there could be many employees within MPAC who felt affected by what was going on and brought in speakers from Black Lives Matter and the Indigenous communities to talk about anti-racism.”

Then MPAC went further, committing to an internal scan to find where improve-

— Nicole McNeill President and CAO “I think it’s something that should be done in every organization, institution and corporation throughout Canada. It’s just about being open to seeing what improvements need to be done.”

McNeill recognized that the new live chat channel was right for sharing how people were grieving over the racial injustices they were seeing on the news. From the beginning, the organization committed to communicating often and in real time through the pandemic, guided by three core principles: the health and safety of employees; the need to keep the business operating during lockdown to make payroll for everyone; and the need to do their part as an organization and as citizens to support the community.

McNeill says silence isn’t an option

AT MPAC, WE SEE THINGS DIFFERENTLY. The Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) has an unparalleled view of Ontario’s property landscape, enabling us to provide impartial assessments while analyzing and identifying property trends across the province.

We adapt to change by finding new ways to work, supporting each other, and putting people first in everything we do.

when it comes to diversity and inclusion.

As a white woman, she says, she was deeply affected by the stories of racism shared by employees. But also by people who openly admitted they hadn’t experienced that but wanted to do something about it.

“Even if I’m uncomfortable talking about racism, we’re going to talk about it and tackle it together,” says McNeill. “I don’t know whether I would have been able to say that a year ago, nor would I have had the forum. But now I look at our culture, and although we can’t actually be together physically, it’s like we’re holding hands as an organization. I felt okay to be vulnerable like that.”

McNeill believes that MPAC has become “the rock” providing support to employees in a time of uncertainty.

“They see us on camera saying, ‘Please help your peer out, please don’t be afraid to speak up. We know you’re struggling with child care or homeschooling or have family who are affected from a health or financial standpoint. We understand and will work flexibly with you.’ People trust us because we’ve been transparent on every decision.

“I feel more in touch with the pulse of the organization than I was before the pandemic. I feel more connected than ever and our employees tell us they feel that way.” 

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We are honoured to be named one of Greater Toronto’s Top Employers.

mpac.ca/careers

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Novo Nordisk’s culture shines when times are tough shop, a healthy eating series and an organizational psychologist helped employees to manage their mental health.

Novo Nordisk also set up an educational platform, where employees could take work-related or personal courses, and the social committee, which typically arranges outings to such places as Canada’s Wonderland, put on virtual get-togethers (in one, employees could learn to belly dance).

We were all looking beyond what we normally do to leverage our expertise.”

— Angie Ng Director, Human Resources

NOVO NORDISK EMPLOYEES TAKE A BREAK FOR COFFEE AND ONLINE LEARNING

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hat happened to Erik Kolga when COVID-19 forced everyone home in March had all the ingredients of a nightmare: a field-based employee suddenly housebound with three young children and a wife whose small business was forced to shut its doors. “It could’ve been one of life’s biggest challenges,” says Kolga, a senior district business manager for Novo Nordisk Canada, an affiliate of the global healthcare company. “But

life-changing careers

Novo Nordisk never made it feel it was a stress or a burden for them.”

In fact, in a matter of days, Novo Nordisk had implemented a series of initiatives designed to help employees. Within two weeks, the company had connected employees virtually to an ergonomics consultant to help properly set up home offices. There were virtual fitness classes twice a week at a time to suit everyone across the country and at different levels of difficulty. A six-week resilience work-

Even the company’s benefits program was expanded to reflect some new realities. Novo Nordisk now reimburses employees for things like ergonomic chairs and tables to be used in home offices as well as health-related items such as blenders, juicers, massagers and home food delivery – all, as Angie Ng, director of human resources, explains, “in the spirit of helping an employee and their family to stay safe and healthy.”

In turn, Novo Nordisk employees — including pharmacists, physicians, nurses and other healthcare experts — have been helping others through the pandemic. “We recognize with COVID-19 that not only do we have a responsibility to our family and to our workplace but to our broader community,” says Ng. “We were all looking beyond what we normally do to leverage our expertise.”

Through the company’s Take Action volunteer program, pharmacists and diabetes nurse educators have taken to the phones, for example, to speak with patients to alleviate the strain on the healthcare system. “When you are able to help others in a way that’s safe, it makes you feel that you have done something for yourself and the community,” Ng adds.

Other employees found their own way to help: a group in Kolga’s community were able to raise enough money to cover one local school’s breakfast and lunch program for a full year.

And through it all, Novo Nordisk has kept the lines of communication wide open – including weekly virtual drinks with the president. “We really share vulnerable stories,” says Ng, who was also coping with having both parents in the hospital during the lockdown. “Employees at all different levels share stories, and we interview executives, so that people know we’re all alike.”

“I really believe in the people who are leading this company because they always seem to lead with the best interests of the employee first,” says Kolga. “It’s very easy to be a great culture when times are really good, but I think the true culture really shines through in tough times.” 

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ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIP

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Medical support remains critical at Olympus Canada While non-essential employees at Olympus currently work from home, 70 technicians in the service and warehouse group have been classified as essential workers and have continued throughout the pandemic to work in Richmond Hill.

To adapt its facilities to COVID-19 conditions, Olympus reconfigured its offices and organized essential employees into two teams. For five months, each team worked on a different schedule, either from 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. or from 3:30 p.m. to 12 midnight. Between the two shifts, the facility was cleaned and disinfected.

We did this because if one person caught COVID-19, we’d have to shut OLYMPUS CANADA SERVICE TECHNICIAN ANALYZES AND REPAIRS ENDOSCOPE

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hen Olympus Canada closed its headquarters in Richmond Hill to nonessential workers on March 16, Bryan Milley wasn’t fazed.

“Our offices were already set up for people to work remotely,” says Milley, one of the company’s senior sales consultants for urology, gynecology & ENT products.

“This just made it official.”

As one of 114 field workers with Olympus, Milley is based in the GTA and still drives once or twice a week to the office. “But now I drop off equipment for servicing and pick it up again at the receiving door. I don’t go inside.”

From specializing initially in microscopes more than a century ago, Olympus now predominantly focuses on medical technologies. The company continues its legacy in microscopes with applications in

life sciences and also develops industrial solutions for testing, measuring, imaging, and analyzing equipment and materials. In these fields, service is critical, especially in the medical and surgical divisions, which provide instruments and scopes used in such specialties as bariatrics, thoracic surgery, gynecology, pulmonology and gastroenterology.

“We rely on service a lot,” says Milley. “Much of the equipment we sell is reusable. It’s cleaned and sterilized at the hospital every day. When it’s sent to Olympus it’s serviced within hours or days of receipt.”

Olympus employees appreciate the contribution that they make to patient health in the medical system. “They understand the criticality of the business,” says Sandy Saioud, executive director, medical/scientific and regulatory affairs.

down altogether, which would not only impact our employees but our customers in the medical community as well.”

— Sandy Saioud Executive Director, Medical/ Scientific and Regulatory Affairs “We did this,” says Saioud, “because if one person caught COVID-19, we’d have to shut down altogether, which would not only impact our employees but our customers in the medical community as well.”

To recognize their contribution, Olympus gave these employees two additional days off over the summer.

In September, when schools in the GTA re-opened, the two teams adopted a more conventional schedule. “It’s difficult to work till midnight if you have kids,” Saioud observes.

To maintain open communication among employees working remotely, Olympus adopted software and applications so that executives could conduct regular company-wide meetings and group managers could meet more frequently with their own teams.

“There’s been more activity than ever,” says Milley. “Now, instead of head office bowling nights with 100 people, we have virtual bingo with 200 people.”

Olympus depends on clear and concise communication in dealing daily with patient safety, says Saioud, who joined the company in 2001 after 20 years as a registered nurse. “I worked on an endoscopy unit at a community hospital and lived through SARs. I moved to Olympus because I saw the need for training and education and thought I could make a difference. If our customers don’t have endoscopes that are safe for use, for example, patients can’t undergo procedures.”

Milley shares Saioud’s appreciation for the impact of Olympus technology. Joining the company more than eight years ago as a product manager, he says, “I was blown away by the quality and uniqueness of the products. Getting our technology into a doctor’s hands is really satisfying. Never once have I woken up and thought, this is going to be a boring day.” 

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DEDICATED TO MAKING PEOPLE’S LIVES HEALTHIER, SAFER, AND MORE FULFILLING

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The OMA strives to be ‘hard on problems, soft on people’ For Islam, one silver lining of working remotely has been spending more time with her children, who are eight and 10, and the teachable moments that arise.

“They can hear their mother working, and they have questions,” she says. “After one phone call, they asked me to explain contracts and signing authority.”

The senior leadership always aspires to take care of the employees. I definitely feel blessed.”

— Nafiz Islam Project Manager, Business Technology Office

CEO ALLAN O’DETTE AND HIS FAMILY SHINE A LIGHT OF THANKS DURING THIS YEAR'S 'DOCTORS’ DAY' CAMPAIGN SPONSORED BY THE ONTARIO MEDICAL ASSOCIATION

A

s both the mother of two young children and the daughter of aging parents, Nafiz Islam spends a lot of time in doctors’ offices. So when she applied for a job at the Toronto-based Ontario Medical Association (OMA), its mission statement appealed to her immediately.

As soon as Islam read that the OMA advocates for and supports the doctors who care for patients in Ontario, and its vision is to be the trusted voice in transforming the provincial healthcare system, she knew she had found an employer she

felt passionate about – and one that would take care of her, too, especially during challenging times.

When the pandemic hit Toronto in March, the OMA, which has 40,000 physician members and 300 employees, was prepared. Senior leaders had been monitoring its global impact since January and had created a COVID-19 response team composed of employees from every area of the organization. “We drew from the experience of SARS and knew people would be frightened, and we worked hard to address those fears,” says CEO Allan O’Dette.

The kids then drew up contracts outlining what they had to do to get their favourite snacks, which their mother signed and dated. Islam is grateful that she was able to continue working remotely in the fall after deciding her children wouldn’t return to school but would learn virtually instead.

Company-led initiatives such as online mindfulness sessions help her balance home and work.

While Islam is comfortable working from home, she knows not all of the 20 people on her project team are. “Some people talk more than others in video meetings, so I’ll have a separate call with my quieter teammates to check in,” she says. “I aspire to be the kind of manager who can accommodate each person’s personality and working style.”

O’Dette often says, “We’re hard on problems but soft on people” – something Islam regularly recalls to remind herself to be kind to her co-workers but strong when it comes to dealing with challenges.

“The senior leadership always aspires to take care of the employees,” she says. “I definitely feel blessed.”

In place of its traditional in-person summer staff event, the OMA held a virtual event in September featuring Toronto Raptors “superfan” and businessman Nav Bhatia, who spoke about his journey as an immigrant to Canada and his challenges as a person of colour selling automobiles.

“His story has further inspired our commitment to diversity and inclusion,” says O’Dette.

O’Dette is proud of how hard OMA employees are working to serve their physician members, as well as how hard the physicians themselves are working. He has witnessed the struggles of the men and women who treat patients in the province, and of people losing their jobs and families not being able to see each other for months. “It has taught me to make gratitude a habit, despite how complex everything is,” he says.

O’Dette regularly shows gratitude to his employees, starting town halls by thanking people and reminding them to be kind to themselves and to those around them. “We have purpose in our work, and the better we serve our employees and our members, the better we can serve the people of Ontario.” 

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The OMA is proud to be one of

Doctors. We lead you to better health.

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Ontario Shores believes in mental health for all for people with complex mental illnesses for more than a century. “Our legacy of caring extends to our staff,” says president and CEO Karim Mamdani. “We work hard to support our people who experience stress dealing with a challenging patient population.”

Among a range of health and wellness initiatives, Ontario Shores recently introduced free cognitive behavioural therapy for staff, which is available online or in-person. “This work can be difficult, taxing and sometimes traumatic,” says Mamdani. “We have to make sure our staff have the tools to be resilient.”

This is a place that has your back, always.”

— Jeff MacDonald Database Administrator

DATABASE ADMINISTRATOR JEFF MACDONALD, LEFT, ACCEPTS THE VALUES IN ACTION AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN JANUARY 2019 FROM KARIM MAMDANI, PREISDENT AND CEO AT ONTARIO SHORES eff MacDonald is comfortable working quietly in the back rooms.

So when his manager and director at Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences asked the database administrator to demonstrate new software to nurses throughout the hospital, he got cold feet. At first.

“I wanted to show off what I had been working on for about a year,” MacDonald says. “But I was nervous about making presentations at nursing stations in a clinical setting. I had never been in one before.

What if I got in the way? What if they asked me medical questions that I couldn’t answer?”

MacDonald talked it over with his development team members who “understood my anxiety.” He adds: “This is a place that has your back, always. They gave me the confidence I needed and assigned a practice leader to handle any medical questions during the demos. It all went smoothly.”

Ontario Shores, located on Lake Ontario’s shoreline in Whitby, has been caring

Recognizing this effort, Excellence Canada, a highly regarded independent non-profit certification program, honoured Ontario Shores last year with its top platinum award for wellness. Another health-and-wellness reason: its Eat Well, Live Well program. Available in the specialty mental health hospital’s cafeteria, Eat Well, Live Well features healthy meal choices made on site by the institution’s Nutrition and Food Services team. When the food program kicked off last year, staff were given 10 free meals.

Also on site is a gymnasium and fitness facility. MacDonald plays basketball and volleyball at Ontario Shores several times a week and tries to walk a couple of kilometres every lunch time around the hospital’s expansive waterfront property.

MacDonald has worked elsewhere in Ontario’s healthcare sector, but he says

ontarioshores.ca

Ontario Shores stands out. “Everyone talks about work-life balance, but Ontario Shores really means it,” he says. “On the fitness side over the years, they have provided us wellness tools such as Fitbits, running shoes and healthy sleeping pillows.”

As well, MacDonald adds, Ontario Shores is committed to an employee’s personal and professional growth. “I have been siloed in the past, but here I feel connected and empowered,” he says. “And management is supportive of developing people in their careers. Their attitude is, if you do well for yourself, you will do well for Ontario Shores. What can we do to help?”

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, MacDonald was allowed to work from home for several months. And when he started returning to work about twice a week in the summer, he had no qualms. “I felt very safe with the steps being taken,” he says.

Mamdani acknowledges that as a relatively small, specialized hospital, Ontario Shores can’t always compete with larger facilities on every aspect of compensation.

“But we can compete on passion,” he says. “If someone is committed to helping people with mental health challenges, this is the place to be. We’re highly innovative and willing to challenge the status quo.

Here, you can have an impact.” 

920 12,633 42 50%

FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA JOB APPLICATIONS RECEIVED LAST YEAR YEARS, LONGEST-SERVING EMPLOYEE OF EXECUTIVE TEAM ARE WOMEN

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Ornge staff play a vital role amid the pandemic patients with intravenous pumps and ventilators. To qualify, she spent thousands of hours advancing through primary-care to advanced-care status, which included class time and on-the-job training provided by Ornge.

“Ornge paramedics have to be motivated at the academic level,” says Tien, a trained military physician who was the organization’s chief medical officer before becoming CEO in January 2020. “They have to work independently with patients who are very sick, with complex conditions.”

We treat some of the sickest patients in the province. And we’re the ORNGE CRITICAL CARE PARAMEDIC, JOANNE SKINNER, IS BASED IN TIMMINS, ONTARIO

only organization of its kind in Ontario that does critical-care paramedicine.”

oanne Skinner remembers watching a team of paramedics emerge from an Ornge helicopter in Algonquin Park to attend to the victim of a heart attack.

“They shut down the whole highway,” she says, “and two paramedics started administering medication and doing a lot more for the victim than I could ever do.”

At the time, in 2007, Skinner had trained as a land-based primary care paramedic, but when she saw the team from Ornge, she saw her future.

Providing air ambulance service and critical care medical transport to ill or injured individuals from 12 bases in the province, Ornge operates eight fixed-wing aircraft, 12 helicopters and 13 ambulances, the largest air ambulance and critical-care land ambulance fleet in Canada.

At its head office in Mississauga, communications officers at Ornge’s Operations Control Centre receive transport requests from hospitals and central ambulance communications centres and dispatch aircraft and ambulances across the province. They also collaborate with Ornge transport medicine physicians on triage and dispatching prior to transport. The company serves more than 13 million people over an area of a million square kilometres and performs about 20,000 patient-related transports a year.

“We treat some of the sickest patients in the province,” says president and CEO Dr. Homer Tien. “And we’re the only organization of its kind in Ontario that does critical-care paramedicine.”

As a critical-care flight paramedic, Skinner can administer prescription drugs, conduct blood transfusions and treat

— Dr. Homer Tien President and CEO Hospital transfers account for more than 90 per cent of Ornge’s activities, “and we’re the only ones travelling with ventilators,” Tien says, “so COVID-19 is a big part of our operation.”

Concerned during the first wave of the pandemic about a possible abrupt increase in patients, Ornge asked paramedics to volunteer as members of a surge-response team. In northern areas, paramedics were equipped to drop into communities to attend to patients until they could be transported to hospital. Ornge, in partnership with Toronto Paramedic Services, made arrangements to staff a Toronto ambulance bus capable of transporting a large number of patients.

With many flights cancelled by regional airlines in the province, Ornge made a contracted aircraft available on specific days to transport COVID-19 tests from several northern communities to Toronto labs for processing.

Meanwhile, Ornge’s back-office support staff in the GTA, ordinarily based in Mississauga, continue to work from home, supporting their colleagues throughout the province. Among other activities, Ornge’s occupational health and safety team monitor staff who show symptoms of COVID19 and track the results of their testing.

Since Skinner’s career-altering experience in Algonquin Park, she has had unforgettable moments of her own as an Ornge paramedic. She recalls transporting an extremely sick child and her mother to a pediatric facility in Ottawa, when she couldn’t feel the child’s pulse. She saw panic in the mother’s eyes and reassured her that the Ornge team was doing everything possible.

“We administered every blood pressure med I could think of,” she says.

Arriving in Ottawa after 15 hours, Skinner asked the mother to let her know how the child was doing.

“Two days later, a photo arrived of the mother and daughter together, smiling,” she says. “That’s when you know you’ve made a difference.” 

611 5,383 15 100%

FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA JOB APPLICATIONS RECEIVED LAST YEAR WEEKS, MATERNITY LEAVE TOP-UP PAY HEALTH PLAN PREMIUM AND FAMILY COVERAGE

Soar into success with a career at Ornge!

PROUD TO BE ONE OF GREATER TORONTO’S TOP EMPLOYERS APPLY TODAY: ORNGE.CA/CAREERS

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Panasonic is rooted in its values of giving back Moskowitz, Panasonic chairman and CEO for North America, shows up at a company-led event to help revitalize a community in need.

“Contributing to society is part of our corporate philosophy and in our DNA,” says Moskowitz. “I want to be involved and connecting with our employees, to set the example around what we should be doing and how we should do it. We roll up our sleeves, work as a team and support each other.”

Contributing to society is part of our corporate philosophy and in our DNA.” — Michael Moskowitz Chairman and CEO, Panasonic North America AN EMPLOYEE OF PANASONIC CANADA WITH SOME OF THE COVID-19 MASKS THE COMPANY DONATED TO THE COMMUNITY

W

hen Jonathan O’Brien learned on Christmas morning in 1999 that he hadn’t received the Panasonic portable CD player he’d asked for, the 12-year-old had no idea that 16 years later he’d be working for Mississauga-based Panasonic Canada Inc., the company he thought made the “coolest” electronics.

“I got another brand of CD player, and I was devastated,” says O’Brien, sales manager for the consumer products division.

“The Panasonic had 45-second anti-skip and extra-bass headphones. So when an opportunity to interview for the company I

revered as a kid came up, I jumped at it.”

Sharing this story at his interview may have closed the deal. In 2015, O’Brien joined Panasonic as a sales representative and was soon promoted to account manager, then to sales manager for Ontario and Atlantic Canada. “I’ve come to understand that our brand has staying power, and our people stick around,” he says. “Perhaps more important, the leadership behind the brand values the team itself.”

The leadership team also cares for its broader community. Contributing to society, along with cooperation and team spirit, are among Panasonic’s core principles. They’re evident each time Michael

Giving Back Together Making positive contributions to society is a team effort

“Michael gets sanding dust in his hair and paint on his pants,” says O’Brien, co-chair of the Panasonic Cares Committee. “That kind of culture flows from the top. We want to make an impact, and our company supports these programs.”

O’Brien is proud of Panasonic’s partnership with Mississauga food bank Eden Food for Change. In the early days of COVID-19, the company made a financial donation amounting to 7,000 meals. When the food bank received an overwhelming supply of non-perishable food in the spring, Panasonic donated warehouse space to store it.

Internally, Panasonic also moved quickly to a virtual working environment in order to keep employees safe. The leadership team sent constant communications around family and educational resources and stress-management tools. Surveys

were conducted regularly to ask how people were feeling.

“I’m proud of how well our employees have adapted, and also proud that we didn’t lay anyone off,” says Moskowitz.

“COVID-19 has taught us that we can work remotely, which was new for us. I’ll have no problem having a hybrid, flexible working arrangement going forward.”

One challenge of overseeing a remote workforce is maintaining a culture where careers are nurtured. “I like to say that we develop people – if we have the right people, we’ll develop the right products,” says Moskowitz. “I’ve lived career growth at this company.”

Moskowitz joined as vice president of Panasonic Canada in 2011, moving to executive vice president the next year and president in 2013. In his current position since 2019, he says he is constantly learning. And there’s a lot to learn at a company that reaches into the automotive and avionics industries, as well as producing its iconic microwaves, batteries, phones, cameras, large projectors for concerts, mobile devices for police officers, and much more.

“What makes Panasonic special is our people, and the diversity of our businesses and products,” says Moskowitz. “I’ll tell someone, if you’re looking for a job, this isn’t the company for you. If you’re looking for a career, it is.” 

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FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA WEEKS, MATERNITY LEAVE TOP-UP PAY WEEKS, MAXIMUM VACATION ALLOWANCE STAFF VOLUNTEER HOURS LAST YEAR

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Staying home but not apart at Philips Electronics Britta Kroupa, managing director of Philips’s Canadian operations, says empowering employees is simply good business practice. “We know our people are best-equipped to understand and meet our clients’ needs,” she says. “A happy and engaged workforce is a productive workforce, and that’s what we need to meet our goal of improving the lives of 2.5 billion people by 2030.”

Everyone is interconnected; you are never left alone on an island.”

PHILIPS ELECTRONICS EMPLOYEES TESTING NEW EQUIPMENT

W

orking from home took on a new dimension for Paul Zavaglia during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Zavaglia is a clinical specialist with Philips Electronics Ltd., an international health technology company whose Canadian operations are based in Markham. His main responsibilities include installing cardiovascular ultrasound equipment in hospitals and clinics, and then demonstrating how to operate the sophisticated apparatus.

But the pandemic threw a spanner into Zavaglia’s work. Like other visitors during the pandemic’s early stages, he could no longer enter the medical facilities. So how was he going to train the hospital staff to use their new equipment, needed more than ever during the pandemic? “We

discussed training over the phone or by Zoom,” recalls Zavaglia, “before we rejected the idea. The process is too complex for such an easy solution.”

Instead, Zavaglia made “a bit of an outrageous” request. Move the 180-pound machine into his home and develop a virtual solution. “Management said, ‘No problem’ and shipped off the gear,” he says.

Zavaglia developed a system whereby the hospital staff could see both the equipment’s keyboard and its console so they knew what buttons to push and monitor the results. His superiors’ response to his suggestion was, for Zavaglia, a clear example of how “management has your back.”

He explains: “They trust their people to do a good job. They value your opinion.

Everyone is interconnected; you are never left alone on an island.”

— Paul Zavaglia Clinical Specialist

Ironically, although more Philips people than ever before worked from home during the pandemic’s early stages, Kroupa says: “We never felt more connected. We developed new communication tools such as weekly informational videos to keep people connected. We even provided online yoga and meditation sessions.”

As a result, Kroupa says in the latest Philips second quarter that Canadian employee engagement numbers were the highest ever recorded and easily surpassed an ambitious goal despite the onset of the pandemic.

To help people work from home, Philips supplied ergonomic office equipment where necessary and made it clear that it understood employees’ family responsibilities. “My approach is that people should do their work when it works for them,” says Kroupa. “No one was on the clock.”

Recognizing its diverse workforce – more than one-third of its employees describe themselves as a member of a

visible minority – Philips recently introduced a floating paid holiday so employees can take time off to observe significant cultural or religious occasions or to educate themselves as allies.

Employees can also take time off with pay for charitable activities. “Community engagement,” says Kroupa, “is important to us as a company and to our employees.”

Also important is professional development. “I’ve never received onboard training like I have at Philips,” says Zavaglia, who previously worked at several Ontario hospitals. “And then, the company sent me off to the States for further specialized education.”

But most important for Zavaglia is the concern Philips has for his future. Philips has moved to a continuous feedback approach, where career development and business goals are discussed on a frequent basis. Using an anytime approach, employees can seek out feedback from peers, clients and leaders to provide real-time actionable improvement. “Once you’re good at something, they don’t want to keep you there,” Zavaglia says. “They want you to grow, to develop to your potential. The attitude is always, ‘How can we help you?’” 

575 50%

FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA OF EXECUTIVE TEAM ARE WOMEN

30

PAID DAYS OFF A YEAR INCLUDING VACATION, HOLIDAYS AND INCLUSION AND DIVERSITY DAY

5%

EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTION TO COMPANY PENSION PLAN

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Eat, Play, Live: How Questrade supports its people of meals for every new account opened in 2020.

“We certainly recognize that when people experience financial insecurity, that often translates into other hardships like food insecurity, so supporting Canadians in need was important to us,” says Horgan.

“It’s part of us being proudly Canadian.”

Questrade went even further. The pandemic hit in the middle of moving to new offices and the company had surplus office equipment. Rather than dump it, Questrade arranged an online auction for employees to purchase the surplus with proceeds going to Food Banks Canada.

There’s an emphasis on people’s well-being throughout the company and I’m grateful for that.”

QUESTRADE EMPLOYEES AT THE FOOD BANK CANADA EVENT BEFORE THE PANDEMIC

B

eing a leading fintech pioneer helped Questrade meet the daunting technical challenges the COVID-19 crisis threw at it. But just as important, the company’s peoplefirst focus helped it protect employees, meet customers’ needs and continue to make a difference in the community. Call it the “Eat, Play, Live” approach.

“We were already primarily a completely online business, so in terms of customer interaction that was a relatively seamless process,” says Emma Horgan, chief people officer.

“It was challenging, but now with the vast majority of people working from home, we continue to focus on their wellness, well-being and mental health

and do anything we can to help make our employees’ lives a little easier.”

Questrade is Canada’s fastest-growing online brokerage, helping Canadians become more financially successful and secure. Headquartered in Toronto, it’s been in business for over 20 years, managing over $15 billion in assets with over 100,000 accounts opened every year.

The company’s extensive community connections include long-standing relationships with charities. So it was natural for Questrade employees and managers to do something for those hardest-hit by the pandemic. Fulfilling the “eat” aspect of their approach, the company donated one million meals to Food Banks Canada.

In addition, it’s donating one day’s worth

— Maria Chami Communication Specialist “I got a new desk and chair while making a donation to a charity that’s very important to me,” says Maria Chami, communication specialist.

“For me, making that donation was definitely meaningful and made me feel more connected than having the company make the donation on my behalf.”

Chami and her fellow employees are finding ways to keep connected and play as well as look out for one another, despite being separated by the pandemic.

Different employee teams stage events like virtual Uber Eats dinners and daily checkin sessions.

In addition, Questrade organizes and sponsors activities like virtual yoga, fitness and guided meditation sessions for employees.

“Many teams are finding creative ways to engage and have fun,” says Horgan.

“We also continue to celebrate our employees and held our awards ceremony online this year.”

The serious business of managing Canadians’ financial futures goes on, with financial services deemed essential during the pandemic. Unlike companies in other sectors of the economy, Questrade is thriving in the current COVID-19 climate.

“We’re in a very fortunate position that we’re actually continuing to grow and we’re still hiring significantly,” says Horgan.

“We’ve had to shift all the in-person interviews to virtual and we’ve tried to adapt all of our learning and communication and engagement forums to virtual formats as well.”

With increased help available through employee & family assistance and other programs, Questrade is supporting its people so they can live their lives as fully as they can given the limitations of the pandemic. For Chami, it’s inspiring.

“It’s very nice to know management is still just as invested in us as they were when we were in the office and saw each other every day. They encourage us to take breaks and walks and there’s an emphasis on people’s well-being throughout the company. I’m grateful for that.” 

653

FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA

1+

MILLION MEALS DONATED TO FOOD BANKS CANADA

16

WEEKS, MATERNITY LEAVE TOP-UP PAY

100%

JOB RELATED TUITION SUBSIDIES

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RVA designs a culture of collaboration and equity both experienced and junior office staff, focuses on retention practices and is proud of its low turnover. “Young people in particular like challenges and are asking us for them,” says Filinov. “We provide regular training, mentorship and professionaldevelopment opportunities for all of our employees so we can build our company with solid people.”

Filinov has benefited from those opportunities himself. In 1988, he joined the company as a 25-year-old field inspector who had moved to Canada from Macedonia and has held several roles over the years. “This company is diverse and open in terms of gender, orientation, religion and ethnicity. It is employee owned, and whoever has the company’s best interest in mind can advance their career.”

Whoever has the company’s best interests in mind can advance RVA RECOGNIZES THAT EVERYONE HAS THE RIGHT TO REALIZE THEIR FULL POTENTIAL FOR GROWTH AND EXCELLENCE

I

n his 32 years with Toronto-based R.V. Anderson Associates Limited, vice president Zoran Filinov believes he has done “every single role in this business,” including one he couldn’t have predicted – as part of the company’s pandemic planning and business continuity committee of senior leaders.

Filinov is proud that the consulting engineering firm, which specializes in water, wastewater, transportation, municipal, building services and urban development, was able to continue with little interruption. “We stayed open with modified business operations, with safety

protocols in place for our field workers and our office staff working remotely,” he says.

“The well-being of our people was our top priority.”

Although Filinov believes that Canada has yet to see the pandemic’s full economic impact, it has been business as usual for R.V. Anderson this year. “There has been no lack of RFPs from private developers and provincial and municipal governments,” he says. “Essential water, wastewater, municipal and transportation projects, along with condos and apartments, are still being built.”

R.V. Anderson, which has been hiring

their career.”

— Zoran Filinov Vice President A friendly, caring workplace culture is another attractive feature. RVA associate and project manager David Stafford says the close-knit feeling he shared with his co-workers when they were at the office hasn’t been lost while they have been working remotely, thanks to videoconferencing and a social message board his urban development team created called “general fun stuff.”

“We’ve shared photos of our home-office setups, and if someone goes camping they’ll post a selfie,” says Stafford. “We were like a family before, and we still are.”

Stafford spent from 2012 to 2017 at

RVA as an engineering intern in training after earning a civil engineering degree from Queen’s University, then was hired as a project engineer before his recent promotion in October. “Since I was a kid, I’ve wanted to design and build things for a living,” he says. “RVA is doing exactly what I want to do, which is municipal engineering.”

One of Stafford’s first jobs was to design the services surrounding a gas station on Leslie Street in Toronto, including the drainage system for storm-water runoff.

“I waited for the first day it rained, then parked my car there to make sure everything was draining properly,” he says (it was).

When Stafford designs a park, he’ll visit it to watch people enjoying the green space. “It’s rewarding to see something I designed on paper come alive. I really like to see a tangible end result.” Of course he isn’t working on projects alone, and he loves collaborating with colleagues.

“A great day is working well with my team doing what we love, maybe joking around a bit – it’s that feeling of togetherness,” says Stafford. “We know we’re all in this together, whether we’re around a drawing table in person or virtually. This company truly cares about its people, and we care about each other.” 

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FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA

43

YEARS, LONGESTSERVING EMPLOYEE

48%

OF EMPLOYEES ARE VISIBLE MINORITIES

74

CHARITIES HELPED LAST YEAR

Join an engineering firm that is focused on your career growth.

Start your journey at rvanderson.com engineering | environment | inf rastrcuture

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Celebrating 60 years, Rogers’ team is prouder than ever possible is more critical than ever, and we’re incredibly proud of the significant progress we’ve made. That strong culture, guided by our values, has allowed us to do incredible things for our people, customers and communities in the GTA and beyond, and our top priority is to continue to make it even stronger.”

Our values have come to life in new ways across our company.”

— Jim Reid Chief Human Resources Officer

THE ROGERS TEAM VOLUNTEERS AT ‘STEP UP TO THE PLATE’ FOR FOOD BANKS CANADA

W

hen Andrew Vella joined Rogers Communications one year ago, he discovered a new kind of work experience. In previous jobs, he always felt like he was “a number, not an employee.”

But at Rogers, says Vella, an inbound telesales consultant, “I’m treated like part of the Rogers family. They invest so much time in you, and they offer so many amazing programs to help get you where you truly want to be in your career.”

Vella, who works at the nationwide

communication and media company’s Brampton campus and is among about 15,600 Rogers team members in the GTA, says he has benefited from some of the LinkedIn Learning courses the company offers. And he cites the company’s Walk a Mile job-shadowing program, which he hopes to pursue post-COVID-19.

Jim Reid, Rogers’ chief human resources officer, says such employee experiences reflect the company’s goal to be “one of the best places to work in Canada, with our strong culture as our guiding path.

Creating the best employee experience

Vella felt compelled to give back to the GTA community by volunteering for Rogers’ Step Up to the Plate initiative.

Earlier this year, the company partnered with Food Banks Canada and the Jays Care Foundation (the company owns the Blue Jays baseball team and their home, the Rogers Centre) to assist with assembling food hampers, providing eight million meals for Canadians who needed it most during COVID-19. In just 90 days, Rogers team members donated 20,000 volunteer hours and helped pack 390,000 food hampers – the most ever packed for Food Banks Canada in one campaign.

“Our values have come to life in new ways across our company and our teams have never been prouder to work at Rogers,” says Reid. “We’re proud of our strong culture of giving back, and this year, our 60th, we want to help Canadians get back to better than normal, so our team is doubling down on supporting those who need it most by volunteering 60,000 hours in the next year.”

Vella, who began working at home when the pandemic struck in March, volunteered for six shifts of packing food

hampers in a warehouse in nearby Mississauga. “By the second day, you’re really connecting with fellow Rogers volunteers,” he says. “It was a meaningful experience to help underprivileged families during such a critical time. It makes you realize that in life you shouldn’t complain about the little things, and that through initiatives like this available to Rogers employees, everyone can make an impact.”

Vella also appreciated how Rogers’ amplified its communications through COVID-19, from the leadership team and from in-house and external medical and well-being experts. He also noted the launch of Rogers’ National Wellness Fund to help team members cope during COVID-19, which includes increased benefits for mental health and access to virtual health care.

“Rogers gave us these great tools to keep us safe and informed when there was so much unknown with the virus,” he says. “That allowed us to stay updated on COVID-19 and on changes to our policies so we could better support our customers.”

During COVID-19, Vella notes, Rogers launched several initiatives so customers didn’t have to worry about staying connected to the information and technology they need, and to the people they love most – at a time when it’s never been more important. 

25,249 48 87% 1,435

Together, we make more possible.

See why we’re one of Greater Toronto’s Top Employers at jobs.rogers.com

STAFF IN CANADA YEARS, LONGEST-SERVING EMPLOYEE EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT CHARITIES HELPED LAST YEAR

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COVID-19 can’t knock RBC off its Purpose-driven course know that RBC is part of something larger than itself,” she says. “If our charitable and non-profit partners don’t make it through, our communities don’t make it through.”

At the same time, Chort says, RBC wanted to take a “more than money” approach in response to the pandemic. It also had resources and talented employees to support a wide range of activities.

RBC doesn’t just support my volunteer activities, it encourages them.

Making a difference in our communities is embedded in everything we do.”

— Danny Fabbro Branch Manager, Yonge & Bloor RBC EMPLOYEE LIVING RBC’S PURPOSE BY PARTICIPATING IN THE 2019 RBC RACE FOR THE KIDS

A

s one of Canada’s largest corporate donors, RBC has a significant impact on charitable and non-profit organizations and the communities they serve throughout the country – and around the world. RBC also empowers employees who want to make a difference in the places they live and work.

When the bank’s 150-year history of delivering social impact collided with the global pandemic, the outcome was never in doubt. RBC would honour the commitments it had made to its community partners – and go further to enact measures that enabled its 85,000-plus employees

globally to continue safely engaging with the issues and causes that matter to them.

Valerie Chort, vice president of corporate citizenship, says the non-profit sector experienced a two-fold blow – decreased donations and unprecedented demand for services. So RBC directed over $10 million to mental health and food security programs. It also reassured more than 900 community partners that their funding was intact and offered the flexibility to use up to 50 per cent of it to cover operating costs, up from its standard 20 per cent cap.

Chort says the move is in the spirit of RBC’s stated Purpose: to help clients thrive and communities prosper. “We

Take, for example, RBC Race for the Kids, a series of runs supporting children’s charities worldwide. With in-person events impossible in 2020, RBC developed the organizational and technological infrastructure to host its first-ever virtual and global event. It then invited its 36 charity partners on board to take advantage of the platform, to further increase their fundraising capacity at minimal cost.

The result? More than 26,000 participants took part, hailing from over 130 countries – the most locations ever. They raised more than $5 million, bringing the total to over $60 million since RBC Race for Kids began in 2009.

GTA resident Danny Fabbro was among the race participants. Since joining RBC as a branch manager in 2007, he’s also been an active volunteer and event organizer,

helping to raise thousands of dollars for Toronto’s LGBTQ+ community.

“I’ve been very blessed,” says Fabbro, who manages the Yonge & Bloor branch.

“RBC doesn’t just support my volunteer activities, it encourages them. Making a difference in our communities is embedded in everything we do at RBC.” So Fabbro was not surprised that instead of cancelling the Race for the Kids, RBC turned it into a virtual event. “The method has changed, the heart has not.”

RBC employees have rallied around their Purpose with initiatives such as the bank’s #PowerOfPurpose campaign, where colleagues recognized peers who went that extra mile to help their clients, communities, and each other for a chance to win $150 in donation credits – which they could then allocate to the charity of their choice. Similarly, RBC committed an additional $2 million so that RBCers like Fabbro could direct a $25 community donation to a cause close to their heart.

According to Chort, mitigating the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic has almost become a program unto itself.

Still, she says some things at RBC won’t change. “Whether we’re at the response, relief, or recovery stage, we – and our employees – are committed to understanding and supporting the needs of our communities.” 

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FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA JOB APPLICATIONS RECEIVED LAST YEAR YEARS, LONGESTSERVING EMPLOYEE OF MANAGERS ARE WOMEN

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

The dedication and passion of our employees helps build a better future for our communities.

Imagine what comes next at jobs.rbc.com

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RSM’s commitment to 'five C' culture sets them apart our success is caring about our colleagues and clients,” says Klosler. “It’s also about being an active listener and passionate about helping clients understand their aspirations and move them forward.”

Hiring the right employees and constantly challenging them is also vital.

“People who feel like they’re growing and being heard are the people who deliver to our clients,” says Klosler. “Smart, happy, engaged employees who are helping solve client problems lead to happy clients.”

The five Cs are the lifeblood of our organization and critical to our success.”

— Manny LoVoi Senior Tax Manager

RSM EMPLOYEES DEMONSTRATE THEIR COMMITMENT TO CARING BY TAKING PART IN A FITNESS CHALLENGE EVENT TO RAISE MONEY FOR CHARITY

I

n 1989, when Rhonda Klosler was an 18-year-old student in Brock University’s BBA co-op program, she didn’t envision spending her entire career at one company – or that almost three decades later she’d be a senior executive at Toronto-based RSM Canada LLP. RSM Canada is the Canadian member firm of RSM International, a global network of audit, tax and consulting firms. The original Canadian firm, for

which Klosler did four works terms while at Brock, would evolve again before becoming RSM Canada, expanding exponentially along the way. “When I started there were 50 employees, and now we have 650 people and we’re still growing,” says Klosler, the national chief operations officer and Toronto office market leader.

One thing that hasn’t changed? The workplace culture, which is rooted in the “five Cs” – curiosity, collaboration, caring, critical thinking and courage. “The root of

Although Klosler admits there was much uncertainty in the early days of COVID-19, she’s grateful that business hasn’t been negatively impacted. “We didn’t know what was going to happen, and everyone was equally confused in the beginning, so we reached out to clients to ask how they were and what we could do to help,” she says. “We feel fortunate that we’re having a solid year, and it’s because of our employees and our clients.”

Senior leaders also reached out to employees to ask those same questions, and to suss out their stress levels, through surveys and virtual coffee talks. Senior tax manager Emanuele (Manny) LoVoi has been working at home along with his wife, with whom he juggles the care of their toddler, and appreciates that concern. “It hasn’t been easy mixing my work and home lives, but our firm has made efforts to connect people so we don’t feel so alone,” he says.

Flexible work arrangements were part of the corporate culture pre-pandemic but have been even more helpful during it. “I’ve never felt any pressure to respond to an email immediately if I can’t get to it right away because I’m on a client call or my daughter needs me,” says LoVoi. “I always meet my deadlines, which is what matters.”

The sense of caring came across in LoVoi’s interview for a senior tax accountant position in 2015. “It was the best interview I’d ever had,” he says. “The sense I got was that the company had positive energy and entrepreneurial spirit, and that it was very nimble – it wasn’t bogged down by complex bureaucratic processes.”

Two years later, his career adviser, one of the firm’s partners, announced that LoVoi was ready to be promoted to senior tax manager. “I was pleasantly surprised because it felt like a quick promotion,” he says. “But it was based on merit, and it became clear to me that people here are given a lot of autonomy and the tools to be courageous in their growth.”

Although LoVoi meets regularly with his adviser, much of his growth happens informally while listening to partners and senior leaders converse with clients – always in a caring manner. “The five Cs are the lifeblood of our organization and critical to our success,” he says. “This firm really does live by them.” 

656 17 3 100%

FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA WEEKS, MATERNITY LEAVE TOP-UP PAY WEEKS, STARTING VACATION ALLOWANCE HEALTH PLAN PREMIUM AND FAMILY COVERAGE

Our differences fuel our culture.

Including different perspectives enables us to give our clients the most unique solutions for their growing businesses, and this culture is what sets us apart.

Find out more at: rsmcanada.com

Visit rsmcanada.com/aboutus for more information regarding RSM Canada and RSM International.

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At Spin Master, going virtual can still be fun as she was a new immigrant from Brazil.

She had done similar work in São Paulo, and had gained an extra diploma from Centennial College in Toronto, but she worried she would not be hired at the same level as in her home country.

“That was not the case,” she says. “I joined Spin Master in pretty much the same position as in Brazil. So I felt very fortunate.”

Our employment proposition – why would people want to work here? – revolves around pushing boundaries, winning together, and making an impact.”

SPIN MASTER'S ENTERTAINMENT DIVISION INCLUDES PAW PATROL

W

hat’s it like joining a new company during a pandemic, when everyone’s at home? Ask Grazi Barbosa. You might think it could be a bit odd, but she did it at Spin Master, the global toy and entertainment company built around creating fun for children and families, and she’s delighted with the way it turned out.

“I was very impressed with the onboarding program they had in place,” says Barbosa. “It was very well structured and everything ran very smoothly over Zoom.”

Barbosa, hired as manager of demand planning for Spin Master’s toy products, had just one in-person interview at the

company’s Toronto-based global headquarters in March before she came onboard at home in April – virtually. She got very full briefings on the company and her job, she says. “In the first two or three days I already had my agenda packed with meetings. I don't think it would have been better if I was physically in the office. And I heard the same feedback from other new hires.

“Meeting new people was a challenge initially,” she adds. “But as you start having your one-on-ones with people, you can show them your house, you get to see their houses and pets, and you start establishing connections.”

For Barbosa, establishing the connection with Spin Master was especially gratifying,

— Tara Deakin Chief People Officer

To Tara Deakin, chief people officer, attracting the best people from anywhere in the world is critical, not least in the pandemic, when demand is often rising.

Spin Master has three divisions – toys like Air Hogs and Bakugan, entertainment including TV’s PAW Patrol, and children’s digital gaming such as Toca Boca and Sago Mini. “Our employment proposition – why would people want to work here?

– revolves around pushing boundaries, winning together, and making an impact,” she says.

Those all came together in the pandemic. As with the onboarding program, Spin Master found creative ways to keep its fun culture going online. “We used to do in-office bootcamps or in-office yoga

on certain days in the week, so we moved them to be online classes,” says Deakin.

“And we did scene days, where we’d say, ‘everyone change their Zoom background’ – maybe to Star Wars. And because we have a lot of creative people, it was never just the background – some were in full costume.” The company also provided its people managers with tips for working remotely and engaging staff in a virtual environment.

As for making an impact, the best example may have come from a group of employees who, early in the pandemic, brainstormed a way to produce face shields using headbands from the company’s popular Hedbanz family board game at one of its facilities in Mexico. Approval was quick, says Deakin. More than 400,000 face shields were produced and shipped to frontline healthcare workers around the world, thanks to a cross-functional team of employees from engineering to communications to facilities management.

Spin Master also ramped up its charitable distribution of thousands of toys to children in need. “Games, puzzles, stuffed animals – anything to comfort kids through this period,” says Deakin. “You know, we say that a big part of what we do is put smiles on children's faces and create great moments for families.” And for new hires. 

642 40,000

FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA JOB APPLICATIONS RECEIVED LAST YEAR

51%

OF EMPLOYEES ARE WOMEN

42%

OF MANAGERS ARE WOMEN

Spin Master @spincareers spinmastercareers.com

CREATE. INNOVATE. WIN. GIVE BACK.

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TD pivots fast to shift thousands to work from home rent inventory and strategic vendors to provide colleagues with the equipment needed, based on the impact to our customers and safety of our people.”

Several months later in the pandemic, the change to home has been received very well. Smith reports receiving record high annual employee engagement scores from contact centre employees in its annual feedback survey, where people specifically mentioned working from home, new scheduling flexibility and the support received from their managers as all contributing to their overall engagement.

To be honest, I actually feel like I’m communicating more with my managers and colleagues.”

TD BANK'S REBECCA SHAO WORKS FROM HOME DURING COVID-19

T

D Bank faced a daunting task when COVID-19 struck back in March. The bank needed to move thousands of employees from its 12+ contact centres across Canada to work from home – and do it quickly.

That meant providing each employee who would typically work in a contact centre environment with the necessary tools and technology to do the job at home.

The bank completed the migration in an unprecedented four weeks, shifting upwards of 85 per cent of this group’s employees to work from their own homes.

Across all of North America, that totalled more than 9,000 people who provide support to meet the needs of its customers.

Greg Smith, senior vice president of shared services and leader of TD’s North American contact centres, says setting up a brand-new working environment for so many people was hugely challenging. All the components of the move – the technology and logistics, ensuring employee safety, customer service and privacy, and deployment – had to come together rapidly. It required a massive effort from a team devoted to the task.

How did the bank pull it off when so many organizations were scrambling for resources?

“As an enterprise we prioritized our frontline customer-facing colleagues first, so the contact centre had priority,” Smith explains. “Then we worked with our cur-

— Rebecca Shao Credit-Card Customer Service Officer “Our colleagues are enjoying the flexibility of working from home while remaining productive, protecting customer privacy and finding new ways to connect as teams,” says Smith. “Now that the technology is in place and people are getting used to working differently, we’re focused on employee wellness.”

Besides providing all the necessary technology and office equipment, TD also introduced a wide variety of new scheduling options such as splitting shifts, condensing the work week, voluntary time off and increased flexibility to trade shifts with other colleagues facilitated through a mobile app or online.

Additionally, the bank is using technology to encourage teamwork and collaboration. All of the daily and weekly team

meetings are conducted via video and Smith says colleagues tell him they feel even more connected to their teams now than they did in the office.

That’s something Rebecca Shao, a credit-card customer service officer, confirms. After taking maternity leave, Shao resumed work with TD in January and has been working from home since March.

“Even before the pandemic, we began having a virtual huddle with our team every day, so we’re really comfortable with connecting virtually from home,” says Shao. “To be honest, I actually feel like I’m communicating more with my managers and colleagues. I also have oneon-one personal coaching sessions regarding my interests and what opportunities I might move onto next in my career.”

With a 22-month-old daughter, Shao appreciates the flexibility working from home gives her. She shares childcare duties with her husband, who also works from home.

“As a parent, I’m saving time and money since I don’t have to commute or put my daughter in daycare,” says Shao.

“I’d much rather have my daughter at home during this time of COVID-19 so I don’t have to worry about her. My personal life is so much better now. I have more of a balance and get to spend more time with my family.” 

53,694 4,500

NEW HIRES ANNUALLY, ACROSS ALL LOCATIONS

12+

CONTACT CENTRES ACROSS CANADA

85%

OF CONTACT CENTRE STAFF NOW WORK FROM HOME

TD is proud to be one of Greater Toronto’s Top Employers. jobs.td.com

FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA

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Teranet’s strong culture shines in crisis times From the very start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Teranet leadership prioritized retaining jobs and made that clear to the staff. “Their communication was awesome,” says Steven Brine, associate manager for CMS Operations, a division of Teranet. “We had regular touchpoints with the CEO and all the executive members – where the company was going, how the company was performing. It was very reassuring for everyone to have that communication.”

Instead of letting people go, we prioritized work to other areas and accelerated projects.”

— Sudha Dwivedi Chief Human Resources Officer

TERANET DEVELOPS AND OPERATES LAND REGISTRATION SYSTEMS AND OTHER STATUTORY REGISTRIES IN CANADA AND INTERNATIONALLY

F

or Sudha Dwivedi, it was a crash course in corporate culture. In mid-February, Dwivedi started her job as chief human resources officer at Teranet Inc., a Canadian company headquartered in Toronto, and left three weeks later for a pre-arranged holiday – during which time, she says, “COVID-19 went from Defcon 5 to Defcon 1.”

From the beach in Punta Cana, “I was taking conference calls from my organization because we wanted to make sure we got everybody home safely and quickly.”

That was a big job, considering that the company – which develops and operates statutory and commercial registries in Ontario and across the country – is primarily a work-from-office culture. But within three days, nearly everyone was set up from home.

“If you didn’t have a laptop, it was configured in the office and mailed to your home,” says Dwivedi. “It was quite the undertaking and a lot of collaboration between HR, IT and the supply chain to make sure we had everything that everybody needed to work remotely.”

But management of every aspect of the business had to be changed, Brine adds.

Because Teranet was deemed an essential service, its approximately 1,000 employees could have been required to stay on site, but only 80 have remained, working on rotation, manning data centres or looking after systems that cannot be removed from the office.

When COVID-19 affected work volumes in some areas, those employees would pitch in with other departments, learning new skills and trying new things.

“It’s gone off so well,” says Dwivedi.

“Instead of letting people go, we prioritized work to other areas and accelerated projects.”

Nor has the pandemic slowed down the company’s operations in any significant way. In fact, Teranet managed to acquire

and integrate a New Zealand-based company – all virtually. “It was such a unique experience for everybody,” she adds.

“When you’re onboarding with a new company, you want to feel like you belong to something new, so we spent a lot of time on Zoom and getting everyone together often just to get them feeling welcome in their new family.”

In addition, since the pandemic began, Teranet has onboarded more than 100 new hires virtually and continued to run its co-op programs for university students.

This has meant an increased emphasis on communication, leveraging technology including virtual walkabouts via Skype and video to get to know each other and to check in both for mental health purposes and for work.

For Dwivedi, a 32-year HR veteran, the 'trial by fire' has left her enormously impressed, moved and proud of being part of an organization whose primary focus has been its employees.

“Anyone can lead in the good times,” she says. “But I do believe that it’s a crisis that really reveals the character and strength of leadership, the character of a culture. A lot of organizations say their centre is the customer, which it is. We are certainly customer-focused However, our equation is, take care of your employees and they’ll take care of the customers.” 

Come as You Are. We Like You That Way.

921 3,331 17 49%

FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA JOB APPLICATIONS RECEIVED LAST YEAR WEEKS, MATERNITY LEAVE TOP-UP PAY OF EMPLOYEES ARE WOMEN

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Resilience carries Vaughan through the global COVID-19 pandemic and process improvements to ensure our high-quality programs and services continue uninterrupted.”

They managed that considerable feat even though half the staff have been working from home since March. “I have been very impressed with the resilience of our organization,” says Christine Gianino, acting chief human resources officer.

“Most of our citizens wouldn’t have seen a blip from the perspective of our ability to deliver services.”

COVID-19 has caused the world’s biggest work-from-home experiment, but we were well prepared.”

— Christine Gianino Acting Chief Human Resources Officer CITY OF VAUGHAN’S PUBLIC WORKS TEAM MEMBER DOING HIS PART IN VAUGHAN’S EXTENSIVE WINTER MAINTENANCE PROGRAM

I

n a normal year, the City of Vaughan puts as many as 18,000 kids through its summer camps, but in the year of COVID-19 only about 1,800 youngsters enrolled for on-site activities in response to provincial regulations.

“For parents who weren’t prepared to have their children participate, we offered as many programs as we could, like arts and crafts, fitness classes, dance classes, Vaughan Playschool activities, City Playhouse Academy courses and more, live through Zoom,” says Sunny Bains, director of recreation services. “It’s a whole new world for all of us.”

Ready. Resilient. Resourceful. Those are the values that have guided the City’s

response to the global pandemic, and they speak to how all staff have pivoted to continue delivering service excellence to residents, businesses and one another.

Launching online recreation programs is just one example. And it reflects why the City is such a great place to work. In addition to a focus on employee engagement, diversity & inclusion, and learning & development, there’s a culture of innovation and resilience there that makes it an employer of choice.

“Since the declared state of emergency, each department has adapted and evolved,” says Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua. “They have collectively developed more than 160 innovations

Opportunity. vaughan.ca

That’s thanks to some forward-looking alternative work arrangements the City had begun to roll out before the pandemic struck, including flex-time, compressed hours, a staggered work week and tele-commuting.

“COVID-19 has caused the world’s biggest work-from-home experiment, but we were well prepared,” says Gianino. “We support a flexible work culture because we know people are looking for flexibility in their work environment.”

When the pandemic hit, the City eased the transition from office to home with an equipment loan program. Staff were allowed to borrow chairs, keyboards, headsets and other accessories required to set up home offices. As well, the City provided online resources so employees could conduct virtual meetings effectively

and check in with colleagues, among other things.

Gianino’s department also put together a wellness toolkit that focused on mental health and sent it to all employees. It included links to resources for staff and their families dealing with stress or anxiety caused by the pandemic.

“It has certainly impacted everybody in significant ways,” she says. “We want to ensure that our staff stays well, healthy and effective.”

Vaughan takes a progressive approach to learning & development for staffers.

The City offers close to 100 courses in various formats and for employees at all levels. Some are online offerings, others are delivered in classroom settings by certified in-house facilitators. Senior leaders can participate in a diploma program in public administration offered through Western University in London, Ont. “We have really robust training programs,” says Bains. “There are lots of opportunities for personal and professional growth.”

City manager Jim Harnum concurs.

“We provide our employees with a dynamic work environment where they can build their careers, be a part of a supportive team and contribute to exciting projects that are transforming one of North America’s fastest-growing cities,” he says. 

1,354 40.7 41% 44%

FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA YEARS, AVERAGE AGE OF ALL EMPLOYEES OF EMPLOYEES ARE WOMEN OF VAUGHAN COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE WOMEN

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Walmart Canada makes safety a pandemic priority so we offered dedicated times for seniors, first responders and hospital staff to shop,” says Ixtabalan. “We also raised a record amount of $3.7 million for the Red Cross through a combination of a Walmart donation and raising money through our stores.”

Safety measures inside the stores included increasing cleanliness, wellness and temperature checks for associates, limiting the number of shoppers allowed at one time and plexiglass shields at checkouts and service desks. Nationally, Walmart Canada is hiring an additional 10,000 store, warehouse and driver associates to maintain safety conditions and support customers through increased e-commerce.

Our associates really are heroes showing up for work every day. We are so proud of their courage WALMART CANADA ASSOCIATES ARE PROUD TO BE ESSENTIAL WORKERS AND SERVE CANADIANS

S

tarting a new job in the middle of a pandemic is challenging, especially when you add in relocating from Europe. But there was a moment in Nabeela Ixtabalan’s recent onboarding to Walmart Canada that moved her to tears.

As the new executive vice-president, people and corporate affairs, Ixtabalan was virtually visiting a store to learn about the organization and how it had responded to the COVID-19 outbreak. That’s when she was told about an emergency services team coming through the store doors and saluting the Walmart Canada associates as essential frontline workers.

“That honestly brought tears to my eyes,” says Ixtabalan. “As a new Walmart Canada associate, it helped me realize just how much of a role our stores play in the community. Our associates really are heroes showing up to work every day.

We are so proud of their courage and commitment.”

As an essential service, Walmart Canada has never closed since the pandemic struck back in March. Ixtabalan says creating a safe and healthy environment for both staff and customers was the primary concern from the start.

“We’re focused on serving people’s needs, particularly on the most vulnerable,

and commitment.”

— Nabeela Ixtabalan Executive Vice-President, People & Corporate Affairs “We worked hard to find the right balance with the right number of associates to serve Canadians, which is why we’ve done such extensive hiring,” says Ixtabalan.

“That was one of the biggest challenges because this is something no one had experienced before, so we were learning and adjusting as we went along.”

Management also held ongoing learning and listening sessions with associates from the start, getting feedback on how people are feeling and the safety measures in place. That’s something Roozbeh Afradeh,

lead department manager at Toronto-Stockyards Walmart store, values.

“We have regular meetings with our managers to support us with helpful information and remind us what we need to do to stay safe,” says Afradeh. “Everyone is social distancing and we teach the new associates how to work safely.”

Afradeh also appreciated how management supported him when his father became ill with COVID-19 in Iran and he requested leave.

“My father was alone, so it was an emergency situation where I had to leave the country to go take care of him,” says Afradeh. “Right away, I asked for a meeting with my store manager and she told me not to worry about work, just to think about my family. I could leave whenever I wanted and afterwards come back to my job.”

After completing quarantine on his return, Afradeh was happy to be back at work knowing his dad was fully recovered and doing well.

“While I was outside of Canada, management followed up with me, asking how I was doing,” says Afradeh. “I felt very supported. The company is doing a good job caring about their associates. I’m proud to be part of this team and to be able to serve Canadians.” 

41,396 45% $66M+ 1M+

FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA OF MANAGERS ARE WOMEN RAISED AND DONATED LAST YEAR HOURS OF BLENDED LEARNING TAKEN

BY STAFF

Match your degree or diploma with employers that recruit new grads with your academic background Published annually since 1992, The Career Directory is Canada’s longest-running and best-loved career guide for new graduates.

Each year, our editorial team reviews thousands of employers to determine the academic qualifications they actively seek in younger job-seekers.

The result is a wonderful, free resource that helps new graduates find student jobs that make the most of their university degree or college diploma.

CareerDirectory.ca Match your degree or diploma with employers that actively recruit new grads with your educational qualifications!

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Tell us your story If you are an exceptional employer with progressive human resources programs and initiatives, consider applying for next year’s edition of Greater Toronto’s Top Employers. Now entering its 22nd year, our national project is Canada’s longest-running and best-known editorial competition for employers.

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