National Capital Region's Top Employers (2022)

NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION’S TOP EMPLOYERS

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2022 WINNERS

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B Y WHAT EMPLOYEES VALUE:

Embracing remote work culture MEDIACORP

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LIST OF WINNERS:

National Capital Region’s Top Employers (2022)

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CREATIVE BENEFITS:

Ottawa employers flex to retain talent

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NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2022

NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2022 Magazine Anthony Meehan, PUBLISHER

Editorial Team:

Richard Yerema, MANAGING EDITOR

Kristina Leung, SENIOR EDITOR

Stephanie Leung, ASSISTANT EDITOR

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Chantel Watkins, JUNIOR EDITOR

Jing Wang,

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© 2022 Mediacorp Canada Inc. and Postmedia Inc. All rights reserved. NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION’S TOP EMPLOYERS is a registered trade mark of Mediacorp Canada Inc. Editorial inquiries: ct100@mediacorp.ca

 This year marks the 17th edition of the National Capital Region’s Top Employers competition, which

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recognizes employers that offer progressive workplace policies and forward-thinking HR benefits.

n many ways, employers in the National Capital Region were better positioned than almost any other part of Canada when the pandemic arrived in March 2020.

Supported by a strong public sector, the region is home to many larger employers with well-developed foundational benefits, such as progressive family-friendly and time off policies. Private-sector employers in the region take their lead from these organizations, especially in fields where they compete for the same talented employees.

When the pandemic arrived, employers in the region were able to pivot quickly to expand their programs to provide what employees needed most during the public health emergency: the ability to work easily from home, flexible time off policies, and help with mental health and wellness while working from home.

Employers like Adobe Canada found ways to ensure that employees working offsite could recharge with a company-wide day-off every few weeks. At Kinaxis, the company doubled its counseling benefit and ensured that employees had access to mental health training.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada supported a network of employees who served as wellness ambassadors for mental health and wellness along with related informational events – all aimed at reducing

stigma and making it easier for employees to access help.

And at the University of Ottawa, a special initiative (‘You Matter, We Care’) helped managers support employees during the pandemic with wellness surveys, virtual town halls, a virtual wellness series, and additional days off – in addition to generous coverage for mental health services, from $1,000 to $3,000 annually.

These are just a handful of the initiatives you’ll find in this year’s announcement magazine for the National Capital Region’s Top Employers. Today, our editors also released detailed reasons for selection explaining these initiatives in more detail — and why each of the winners was selected. They are available at: www.canadastop100.com/ottawa

The common thread that runs through these initiatives by this year’s National Capital Region’s Top Employers is that they are built on strong foundations. The employers that were able to pivot successfully when the pandemic arrived already offered foundational benefits that could be improved and extended quickly. It’s a singular lesson that we need to keep in mind long after the public health emergency ends. When the capacity isn’t there, the ability to pivot quickly in an emergency isn’t either.

–Tony Meehan

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SHOPIFY

NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2022

 Early in the pandemic, Ottawa-based Shopify announced a ‘digital-by-default’ policy on remote work: it would become the company’s primary workplace policy.

Ottawa’s best companies are embracing remote work culture This year’s National Capital Region’s Top Employers show that salary is no longer the be-all and end-all of compensation

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s global pandemic conditions become the new normal for just about any company without a physical storefront, companies across Canada are racing to adapt faster than the competition.

One of the most prominent realities of the new labour market is that many companies are allowing their employees to work at least partially from home.

This year’s National Capital Region’s Top Employers competition shows that in this struggle, the most successful companies find ways to maintain efficiency while transitioning to a remote or hybrid work model.

Among the region’s top employers, there is a trend toward not just better compensation, but toward better work-life balance overall.

w Hybrid work is becoming the most

important perk of all

“Once upon a time, remote or hybrid work models were perks for the few, varying by seniority and role,” says the competition’s managing editor Richard Yerema. “Over two decades, we have watched them evolve along with communications technology to become more available and common in most industries.”

This is easy to see in 2022’s rankings, which feature many companies like Ottawa-based Shopify Canada, which introduced a ‘Digital by Default’ program aimed at creating a “digital-first way of thinking, working and operating.” Shopify’s move looks to change the feel of

remote work from secondary to primary — not an alternative to regular work, but the new form of regular work, going forward.

Such company-wide efforts impact all employees, not just those at the top, and are changing the way that even entry-level recruiting is done. Chivon John, global wellness specialist at Shopify, says that the company “took a holistic approach to supporting employee wellbeing by recognizing that everyone would be experiencing this period differently.” To bolster their recruiting, Shopify “created an approach that would be tailored to employees and their individual needs.”

According to Yerema, access to remote work is an increasingly important variable

in the war for talent over the past year. w Ottawa’s unique culture leads to

unique hiring practices

Ottawa’s strong tech sector has left the city’s workforce unusually well-positioned to adapt to the pandemic, with highly developed, existing work-from-home policies and an emphasis on the type of work that can be moved to remote locations.

Becky Canteri, chief people officer at Momentive, the creator of SurveyMonkey, says that before the pandemic less than 4% of the company’s workforce was worked remotely. “The pandemic gave us a window of opportunity. Our greatest challenge turned into our greatest gift — time. We learn-

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NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2022

ed, observed, and proved the ability of our team to be distributed and productive.”

From Adobe to Momentive to any of a host of software services companies, Ottawa’s tech sector is driving hiring more powerfully than that of any other Canadian city.

Additionally, Ottawa’s strong public sector has always compounded the stiff level of competition, with Yerema calling its historical dominance the “defining characteristic of the region.” Public sector jobs impact hiring throughout the regional market, being subject to minimum benefits levels and far less employment volatility — and that can make for stiff competition with traditional companies.

To help it compete in such stiff competition, Adobe has transitioned toward a digital-first model, and reached out to employees to figure out what benefits and lifestyle changes will help them most, says Mike Scott, Adobe’s Ottawa site director and senior director of customer care. “Many of [Adobe’s] newest benefits, including company-wide wellbeing days came to be in response to employee feedback around needing time to unplug and recharge together.”

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 Ottawa-based Adobe Canada instituted company-wide days off every three weeks in the first year of the pandemic to help employees rest and recharge.

B.WELLAND/MOMENTIVE

REMOTE WORK CULTURE

w Creative benefits beat pure compensation

This highlights a greater level of creativity in benefits-creation, one that emphasizes the use of company-specific benefits that no other employer could provide. Benefits can range from free advice on home ownership from real estate employers to complimentary gym membership from healthcare companies.

In these benefits, employers are leaning into the unique types of value that only they can provide.

Beyond company-specific benefits, success in hiring in 2021 also came down to offering benefits that most people haven’t seen before, including improved maternity leave benefits and the extension of parental leave benefits to new fathers.

The 2022 rankings for the National Capital Region’s Top Employers show one thing: the end of salary as the be-all and end-all of compensation, and the end of compensation as the be-all and end-all of employment. Hybrid work emerged as the new differentiator, one that many companies have proven eager to explore.

Employers are increasingly aware that even in a job market dominated by tech titans, workers are the ones who will decide when, where, and how work gets done.

– Graham Templeton

 Momentive Canada, developers of SurveyMonkey, offers a unique sabbatical program (‘Take 4’ ) that lets employees take four consecutive paid weeks off to recharge, work on a passion project, or simply focus on personal matters.

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NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2022

CIRA

2022 WINNERS

 Employees at the Canadian Internet Registration Authority discussing CIRA’s community investment program, which funds innovative technology projects each year

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aimed at building a trusted Internet for Canadians.

The following organizations have been chosen as National Capital Region’s Top Employers for 2022 (employee count refers to full-time staff):

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DOBE SYSTEMS CANADA INC., Ottawa. Software publishers; 308 employees. Instituted company-wide days off every three weeks for the duration of 2020 to help employees rest and recharge over the course of the pandemic.

ABCOCK CANADA INC., Ottawa.

Engineering services; 502 employees. Helps employees balance work and their personal lives with up to 10 paid wellness days per year, which can be used for medical appointments, mental health, and illness.

BANK OF CANADA, Ottawa. Central bank; 1,940 employees. Offers compassionate leave top-up for those called upon to care for a loved one, to 93 per cent of salary for up to 28 weeks.

ALGONQUIN COLLEGE OF APPLIED ARTS & TECHNOLOGY, Ottawa.

Post-secondary education; 1,376 employees. Maintains a site dedicated to employee wellness and mental health, which offers a number of online resources to support of overall well-being.

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ALTERNA SAVINGS AND CREDIT UNION LIMITED, Ottawa. Credit unions; 552 employees. Helps employees ease into their retirement with flexible phased-in retirement work options.

CANADA REVENUE AGENCY / CRA, Ottawa. Federal government, general economic programs; 47,016 employees.

ANADA FOUNDATION FOR INNOVATION / CFI, Ottawa.

Research support services; 68 employees. Provided a special allowance of $500 to help employees set up comfortable home offices and increased its annual wellness spending account to $1,000.

Provides learning and development opportunities for employees at various stages of their career, from tuition reimbursement to formal mentoring and coaching initiatives.

CANADIAN BLOOD SERVICES, Ottawa.

Non-profit organization; 2,115 employees.

Introduced weekly e-newsletters and hosted monthly town halls with senior leaders to keep employees up to date over the course of the pandemic.

CANADIAN INSTITUTE FOR HEALTH INFORMATION / CIHI, Ottawa. Non-profit organization; 777 employees. Considers previous work experience when setting vacation entitlements for more experienced candidates.

CANADIAN INTERNET REGISTRATION AUTHORITY / CIRA, Ottawa. Information technology services; 100 employees.

Encourages employees to become recruiters for the firm with generous new employee referral bonuses of up to $1,500 per successful hire.

CARLETON UNIVERSITY, Ottawa.

Post-secondary education; 2,445 employees. Supports a network of over 90 “Healthy Workplace Champions” who volunteer in support of an extensive ongoing healthy workplace program.

CBC / RADIO-CANADA, Ottawa.

Broadcasting; 8,017 employees. Offers an annual $300,000 diversity and inclusion fund to help managers create internships and development opportunities for visible minorities, persons with disabilities, Indigenous peoples and women.

CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL OF EASTERN ONTARIO / CHEO, Ottawa. Hospitals; 2,130 employees. Helps employees prepare for the future with retirement planning assistance and a defined contribution pension plan.

COMMUNICATIONS SECURITY ESTABLISHMENT / CSE, Ottawa. Federal government, national security; 2,992 employees. Manages a unique Legacy

NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2022

2022 WINNERS

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Talks series where soon-to-be retired employees share their corporate, operational, and personal knowledge, gained after long and productive careers.

CO-OPERATIVE HOUSING FEDERATION OF CANADA, Ottawa.

Co-operative housing; 29 employees.

Supports employees who are new mothers with maternity and parental leave top-up, to 95 per cent of salary for up to 27 weeks.

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EPARTMENT OF FINANCE CANADA, Ottawa. Federal government, general economic programs; 780 employees. Established an Anti-Racism Champion as well as an anti-racism committee, dedicated to carrying forward the Clerk’s recent Call to Action on system racism.

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 Professor Kahente Horn-Miller at Carleton University meets students from the School of Indigenous and Canadian Studies.

M. ASPIROT/CBC

EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT CANADA, Gatineau.

Federal government, social development, employment insurance, passport services; 32928 employees. Launched a special COVID-19 awards initiative in 2020 called “Together, We are Stronger”, with over 8,100 employees nominated by their peers.

L.CAVERLY/CARLETON U.

GG FARMERS OF CANADA, Ottawa. Business associations; 61 employees. Doubled its annual egg donation to Food Banks Canada in the past year and worked with Breakfast Club of Canada to distribute 60,000 coupons for a dozen eggs to families across Canada.

ENGINEERS CANADA, Ottawa. Professional organizations; 48 employees.

Helped employees stay connected and engaged through a variety of initiatives, including chat roulette, virtual movie nights, a month long wellness challenge, and lunchtime yoga.

EVOLUGEN, Gatineau. Renewable energy generation and services; 250 employees.

Offers a number of practical financial benefits, including discounted home and auto insurance, low-interest home loans, discounted auto lease rates, and subsidized internet access.

EXPORT DEVELOPMENT CANADA, Ottawa. International trade financing and support services; 1,891 employees. Maintains a LiveWELL hub with extensive wellness resources and organizes weekly webinars as part of its annual Healthy Workplace Month initiative.

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ISHERIES AND OCEANS CANADA AND THE CANADIAN COAST GUARD, Ottawa. Federal government, administration of

 On the job in-person and on the air during the pandemic at CBC/Radio-Canada.

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NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2022

2022 WINNERS

Continued

conservation programs; 13,570 employees.

Honours individuals and teams who have made exemplary contributions to the department through the Prix d’Excellence awards.

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EALTH CANADA / SANTÉ CANADA, Ottawa. Federal government, administration of public health programs; 9,119 employees. Manages an internal Solutions Fund initiative, enabling employees to receive funding to develop and implement projects that will improve the health and safety of Canadians.

HEALTH STANDARDS ORGANIZATION / HSO, Gloucester.

Professional organizations; 230 employees.

Encourages employees to put their health first with up to 12 paid sick days annually.

HYDRO OTTAWA, Gloucester. Electric power distribution; 650 employees.

Manages the Brighter Tomorrows community investment program, which

focuses on three priority areas of education and capacity building, renewable energy, energy efficiency and conservation, and health, safety and wellness.

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MMIGRATION, REFUGEES AND CITIZENSHIP CANADA / IRCC, Ottawa. Federal government, immigration services; 8958 employees.

Manages a wellness ambassador network of employees who recently hosted a virtual mental health and wellness to helps raise awareness and reduce stigma.

INNOVATION, SCIENCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CANADA, Ottawa. Federal government, industry and economic development programs; 5,631 employees. Encourages ongoing development through unique “micro assignments” that offer employees the chance to develop skills and experience beyond their department.

INVEST OTTAWA AND BAYVIEW YARDS, Ottawa. Administration of general economic programs; 112 employees.

Hosted a series of health and wellness lunch and learns and offered bi-weekly “No Meeting Fridays” and monthly “No Meeting” weeks to help combat fatigue.

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INAXIS INC., Ottawa. Software developers; 579 employees.

Recently doubled the amount of its personal counselling benefit to help ensure that employees have access to robust mental health services.

A CITÉ, Ottawa. Post-secondary education; 551 employees. Worked to keep employees in-touch over the past year through a variety of virtual events, from coffee chats with the President to Friday afternoon cocktails.

LIBRARY OF PARLIAMENT, Ottawa.

Federal government, library; 402 employees. Offers unique range of career possibilities supporting employee development through in-house training programs, tuition subsidies and subsidies for professional accreditation.

LUMENTUM OPERATIONS LLC, Nepean. Specialty manufacturing; 305 employees. Offers a number of great financial benefits, including matching RSP contributions, a share purchase plan, profit-sharing and generous new employee referral bonuses.

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OMENTIVE CANADA INC., Ottawa. Software developers; 229 employees.

Manages the unique “Take 4” sabbatical program that lets employees take four consecutive paid weeks off to recharge, work on a passion project, or simply for personal matters.

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ATIONAL CAPITAL COMMISSION, Ottawa.

Federal government, land and building management; 487 employees. Supports new families through generous maternity and parental leave top-ups as well as the option to extend parental leave into an unpaid leave of absence.

q At the Communications Security Establishment, newly hired employees benefit from the CSE’s ‘Legacy Talks’ series, where soon-to-be retired employees share their

CSE

corporate, operational and personal knowledge, gained after long and productive careers.

NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2022

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THE OTTAWA HOSPITAL

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2022 WINNERS

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FFICE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, Ottawa. Federal government, regulation of financial institutions; 916 employees. Helps employees plan securely for the future with a defined benefit pension plan as well as shared contribution health plan that extends to retirees.

OTTAWA, CITY OF, Ottawa. Municipal government; 12,408 employees. Reaches out to the next generation of employees through an extensive summer student program and a variety of in-house apprenticeships and skilled trades programs.

OTTAWA COMMUNITY HOUSING CORPORATION, Ottawa. Administration of housing programs; 397 employees.

Launched a dedicated wellness page with online tips and resources on physical and mental health, from ergonomics to office stretches to free meditations.

OTTAWA HOSPITAL, THE, Ottawa.

Hospitals; 6,627 employees. Launched the online “Wellness Navigator” resource that features a range of online health and wellness resources and available to all employees.

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 An incident command nurse working in the COVID-19 assessment centre at The Ottawa Hospital.

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ERLEY-ROBERTSON, HILL & MCDOUGALL LLP / S.R.L., Ottawa. Law firm; 110 employees.

Helps employees manage their day-to-day with paid personal days as well as the options for shortened work weeks, flexible work hours and working from home options.

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OYAL CANADIAN MINT, The, Ottawa. Minting and coin distribution; 1,139 employees.

Offers a generous compassionate leave top-up program for employees needing to care for a loved one, to 93 per cent of salary for up to 28 weeks.

ROYAL, THE, Ottawa. Specialty hospitals; 905 employees. Created the “Morale Boosters” team during the pandemic to organize light-hearted events such as virtual trivia, sharing of memes and delivering coffee.

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HOPIFY INC., Ottawa. Multi-channel commerce platform; 5,758 employees. Announced a new Digitalby-Default approach to incorporate a “digital-first way of thinking, working and operating” to ensure the majority of employees can easily work offsite.

SMART & BIGGAR, Ottawa. Law firms; 301 employees. Supports its new parents through maternity and parental leave

 Employees at the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat attending a ‘Living Digital’ event, learning about a variety of emerging topics in a series of short presentations, prior to the pandemic.

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2022 WINNERS

NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2022

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top-up payments and offers phased-in return to work options when returning from their leave.

STATISTICS CANADA, Ottawa. Federal government, statistical agency; 6,311 employees. Supports a workplace wellness committee and offers a generous mental health practitioners benefit as part of the health plan, to $2,000 annually.

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EHAMA INC., Ottawa.

Computer software; 71 employees. Supports ongoing work from home arrangements by increasing the home office allowance to $500 and introducing a $50 monthly home internet subsidy.

TREND MICRO CANADA TECHNOLOGIES INC., Kanata. Software development; 328 employees. Supports an in-house wellness incentive program that includes a $300 bonus for employees who complete various wellness activities.

 Ottawa-based law firm Smart & Biggar provides excellent family-friendly benefits, including maternity and parental leave top-up payments as well as phased-in return to work options when returning from leave.

TEHAMA

TREASURY BOARD OF CANADA SECRETARIAT, Ottawa. Federal government, finance spending and regulation; 2,194 employees.

Helps employees plan securely for the future with retirement planning assistance services along with contributions to a defined benefit pension plan.

SMART & BIGGAR

TOMLINSON GROUP OF COMPANIES, Nepean. Construction services; 1,433 employees. Supports ongoing employee development throughout their careers, from mentoring and co-op placements to tuition subsidies for academic courses.

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NIVERSITIES CANADA, Ottawa. Professional organizations; 81 employees. Starts new employees with four weeks of paid vacation allowance and considers previous work experience when setting vacation entitlement for experienced candidates.

UNIVERSITY OF OTTAWA, Ottawa.

Post-secondary education; 5,013 employees. Created the “You matter, we care” initiative to help managers find ways to support employees over the course of the pandemic. ­– Richard Yerema & Kristina Leung

 Employees at Ottawa-based software developer Tehama enjoying a socially distanced summer picnic.

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HYDRO OTTAWA

NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2022

 Hydro Ottawa has a well-developed community investment program (Brighter Tomorrows) to assist local initiatives that focus on education and capacity building, renewable energy, energy efficiency and conservation, and health, safety and wellness.

Top employers flex to retain top Ottawa talent

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Entering year three of this ‘new normal’ means understanding the different priorities employees now have when making career choices n the unique employment market of Canada’s capital region, finding a job outside of politics has always held unique challenges, but 2021’s combination of global and province-wide factors arguably presented the most uncertain hiring market yet. Still, that uncertainty may be benefiting Ottawa’s workers as much as its big employers — a trend that can be seen by looking at some of the most popular and successful companies in the country.

Each year, the Canada’s Top 100 Employers competition releases its picks for the best employers in each province, analysing a wide range of factors to help applicants figure out which companies

offer the best work environments. Now, National Capital Region’s Top Employers for 2022 has arrived to highlight those companies that have continued to offer creative, competitive compensation and benefits packages even while dealing with a host of local and global difficulties.

The winners are chosen based on multiple criteria, including compensation and benefits, the work and social atmosphere, the quality of the physical workplace, training and upward mobility and community involvement — all of which were pushed forward by a healthy level of competition between public- and private-sector employers.

“I think the past year has continued to

present very difficult challenges for virtually all employers,” said Richard Yerema, managing editor at Canada’s Top 100 Employers. “We are now entering year three of this ‘new normal,’ compounding the difficulty of challenges like navigating new safety protocols and transitioning to remote or hybrid work.” w In the nation’s capital, public sector

employers are major players

The public sector plays a bigger role in Canada’s capital region than anywhere else in the country, and this has had a major impact on the behaviour of private-sector competitors.

“The dominance of the public sector,”

says Yerema, “is the defining characteristic of the region and the impacts are felt across all employers in the region.” Public sector jobs are subject to minimum benefits levels, and far less employment volatility, and that can make for stiff competition with traditional employers.

This fact has forced the local private sector to stay aggressive to avoid braindrain and affected their strategies for retaining talent as much as those for finding and acquiring it.

Dominic Laporte, assistant deputy minister for human resources and corporate services at Fisheries and Oceans Canada, says that remote work has made this trend even more pronounced. “With the increased

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2022

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capability to perform many duties remotely, it has opened up more possibilities for staffing positions with candidates living outside of the National Capital Region…

This will also push our department to continue to seek creative ways to maintain the invaluable in-person experience that cannot fully be replaced virtually.” w When the going gets tough, the tough

get creative

In a tough job market, employees can often suffer from depressed wages — but as the last year played out, the market saw several examples of how hard economic conditions can instead lead to increased competition among employers. Some fast-food restaurants, for instance, have been forced to raise even low-end salaries in order to compete.

This trend is even more evident in higher-paying and more knowledge-based industries like software development, where companies have to get creative to entice the region’s top talent. These sorts of companies have leaned into the remote work paradigm, benefiting from the fact that most of their employees can easily transition their work to the home.

As power shifts somewhat to the candidate in more hiring interactions, employers have had to get creative to retain top talent. Attractive benefits packages can often seem to carry more value than they actually cost to deliver, while less standard offerings like increased flexibility in time-off can entice new workers for zero money down.

Megan Paterson, chief human resource officer of the supply chain tech company Kinaxis, says that, faced with the popularity and pandemic-driven necessity of hybrid work, they are allowing each employee to choose between multiple possible working styles: @home-full time, @office-full time, or @flex. They’ve even incorporated a system offering unlimited vacation. Paterson says that Kinaxis has also “placed a large focus on employee health and wellbeing-offering mental health training, as well as a variety of fitness activities and challenges.” w What makes the best the best?

It seems that 2021 was the year in which it became impossible to ignore that building and maintaining strong teams in Ottawa comes down to being the best place to work — and that means re-investing in those teams, themselves.

Supriya Edwards, director general at the Workforce and Workplace Branch of StatsCan, says that the agency makes a

point to help team-members grow and become stronger employees — and candidates. “We nurture and grow our talent with our development programs, career assignment program, talent management plans, mentorship program, leadership development and language development activities.” It turns out that even helping employees to move on someday can help keep them from moving on, right now.

The best employers derive their decisions about policies and the work environment from an understanding of what their employees want. Not all types of workers require the same things; younger workers might value only take-home pay, for instance, while older workers with children might prioritize extra flex time.

Put simply, there is no one set of benefits that modern workers want; what they want is a company that listens to their feedback and takes whatever steps are necessary to let work integrate easily with the rest of life.

“Necessity often leads to innovation,” Yerema says. “That includes everything from introducing greater work flexibility and new work from home policies, to enhancing support for physical and mental health, to emphasizing more open communication with senior leadership.”

 Employees at Ottawa-based Kinaxis attending a hackathon prior to the pandemic.

DFO CCG

RETAINING TOP TALENT

KINAXIS

NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2022

w In the end, Canada’s fortunes are

Ottawa’s fortunes

Nobody, not even public sector employers, can ignore the need to adapt to the changing employment market. Lyne Parent-Garvey, chief human resources officer at Hydro Ottawa, says that, as an employer without an existing work-fromhome program, Hydro Ottawa “had to adapt quickly to ensure employees had the tools and technology to stay connected while working virtually. This included rolling-out Google Workspace to all employees, so [Hydro Ottawa] could leverage Meet and Chat for connection.”

There was no one formula for success in the Ottawa business world in 2021, but an emphasis on employee experience was a component of every strategy that found meaningful success. By making an effort to offer unique and above all well-targeted benefits for employees, employers were able to stand out from the crowd and retain the best talent on the market.

In a world where take-home pay varies little across employers, it’s these less monetary differentiators that will determine where the best talent goes, and where it stays for more than just a while.

– Graham Templeton

 Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Canadian Coast Guard recognizes

individuals and teams who made exemplary contributions to the department through its annual Prix d’Excellence awards.

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NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2022

Diversity is critical to Algonquin College’s future a champion for EDI, says Gauen.

“We have leaned into uncomfortable conversations without fear of repercussions, but with a growth mindset.”

She says the college invited Desmond Cole, a Canadian journalist and activist, to speak to staff, and he made constructive observations about how the college responded to the George Floyd murder. His comments were embraced by leaders.

 Algonquin College has implemented diversity and inclusion initiatives across a wide range of the college's operations.

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quity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) is a hot topic these days, but for people at Algonquin College of Applied Arts & Technology, it’s part of who they are.

“It’s fundamentally what the college is, it’s part of the college’s core values,” says Sarah Gauen, inclusion and diversity specialist, people and culture.

“Algonquin College is a place where everyone belongs and is rich with diversity from every dimension. We strive to reflect the diversity of the community and our learners.”

The college is currently in the final year of its Inclusion and Diversity Blueprint, which was created to ensure the organization integrated inclusion and diversity into its processes, operations and

services.

“It drives a lot of activities,” says David Soltis, director of people and culture, including human resources management, recruitment and training.

The college is currently refreshing the blueprint, gathering information and collecting employee experience data. As part of this process, the college will “assess the progress made and determine what new activities, programs and investments are needed to support our college community,” Soltis says.

A welcoming environment has always been part of the institution’s core values, he adds, “and it will be critical to the college’s future.”

Gauen has been instrumental in helping to create a welcoming place for students, faculty and

staff, Soltis says.

She has worked on efforts including We Saved You a Seat, which reserves 30 per cent of classroom seats for female applicants in select science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programs.

Gauen also established the Inclusion and Diversity Circle, where members meet to discuss issues and build programs that create an environment of trust and respect that actively embraces and celebrates differences.

Additional focus areas included the Safe Washroom Campaign, fostering LGBTQ+ inclusion by becoming members of Pride at Work Canada, and joining the Capital Pride Parade. Training has also been key to fostering an inclusive mindset.

Algonquin College has become

Algonquin College is a place where everyone belongs and is rich with diversity from every dimension.

We strive to reflect the diversity of the community and our learners.

— Sarah Gauen Inclusion and Diversity Specialist, People and Culture

“If you can’t hear what’s wrong, you can’t fix it,” Gauen says.

“We sat in our discomfort. We bring forward current issues and hard topics in a respectful way.

We need to have uncomfortable conversations. It’s not easy, but we are not shying away from it.”

Gauen continues those conversations on her Inclusions Infusions podcast, which offers

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NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2022

1,376

full-time staff in Canada

50

years, longest-serving employee

56%

of managers are women

6

 Algonquin College's pedestrian bridge is lit up in rainbow colours for Capital Pride Week.

in-depth discussions on identity and inclusion with expert guests.

The college hosts workshops, provides opportunities for selfdirected and in-person learning and ensures hiring policies are inclusive.

“Algonquin College welcomes talent to its ranks without bias and

with respect for differences,” says Soltis. “The college’s ongoing goal is to continue the hard work to create an institution where we disrupt discrimination and live the college’s values of caring, learning, integrity and respect in every choice we make.”

New this year is the Inclusion

& Diversity Champion Award, where an employee is recognized for action in demonstrating the value of equity and diversity in their college community.

Professor Kathryn Reilander won this year for her efforts to make STEM spaces inclusive for women.

weeks, maximum vacation allowance

“We live and breathe EDI,” Soltis says. “We all take it to heart. It’s an anchor in our values and it’s the centre of our success.

It sets us apart.”

And it’s ongoing, Gauen adds.

“It’s a journey toward inclusion.

We are keeping up the momentum.” 

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NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2022

Staff-led initiatives are a key part of CIHI’s culture sudden we’ve made a deeper connection because of that social event, which may make someone more comfortable in their working environment. Sometimes just bringing people together is important enough.”

Participating on one of CIHI’s many staff-led committees also provides employees with leadership opportunities outside of their work roles. Nupur Garg, a senior analyst and co-chair of CIHI’s cultural intelligence, diversity and inclusion (CIDI) committee, says it’s been a wonderful learning experience contributing to the committee and leading diversity week in 2020 and diversity month in 2021.

 Recently, CIHI expanded its annual diversity week into an entire month, which explored six key themes of diversity and inclusion.

W

hat Sarah Magee loves best about chairing one of the social committees at The Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) is the autonomy they have to drive the events.

“Our planning committee is strictly volunteer so we’re sitting at that table because we want to be there – we care,” says Magee, a client support representative.

“A huge component is the level of freedom we have on that committee to present ideas based on what we feel staff need. While a senior management representative does

sit on the committee, they’re there for support and guidance, not to drive the conversation.”

Employee engagement is a key part of the culture at CIHI, an independent, not-for-profit organization that provides essential information on Canada’s health systems and the health of Canadians. Magee says besides the events that the social committees organize, any person, team or group at CIHI can directly approach them with an idea and host an event. Employees contribute voluntarily through payroll deduction to fund the small event budget.

“Essentially people come to us

and we work together with them to make whatever they want happen,” says Magee. “It may be a team that wants to celebrate their hard work on a successful report or simply for fun, to mingle and chat with our peers.”

Magee feels strongly about the value of having fun, whether organizing in-person events or a virtual holiday party, complete with magic show, during the pandemic.

“These staff-managed events actually have a huge impact on the culture,” she says. “Even if someone just drops by, perhaps what they observed was a teachable moment. All of a

These staffmanaged events actually have a huge impact on the culture.

— Sarah Magee Client Support Representative

Started as a grassroots staff committee, the CIDI committee has become an important pillar in CIHI’s broader efforts to build a more inclusive, and ultimately more diverse, workplace. Garg initially proposed the idea of a diversity week, which was so successful that the committee extended it to a month-long celebration the following year, with the full support of CIHI’s senior management team.

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NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2022

792

full-time staff in Canada

96%

participation in engagement survey

67%

of employees are women

63%

 Any employee, team or group at CIHI can approach the social committee about organizing an event.

“The initiative has been a really successful milestone that helped kick-start a number of ongoing initiatives, including sharing circles led by our Indigenous team and weekly meditations,” says Garg. “We managed to shine light on six crucial themes of diversity and inclusion, which included

ethnicity and culture, gender and sexual orientation, Indigenous awareness, mental health and accessibility, and unpacking racism.”

More than 750 staff participated in virtual activities, including talks from external speakers and lunchtime engagement

You belong here Check out job opportunities at cihi.ca/careers

sessions, Garg reports. That included Algonquin knowledge keeper Daniel “Pinock” Smith showing staff how to make a hand drum and Sandy Hudson, co-founder of Black Lives Matter Canada, talking about activating anti-racism.

“These were really powerful and

of managers are women

very impactful sessions with some amazing speakers who joined us to share their thoughts,” says Garg.

“The response speaks volumes to the work and organization that went into this initiative by the members of the committee, not to mention the impact it has had on the organization.” 

cihi.ca Better data.

Better decisions.

Healthier Canadians.

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NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2022

Carleton’s community stays strong through the pandemic circumstances, but at the same time, convey a sense that we’re strategically positioning the university in a way that will allow us to come out of the pandemic stronger than ever. Hope is important to mental health.”

Jane van den Dries, manager of strategic communications in the Office of the Vice-President (Academic), has appreciated Carleton’s open communication approach to keep faculty and staff informed so they don’t feel isolated.

 Indigenous Learning Bundles were launched at Carleton University in response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s call for post-secondary institutions to increase the integration of Indigenous knowledge into the classroom.

P

resident BenoitAntoine Bacon has seen Carleton University through four waves of the COVID-19 pandemic, each with their own particular challenges.

With each cycle of a wave, each with its tightening and loosening of health measures, Bacon has kept everyone informed in real time about all the university’s decisions, helping people deal with the tremendous uncertainty of the times.

“It’s been challenging for everyone so all you can do as an employer is recognize this and take it into account in your decisions and communications,

and in the way you try to support people,” says Bacon.

“Our major concern is the health and safety of our employees, by which we very much include mental health and wellness. I think people have appreciated that we’ve been making decisions on the grounds of flexibility and compassion – which is the language we’ve been using to communicate from the first day.”

Now the president’s messaging has turned towards “a safe and gradual return to campus” and once again the choice of language is deliberate as the university campus begins to open up throughout the winter.

“We’re doing everything methodically and carefully to ensure that everybody is safe and respected in their mental health and wellness,” says Bacon. “Our community has been incredibly supportive and incredibly resilient in part because we’ve talked to people and stayed connected every step of the way. All our messaging starts with well-deserved thanks for everything that we’ve been able to achieve, then we summarize what’s coming ahead and why we’re making the decisions that we’re making.

“There’s a fine balance in those communications – to acknowledge and recognize that things are hard in these difficult

We’re strategically positioning the university in a way that will allow us to come out of the pandemic stronger than ever.

— Benoit-Antoine Bacon President

“There’s a recognition across the board that this is a difficult time for people and continues to be difficult – and that we’re working in ways we haven’t worked before,” says van den Dries. “So there have been some new initiatives across campus to keep people connected.”

The Carleton Compass Onboarding program is one of those, launched during the pandemic to connect people by matching staff to new employees.

The idea is that “navigators”

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NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2022

2,351

full-time staff in Canada

18,212

job applications received last year

54%

of employees are women

17

 The annual Service Excellence Awards celebrate and recognize how Carleton faculty and staff go above and beyond to support the campus community.

introduce the new employees to their built-in network and Carleton’s culture. As one of many volunteer navigators, van den Dries welcomed a new hire this past fall.

“We met over Teams and I let her know about initiatives like staff appreciation days, campus

discounts, employee resource groups and leadership development opportunities,” says van den Dries. “It’s nice to have a friendly face who can answer questions and act as a go-to when you’re starting at a new organization.”

Another initiative that van den Dries enjoys for a little

personal stress relief is Carleton’s Therapy Dogs frolicking on their own Instagram Live page. The specially trained and certified dogs, owned by staff and faculty who volunteer to run the program, are a beloved part of the Carleton community. When the pandemic hit, preventing in-person contact,

Honoured to be Named

Top Employer 8 Years in a Row

NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION’S TOP EMPLOYERS EMPLOYER PROFILES — NEXT STEPS Congratulations on your selection as one of National Capital Region’s Top Employers 2022! This document outlines the next steps for completing your profile in this year’s feature magazine.

weeks, maternity leave top-up pay

the program transitioned to virtual sessions to lift people’s spirits while they were mostly remote.

“I adopted a puppy during the pandemic,” says van den Dries.

“Beatrice – a beagle-mini-bulldog cross – and I are fans. We enjoy watching the videos together while I play with her.” 

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NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2022

It’s no secret that CSE takes care of its own organization and from senior management,” he explains. “It’s an organization that is walking the talk when it comes to supporting its people.”

The opportunities for learning begin on Day 1 at CSE with a program called Expedition. A group of new employees who will work in various places at CSE are onboarded at the same time every month. There they do their orientation and security learning together. “It gives them the landscape of everything we do at CSE,” says Armstrong, “and they do it together and then they join their teams.”

It’s an organization that is walking the talk when it comes to supporting its people.  CSE employees benefit from an onsite gym, as well as a soccer field, beach volleyball and basketball courts.

I

t’s hardly surprising that there’s high retention at the Communications Security Establishment (CSE). It’s not just that the work is interesting – providing the Canadian government with information technology security and foreign signals intelligence – it’s the organization’s commitment to its own people.

“It’s the people who keep the people here,” says Daniel Huard, manager of employee organizational wellness programs and a 26-year veteran of CSE. “They’re satisfied with the work,

the challenges, the growth and the support of the organization.

CSE makes sure employees have purpose, that they have a voice and a way to grow, and that their potential is being leveraged as much as possible.”

When Gibby Armstrong started as deputy chief of corporate services at CSE more than three and a half years ago, she wasn’t expecting the level of care toward employees. And it was even more evident during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We care,” she says. “And that’s not just a flippant comment. It’s

not worded in our values that we have to care but it’s there, right from the top to the bottom.”

Huard’s team develops and delivers various training programs throughout the year. At the start of the pandemic, those programs shifted to focus on everything from survival tips for working from home and mindfulness at work to the psychological impact of the pandemic and transitioning to post-isolation.

“It’s a bottom-up and top-down approach where we take the pulse of employees, from the union, from other stakeholders in the

— Daniel Huard Manager, Employee Organizational Wellness Programs

In a recent development, all staff – even employees not working in areas related to cyber security – are now being trained in proper cyber hygiene, as it’s known, through the CSE’s Canadian Centre for Cyber Security. “That way everyone feels like part of the mission, everyone can talk to each other,” says Armstrong.

CSE also designs a lot of specialized courses for employees because, as she notes, they can’t be found anywhere else. And, she adds, “We do put a lot of effort

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NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2022

2,738

full-time staff in Canada

42.7

years, average age of all employees

47

years, longest-serving employee

207

 The Edward Drake Building at CSE exemplifies a 'nature meets technology' feel.

into leadership development, management development – courses that people need to stay in tune. Everyone gets training every year in various areas, depending on what they need.”

Because a good deal of CSE's work is classified, employees were accustomed to conducting most

work tasks on systems located exclusively on site. When the pandemic set in, CSE focused on parsing out unclassified aspects of work that could be safely done offsite and discovered that there were real options to allow many employees to be productive from home. “The speed with which

our teams reacted to provide work-safe tools and technology was awe-inspiring,” says Armstrong.

This shift was something that had been planned, but with a horizon closer to 2025, according to Armstrong. “We were dreaming in Technicolor, and we got it

Apply today at cse-cst.gc.ca

Communications Security Establishment

Centre de la sécurité des télécommunications

charities helped last year

done in six months,” she says.

“Our teams pushed the limits of collaboration and agility, and it allowed people to be productive during a really difficult time. That mattered because our employees knew their work was making a difference in Canada’s ability to safely weather the health crisis.” 

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NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2022

Hydro Ottawa empowers employees through technology Kelly Ennis, technology and analytics specialist, was involved in implementing Hydro Ottawa’s first major mobile-enabled, selfserve human resources system, Workday, which was released in 2018 and allows employees to complete tasks like inputting their time worked, requesting time off or updating personal information directly into the system, with full visibility to their own profile.

It’s all about giving employees the tools to be more efficient so they can focus on what they need to do for customers.

 Matthew Stuyt, supervisor, distribution operations at Hydro Ottawa.

H

ydro Ottawa powerline technicians must regularly log vehicle information and work performed to work orders, log books and timesheets while in the field. These processes used to involve a lot of paper that had to move from person to person for review and approval.

“Now, it’s all done in the palm of your hand. It’s so easy,” says Matthew Stuyt, supervisor, distribution operations. “It also gives you visibility. As an employee, you don’t feel left in the dark when information leaves your hands. You can see where things are in the process and you

feel involved and empowered.”

What Stuyt describes is all part of Hydro Ottawa’s “anytime, anywhere, from any device” self-service approach to technology. “We have put in place technology solutions so that employees have ready access to the information they need to do their jobs and make faster, more informed decisions,” says Lyne Parent-Garvey, chief human resources officer.

“It aligns with our strategic direction of putting the customer at the centre of everything we do.

We are always focused on finding ways to improve and innovate.

Helping employees to be more efficient means they can better

serve our customers.”

Self-serve, mobile-enabled technology makes many work tasks simpler and more convenient for employees, putting control back in their hands, says Donna Burnett Vachon, director, change and organization development.

“The workforce is getting younger and has grown up in a world where they can pull up information on their phone and find what they need quickly,” Burnett Vachon says. “So everything we're doing now is about making it easier and more accessible for employees. How do we make sure they have access to the information they need when they need it?”

— Kelly Ennis HR Technology and Analytics Specialist

The organization, which delivers electricity to more than 346,000 homes and businesses in Ottawa, has since added health and safety software, Cority, for workplace and vehicle inspections, injury and illness reporting and risk assessments. This is also where employees complete their daily COVID-19 screening and log vaccination status, all from their mobile device. “Employees can complete regular tasks without filling out forms or contacting someone in HR. The tools are

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NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2022

642

full-time staff in Canada

41

years, longest-serving employee

6

weeks, maximum vacation allowance

2,578

 Hydro Ottawa is responsible for delivering electricity to more than 346,000 homes and businesses in Ottawa.

there whenever they need them,” Ennis says.

And, at the onset of the pandemic, Hydro Ottawa transitioned to Google Workspace, enabling employees to stay connected and collaborate whether they are in the field, in the office or working

from home. The self-serve mobile approach also extends to employee learning and development. Hydro Ottawa implemented a library of e-learning courses, videos and e-books, which employees can access whenever and wherever they need — taking training out of the classroom and putting it

into employees’ hands.

“There is change and disruption coming from every direction,” Burnett Vachon says. “Our workforce and our technology have to evolve so that we have a future-ready team comfortable working in a digital world.

For those who grew up in this

job applications received last year

environment, it’s about meeting their expectations, and for folks who didn’t, it’s persuading them and upskilling them to embrace continuous change.”

To Ennis, “it’s all about giving employees the tools to be more efficient so they can focus on what they need to do for customers.” 

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NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2022

The City of Ottawa shifts focus to support its staff familial issues. And we realized we had to step up in terms of how we were going to support their mental health.”

The organization established peer support network guidelines, focused on mental health awareness training for leaders, adopted an internal digital wellness platform called LifeSpeak, which has content on a wide range of mental health and wellness issues, and expanded its employee assistance program to pilot additional trauma supports for emergency responders and employees working in long-term care.

 City of Ottawa lifeguards report for duty at one of the City’s public beaches.

W

hen Steve Kanellakos took over his position as city manager at the City of Ottawa five years ago, he initiated a shift in the organization’s focus that didn’t just transform the workplace culture, but helped it better support employees’ health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We had been so focused on operations and metrics, and I realized that the only way you’re ever going to deliver great service is if you focus on your people,” says Kanellakos, who’s responsible for executing Ottawa city council’s plans for everything from

emergency services to roads, parks and recreation, and construction.

“So we started focusing on the management behaviours we needed to implement that would help people feel more supported and do their best job.”

Kanellakos introduced a management style called “servant leadership,” in which leaders support employee advancement through customized coaching and training. It includes a mentorship program, performance reviews that encompass feedback from peers as well as supervisors, and personal coaches to help employees excel. “We’ve been focusing on our management to make them better able to support our staff,”

he says.

The other shift came about during the pandemic, which presented major challenges for an organization where most employees couldn’t work from home because they provide front-line services like firefighting, snow plowing and garbage pickup. The City introduced a number of safety measures around distancing, hygiene and masking, but a major issue was revealed in its periodic employee surveys: mental health.

“That was a real eye opener,” Kanellakos says. “It became clear that people are dealing with a lot of issues related to COVID-19: isolation, stress, uncertainty,

It’s a beautiful thing to see a workplace pay attention to mental health in very concrete ways.

— Kristina Lamb Wellness Specialist

As a wellness specialist in the City’s human resources department, Kristina Lamb helped develop mental health awareness training for leaders in the organization, which is delivered monthly by a clinical psychologist and certified coach.

“Providing mental health training for leadership roles is a recognized best practice for prioritizing mental health in the workplace,

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NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2022

13,067 full-time staff in Canada

3,302

jobs available last year

49

years, longest-serving employee

 Ottawa Public Health nurse, Samira Barkhadie (left), instructs nurse, Augusta Igwe, on how to prepare the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.

and it’s incredibly important as we move through the pandemic,” she says.

Lamb was involved in establishing guidelines that highlight best practices for establishing a formal peer support network.

Through one-on-one conversations, peer supporters help their

colleagues identify the resources and supports that will be helpful to them related to workplace stressors, personal challenges or crisis situations.

“Peer support is effective because people are more likely to seek support from someone who understands the unique pressures

of what they’re going through in the workplace,” she says. “As a starting point, it’s talking to somebody you trust who can help you connect with professional resources if you need them.”

Lamb sees the increase in demand for services as a good thing. “It means people are getting

52%

of managers are women

the support they need, when they need it,” she says. “So it’s working. The most rewarding thing is seeing more authentic conversations about mental health happening in the workplace. It’s a beautiful thing to see a workplace pay attention to mental health in very concrete ways.” 

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NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2022

OCH works hard to build better communities Since joining OCH as a customer service representative on a six-month contract in 1991, Shaun Simms has also helped spearhead many new initiatives.

As with Dimaano, the organization’s focus on service appealed to her initially. “I knew I wanted to work in a sector that gave back to society – it’s how I was raised,” she says.

 Shaun Simms, chief people and communications officer, has worked at Ottawa Community Housing Corporation for 30 years.

A

s a new employee of Ottawa Community Housing Corporation (OCH) in 2019, Michael Dimaano joined his supervisor and co-workers volunteering at a local food bank. “I found it a meaningful experience, and it reinforced my decision to take this job, which is one of service and purpose,” he says.

OCH provides around 15,000 affordable homes to about 32,000 tenants within many communities across the City of Ottawa.

Dimaano, manager of total compensation and human resources policy, joined the newly formed wellness committee in January

2020. Then, two months later, COVID-19 arrived. “Most of the needs at that time were around providing ergonomic workstations at home and preventing employee burnout,” he says.

In fact, OCH was an early adopter of virtual services, with an emphasis on mental health counselling and telehealth appointments. “It’s critical that our workforce is mentally and physically healthy, so we can serve our tenants well,” says Dimaano. As supervisor of a small team, he holds weekly virtual “touchpoint” meetings with them to get personal and work-related updates.

Other corporation-wide online offerings include fitness, yoga and

meditation classes, and managers also arrange virtual activities within their teams. To give his team a fun break, Dimaano arranged a virtual escape-room game. “I’m lucky because I’m able to come up with programs for the health and wellness of our employees, and I’m benefiting from them too,” he says.

OCH recently added another area of wellness to its mandate. In September 2021, the organization launched a new discount program for employees and their families, offering lower prices at select retail stores, hotels and services.

“We needed to beef up our financial health, which is just as important as physical and mental health,” says Dimaano.

As a Black woman in this leadership position, I’m at the table – and I’m lucky that I work with senior leaders who are open to having this dialogue.

— Shaun Simms Chief People and Communications Officer

Thirty years and many promotions later, Simms stepped into the new role of chief people and communications officer in 2022. “When I started here, I didn’t have a clear career plan, but I knew I had skills beyond what I was doing and managers who recognized my abilities,” she says. “But before I could move up, I had to learn about the organization first.”

During the decades she spent

27

NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2022

397

full-time staff in Canada

3,822

job applications received last year

350

staff volunteer hours last year

 Ottawa Community Housing Corporation staff, along with volunteers from West Village Church and their partners at Aging in Place, put together 250 care packages for the seniors in the OCH Hampton Court community.

directly supporting tenants, Simms learned that housing is about more than the physical structure where someone lives – it’s also about building better communities. Creating a more inclusive space for OCH employees and increasing employee engagement have also

been priorities for her. One way to reach those goals was to implement a stronger equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) policy.

“As a Black woman in this leadership position, I’m at the table, and I’m lucky that I work with senior leaders who are open to having this dialogue,” says

Simms. She brought in an external consultant to come up with a multi-year plan and provide a report on what was working and what needed improvement.

Since then, mandatory diversity, inclusion and unconscious bias training has been implemented and EDI employee resource

6

weeks, maximum vacation allowance

groups have been created.

To those who ask Simms if she’s thinking about retiring, her answer is a firm no. “I love what I do and believe in the work I’m doing,” she says. “But when the time comes, I want my legacy to be around moving the culture forward at OCH.” 

Ottawa Community Housing Corporation is proud to be one of the National Capital Region’s Top Employers for a fifth year in a row.

www.och.lco.ca

WE ARE PROUD BECAUSE EVERYDAY WE A E A D ERE CE

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NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2022

Purpose and people unite at The Ottawa Hospital leaders. Hired in 1998 as a planning co-ordinator, he has held several positions in different departments and programs over more than two decades. “After two or three years, I knew I wanted to stay, because there are great teams here who are making a significant difference in people’s lives,” he says. “As opportunities came along, I never turned any of them down.”

 Members of the care team at The Ottawa Hospital.

A

s a Queen’s University nursing student, Maryann Towns completed her clinical-placement hours at The Ottawa Hospital (TOH) from January to May of 2006. When she graduated that June, she was hired as a new nursing grad, with her sights set on becoming an operating room (OR) nurse. “My career goals quickly progressed as I was offered an amazing learning opportunity,” she says.

One of Canada’s largest learning and research hospitals, TOH provides patient-centred care with an emphasis on tertiary-level, complex care and specialty care, primarily for residents of

Eastern Ontario and patients from Nunavut. In 2006, Towns was included in the first new graduate initiative where her perioperative certificate was fully funded by TOH, then offered a full-time nursing position there in the OR. “I’m a helper and a fixer, so I loved it,” says Towns, now clinical manager of the intensive care unit (ICU). “Being an OR nurse was rewarding because you make quick, intense connections with your patients.”

After working at TOH for a year, Towns moved to British Columbia, returning to Ottawa in 2010 – and to TOH. “I wanted to continue to be part of a collaborative, multi-disciplinary team, and to keep learning at a world-class

trauma centre,” she says. “There are so many continuous learning opportunities, cutting-edge technology and role progression – this is why TOH was the hospital of my choice.”

Moving into a management and administration role in 2013 helped prepare Towns to take on her current position managing the ICU in May 2021, at the tail end of COVID-19’s third wave. “I was looking for more of a challenge and to be part of the decision-making for my team, my colleagues and our patients,” she says. “I like the encouragement from our leaders to think outside the box and be a bit disruptive.”

President and CEO Cameron Love is one of those open-minded

It never ceases to amaze me how engaged our healthcare leaders and front-line staff members are, and how everyone steps up to help solve problems.

— Cameron Love President and Chief Executive Officer

When COVID-19 arrived, everyone at the hospital had to pivot and innovate, including TOH senior leaders who worked with community partners to set up quickly a testing centre in the community. The centre required a director, multiple managers and co-ordinators. “There’s so much opportunity to learn more and to reorganize change-leadership development, which I’ve fully

29

NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2022

6,627

full-time staff in Canada

50

years, longest-serving employee

78%

of managers are women

7

 Dr. Bernard Thebaud in the neonatal intensive care unit at The Ottawa Hospital.

supported,” says Love.

Managing the care of TOH’s people throughout the pandemic has been a priority for Love and the other senior leaders, who recognize that stress comes in all forms. “If your parents are in a nursing home and you can’t visit them because it’s locked down,

if you’re homeschooling your kids – the pandemic really drove home that we need to consider all of life’s pressures when supporting our team members,” says Love.

A robust TOH staff-wellness program – one that offers access to physical exercise, healthy food choices, psychological support

and more – has helped alleviate some of that stress. “If our people feel healthy, supported and engaged, patient outcomes will be better,” says Love. And although there’s no question that working through the pandemic has been tough at times, there have been unexpected silver linings.

weeks, maximum vacation allowance

“COVID-19 has created opportunities for people to broaden their leadership experience and embrace new challenges,” says Love.

“It never ceases to amaze me how engaged our healthcare leaders and front-line staff members are, and how everyone steps up to help solve problems.” 

Exceptional people and rewarding work. Join our team.

Respect for the Individual • Compassion • Commitment to Quality • Working Together OttawaHospital.on.ca/en/Career-Opportunities OttawaHospital.on.ca/fr/Career-Opportunities

Our Vision is to provide each patient with the world-class care, exceptional service and compassion we would want for our loved ones.

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NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2022

Communication helps build culture at Universities Canada Mundeta. “Another time it was cookies, enough to share with my two young daughters who were learning from home at the time.

Family home life is very much supported.

“As the world opens up again, we’ve had some in-person lunches and team-building events, such as ziplining, which was fantastic,” she says. “There’s a real ‘work hard, play hard’ vibe in the organization. They meet me where I need to be, so I’m happy.”

 The Partnerships and Programs team at Universities Canada ziplining between provinces.

G

ood first impressions are challenging in a virtual setting, so Lebogang Mundeta was a little apprehensive about interviewing with Universities Canada last spring. Not only would it be for her first job in Canada, but the meeting was over Zoom.

“It’s hard to read the room when you can’t see people’s body language,” says Mundeta, who had recently relocated from South Africa. “The interview panel did a great job of making a connection between us. That helped a lot.

It’s such a short time for people to

get to know you, but it was well organized.”

Clearly, it went well: She was hired as a programs finance officer for the Ottawa-based organization which provides university presidents with a unified voice for higher education, research and innovation.

Now it was Universities Canada’s turn to make an impression. An all-virtual onboarding process came next, beginning with an email from IT telling her exactly what to expect on Day 1.

Mundeta received her laptop the week before and her orientation ensured she could log in with

everything needed.

“I was up and running by noon on my first day,” says Mundeta.

“It was a smooth transition technologically and logistically. I also had meet and greets with all the teams I’d be working with, so I felt really welcomed.”

After a few training sessions with her manager, Mundeta was set, but work isn’t just about working. Getting a sense of the culture is critical.

“Right when I joined, our team was celebrating the launch of a new program, so ice cream arrived at my door for an informal ‘huddle up’ on Zoom,” says

There’s a real ‘work hard, play hard’ vibe in the organization.

They meet me where I need to be, so I’m happy.

— Lebogang Mundeta Programs Finance Officer

That’s great news to Heather Cayouette, director of information management, who says Universities Canada emphasizes communication.

“Right before a staff meeting, the senior team will get online with newer staff to chat,” says Cayouette. “Showing that we’re a caring community is a big part, especially with new hires meeting all these new people virtually.

So turning on the camera, being friendly and emphasizing they can reach out to us for questions are important.”

31

NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2022

81

full-time staff in Canada

65%

of managers are women

4

weeks, starting vacation allowance

52

weeks, maternity and parental leave top-up pay

 Universities Canada staff members enjoying a summer treat.

Throughout the pandemic, Cayouette says they’ve found ways to connect beyond work, from online games to coffee chats, to make things more fun. On the technical side, the organization’s digital transformation – envisioned just before the pandemic – is a point of pride.

Bright Minds.

Bright future.

Thanks to our employees.

“The pandemic pushed us to adapt more quickly to technology, but it’s actually helped improve how people work,” says Cayouette. “We can have ‘in person’ meetings using Teams or Zoom and created a chat platform called The Lounge – an interactive zone to talk, post pictures or

share the latest book.

“We’ve become very creative in that sense, whether with The Lounge or events – such as a digital Emazing Race that was really fun – using the technology we’ve already got in place to keep that bond going. We’re probably a closer culture now than before,

De l’esprit et de l’avenir.

Grâce à nos employés. univcan.ca

because we’re finding different ways to get to know each other.

“It’s such an exciting time because of the possibilities that come with this new normal – this new way of learning, working and interacting with each other.

I see this whole experience as an opportunity.” 

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 National Capital Region’s Top Employers. Now entering its 23rd year, our national project is Canada’s longest-running and best-known editorial competition for employers.

For information on next year’s application process, visit:

CanadasTop100.com/2023 Applications for our 2023 competition will be released in February and must be returned by April.