Montréal's Top Employers (2023)

q Employees at Westmount-based Compulsion Games, one of this year’s winners.

MONTRÉ AL’S TOP EMPLOYERS

Anthony Meehan, PUBLISHER

Editorial Team:

Richard Yerema, EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Kristina Leung, MANAGING EDITOR

Stephanie Leung, EDITOR

Chantel Watkins, ASSISTANT EDITOR

Juliane Fung, RESEARCH EDITOR

Sonja Verpoort, RESEARCH ASSISTANT

Jing Wang, RESEARCH ASSISTANT

Advertising Team:

Ye Jin Suhe, MANAGER, PUBLISHING

Chariemagne Kuizon, JUNIOR COORDINATOR

Vishnusha Kirupananthan, BRANDING & GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Sabrina Wu, SENIOR CONTENT & PUBLISHING SPECIALIST

Sponsored Profile Writers:

Berton Woodward, SENIOR EDITOR

Brian Bethune

Deb Bourk

Jane Doucet

Mary Dickie

Don Hauka

D’Arcy Jenish

Bruce McDougall

Rick McGinnis

Kelsey Rolfe

Diane Sims

Nora Underwood

Barbara Wickens

For long-time Montréal residents, it’s hard not to feel more than a little pride at the recent economic news confirming that unemployment here is near an all-time low. Across the metropolitan area and, indeed, throughout Québec, the unemployment rate has declined to levels not seen in generations and is the lowest in Canada. Nous embauchons signs seem to be on almost every employer’s premises.

For job-seekers in Montréal, it goes without saying that there’s never been a better time to find a position with an excellent employer. The white-hot labour market has given Montréalers confidence to look around and ask whether there might be a better position on offer, either with their current employer or at another workplace.

For employers, of course, the problem is the reverse and many are struggling just to hold onto existing staff, let alone attract new people to their organizations. After the pandemic’s long economic uncertainties, employers now face the unexpected problem of not having enough staff to get the work done.

they could get their work done without making a punishing daily commute to the office. In many industries, employers saw that providing flexible workplace policies was not just in their employees’ interests, but also good for the bottom line.

This year marks the 18th edition of our Montréal’s Top Employers competition and, in the pages of this year’s announcement magazine, you don’t need to look hard to see the effects of the city’s remarkably tight labour market. Employers are competing vigorously to attract and retain talented staff. The common thread that runs through these efforts is that employers are responding to what’s important to employees by offering more flexibility in work arrangements, as well as paying more attention to concerns like wellness and mental health that moved to the forefront during the pandemic.

©

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

The pandemic has changed the labour market in other unexpected ways, especially when it comes to remote and hybrid work arrangements. Many employees found that

More than elsewhere, Montréal employers are also further ahead in finding ways to make their workplaces dynamic and fun, even when employees are working on hybrid schedules. While we can’t predict which initiatives will find the most success in the longer term, I do know where the winning employers will be found.

–Tony Meehan

 Montréal-based software firm GSoft provides generous maternity and parental leave top-up, to 80 per cent of salary for up to 50 weeks.

2023 Mediacorp Canada Inc.

2023 MAGAZINE

 Concordia University offers generous time-off policies to ensure employees are able to disconnect from work, paid sick time, coverage for mental health services, and an on-campus wellness clinic.

Montréal companies are adept at meeting employee needs

Flexibility, mental health considerations are among the winning recruitment strategies

Montréal has always been Canada’s magic city, steeped with culture, history and a vibrancy that includes economic activity. In the first half of 2022, a near-record of $1.7 billion was invested in the province by non-Québec companies. But vibrancy, along with Montréal’s fascinating mix of traditional firms, creative companies and software giants, means competition to recruit is vigorous. This year’s winners of Montréal’s Top Employers competition provide insight into how some companies rise to the challenge.

The Montréal competition is organized by the editors of the national Canada’s Top 100 Employers project, who annually single out the employers in Montréal that lead the way in recruitment and retention.

The winners are chosen based on the same criteria as the national competition, including compensation and benefits, work and social atmosphere, the quality of the physical workplace, training and upward mobility.

Kristina Leung, managing editor at Canada’s Top 100 Employers, points out that the post-pandemic jobs market is characterized by “revolutionary speeds of

change” and that unprecedented demand, the ongoing labour shortages and other factors “mean that much more skill is required in managing the workforce.” Changing workplace demands

Eryc Kernisan, talent acquisition manager at Samsung Ads Canada, says recruiting new talent requires a commitment to care and nurturing. His team works hard to make this clear as early as the interview stage. “We try to adapt our needs to theirs, and that makes an impression during the process,” he says.

From there, the hard work continues.

Kernisan cites maintaining operational openness —which breaks down hierarchal barriers and helps give recruits a sense of ownership — as a priority, along with supporting employees’ mental health.

“We try to engage their life outside of work. Elements of this include a hybrid work model, which we augment with lunches and financial aid for commuting and parking for the days they come to the office,” he shares.

“These initiatives have resulted in enhanced productivity and engagement as well as low turnover, so our goal in 2023 is to build on this culture.”

L.GRAVES/CONCORDIA

Online recruiting accelerates the process Concordia University goes the extra mile in recruitment by going online. “We have used our new employee recruitment platform within our integrated Human Resources management system, as well as our online Concordia digital presence, to better position our overall value offering,” says Anna Michetti, the university’s executive director of employment and organizational effectiveness. With the launch of their recruitment platform, the university has been able to reduce the ‘time to market’ and their time to hire, which can critically affect employee satisfaction and effectiveness.

Like at Samsung Ads Canada, Concordia recognizes the need for flexibility as one way to nurture its talent pool. “This includes offering flexible work arrangements where possible, exchange networks, ongoing information sessions and ongoing opportunities for training and professional development,” Michetti says.

Good wages aren’t always enough

As for upcoming strategies, Michetti says, “We are currently working with our community to define Future Concordia, including the Future of Work.” This project takes recommendations from working groups to help deliver “outstanding administrative and operational services in a post-pandemic environment.”

This is accompanied by what Michetti describes as a larger trend of “Employees re-evaluating many of their personal and professional values, with work/life balance being a top priority among all generational groups.”

Leung says that while flexibility is a must for any type of employer, it should be part of a greater package of benefits: “Montréal is a true mosaic of industries, and fortunately companies of all kinds realize that a wide variety of strategies are necessary to attract and retain the best talent.”

As the work world continues to move further away from the dark days of the pandemic, the ingredients that have always enabled employers to stand out from the crowd are more important than ever. Good wages are one thing, but initiatives that make jobs meaningful and workplaces desirable are what really drives recruitment — and inspires loyalty.

– Robin Brunet

 Samsung Ads Canada offers employees a hybrid work model, which includes lunches onsite, financial aid for commuting and parking on the days they come to the office.

 An employee at Motive Studios works in a breakout area at the company’s Montréal head office.

2023 WINNERS

 Long-serving employees at Compulsion Games receive a one-month paid sabbatical after five years, which increases to three months after ten years of service.

The following organizations have been chosen as Montréal’s Top Employers for 2023 (employee count refers to full-time staff):

ABB CANADA, Saint-Laurent. Engineering and technology services; 2,971 employees. Provides free access to an onsite fitness facility and subsidizes the cost of related services, such as nutritionist, dietitian, private training, and massage therapy.

ABBOTT CANADA, Saint-Laurent. Medical and pharmaceutical products; 1,480 employees. Offers paid time off during the winter holidays in addition to vacation entitlements, ranging from five to seven days.

AIR CANADA, Saint-Laurent. Air transportation; 27,541 employees. Supports numerous charitable causes through the Air Canada Foundation, which focuses on improving children’s health and well-being.

ALCOA CANADA, Montréal. Aluminium production; 2,307 employees. Helps employees prepare for life after work with retirement planning assistance services and employer contributions to defined benefit and defined contribution pension plans.

ALIMENTATION COUCHE-TARD, Laval. Retail convenience stores; 3,779 employees. Cultivates high-potential talent with formal mentoring and leadership development programs.

BEACONSFIELD, City of, Beaconsfield. Municipal governments; 89 employees. Offers generous maternity and parental leave top-up for new mothers, to 90 per cent of salary for 32 weeks.

BELL CANADA, Verdun. Communications; 34,983 employees. Recently introduced unlimited coverage for mental health services for employees and their families.

BELL TEXTRON CANADA LTD., Mirabel. Aircraft manufacturing; 1,345 employees. Encourages employees to adopt an ownership mentality through a share purchase plan, available to all.

BLUE CROSS CANASSURANCE GROUP, Montréal. Health and medical insurance carriers; 603 employees. Provides referral bonuses as an incentive for employees to become recruiters, ranging from $800 to $2,300 depending on the position.

BNP PARIBAS, Montréal. Banking; 1,042 employees. Honours the service of longstanding employees with health benefits that extend to retirees, with no age limit and 80 per cent premium coverage.

BROADSIGN CANADA COMPANY, Montréal. Computer systems design services; 183 employees. Encourages employees to take time for themselves with generous time-off policies, including

three weeks of starting vacation allowance and additional paid time off during the winter holidays.

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT BANK OF CANADA, Montréal. Secondary market financing; 2,556 employees. Employees can participate in additional savings plans by contributing a percentage of their base salary to a group RRSP or TFSA, with matching employer contributions.

C3 SOLUTIONS INC., Montréal. Computer software; 48 employees. Reviewed each employee’s home office set-up with an ergonomic therapist as part of its hybrid work program and supplied necessary equipment, including chairs and adjustable desks.

CAE INC., Saint-Laurent. Aviation and defence systems; 4,456 employees. Moved to a global flexible vacation program, enabling employees to request time off without fixed limits.

2023 WINNERS Continued

CANADIAN NATIONAL RAILWAY COMPANY, Montréal. Railroad transportation; 16,402 employees. Operates the impressive employee and pensioner-run Community Fund, which has raised more than $18-million over the past decade for Canadian charities.

CERENCE TECHNOLOGIES INC., Montréal. Computer systems design services; 315 employees. Makes commuting to work a little easier with fully paid transit passes for bus, subway and train.

CHARLES RIVER LABORATORIES

MONTRÉAL ULC, Senneville. Medical research and development; 2,614 employees. Supports an internal wellness program based on pillars of physical, emotional, community, social and financial well-being.

CIUSSS WEST-CENTRAL, Montréal. Healthcare services; 7,010 employees. Time-off policies include the option to

save up to five statutory holidays in order to take time off consecutively.

COMPULSION GAMES ULC, Westmount. Video game developers; 87 employees. Helps employees access the care they need with unlimited coverage for psychotherapy, including coverage for their families.

CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY, Montréal. Post-secondary education; 3,191 employees. Supports new parents returning to work with phased-in work options and subsidized child care on campus.

CSL GROUP INC., Montréal. Marine shipping and transportation; 920 employees. Offers the option to purchase five additional vacation days per year.

DANONE CANADA, Boucherville. Food manufacturing; 544 employees. Offers generous tuition subsidies for employees interested in additional education, to $6,000 per year for courses

taken externally.

EIDOS INTERACTIVE CORPORATION, Montréal. Video game developers; 791 employees. Formally moved to a four-day work week, providing employees more time to rest, and maintains a hybrid work model with no set number of days in studio.

FAIRSTONE FINANCIAL INC., Montréal. Financial services; 1,359 employees. Shows its appreciation for a job well done through points-based awards, quarterly and annual recognition, and the Summit of Excellence, to recognize individuals who continuously exceed their goals.

FEDNAV LIMITED, Montréal. Deep sea freight transportation; 206 employees. Takes a thoughtful approach when employees are called upon to care for loved ones, offering full pay for compassionate leave, with no set time limit.

FROMAGERIES BEL CANADA INC., Montréal. Cheese product manufacturing; 230 employees. Provides career planning and leadership development programs for employees interested in advancing their careers.

GROUPE DYNAMITE INC., Mont-Royal. Retail; 1,367 employees. Launched an open vacation policy in response to employee feedback in 2021, allowing employees to request time off with no set limit.

GSOFT, Montréal. Computer software; 300 employees. Supports remote work with a $500 tech allowance, a $1,000 allowance for home office furniture and accessories, and a maintenance allowance for repairing or replacing IT equipment.

INSIGHT CANADA INC., Montréal. Technology consulting; 950 employees. Helps employees save in big and small ways, offering matching RSP contributions as well as discounts on auto lease rates and home and auto insurance.

KEURIG DR PEPPER CANADA, Montréal. Coffee distribution and brewing equipment; 1,445 employees. Offers a flexible benefits plan with the option to apply unused dollars to a group RRSP or health and wellness spending accounts.

LAURENTIAN PILOTAGE AUTHORITY, Montréal. Marine pilotage and support services; 50 employees. Supports employees who are new mothers and fathers, including adoptive parents, with maternity and parental leave top-up payments.

Laurentide Controls Ltd., Kirkland. Process control equipment and services; 342 employees. Celebrates employee achievement through the Blue Carpet recognition program, based on feedback from peers and clients, and an annual recognition gala.

LEXUM INFORMATIQUE JURIDIQUE INC., Montréal. Legal software publishing; 32 employees. Provides an annual personal training allowance that can be used on courses, programs, webinars, or conferences, subject to necessary approvals.

LIGHTSPEED COMMERCE INC., Montréal. Computer software; 1,027 employees. Offers generous referral

q Alimentation Couche-Tard cultivates high-potential talent with mentoring and leadership development programs.

J.RISNER/COUCHE-TARD

2023 WINNERS

Continued

bonuses as an incentive for employees to recruit friends, ranging from $1,500 to $3,500 per successful hire.

L’ORÉAL CANADA INC., Montréal. Cosmetics manufacturing; 1,421 employees. Employees enjoy a head start to the weekend with early Friday closures in the winter and summer months.

MAPLES GROUP, Montréal. Investment services; 263 employees. Increased its workforce by over 30 per cent in the past 12 months and offers referral bonuses as an incentive for employees to recruit candidates from their personal networks.

MCGILL UNIVERSITY, Montréal. Post-secondary education; 7,194 employees. Maintains an action plan to address anti-Black racism and is committed to increasing the representation and career opportunities for Black administrative and support staff as well as tenure-track or tenured professors.

MCKESSON CANADA, Saint-Laurent. Healthcare services and supplies; 4,221 employees. Encourages employees to put their health and wellness first with up to 10 paid sick days per year and coverage for mental health practitioners, to $2,000 annually.

MISTPLAY INC., Montréal. Video game developers; 61 employees. Maintains generous time-off programs that support work-life balance, including paid personal days, paid time off during the winter holidays, and four weeks of starting vacation.

MOTIVE STUDIOS, Montréal. Video game developers; 188 employees. Supports employees during times of challenge, providing bereavement leave of up to 20 days to enable employees to grieve and take care of personal matters.

NESTLÉ NESPRESSO

CANADA, Montréal. Coffee supplies and equipment; 502 employees. Implemented a health and wellness committee and encourages employees to put their health first with unlimited paid sick time.

NUANCE COMMUNICATIONS

CANADA, INC., Montréal. Software publishers; 478 employees. Provides 16 hours of paid volunteer time off, with employees recording nearly 5,600

 Charles River Laboratories supports an internal wellness program for employees, based on physical, emotional, community, social and financial well-being.

 All employees at Bell Textron Canada can take part in a share purchase plan. BELL TEXTRON CHARLES RIVER

2023 WINNERS

Continued

volunteer hours on company time in the past year.

ONESPAN CANADA INC., Montréal. Software publishers; 309 employees. Helps employees save for the future with matching RSP contributions.

OSEDEA INC., Montréal. Business consulting services; 53 employees. Manages the Dreams Come True program, providing employees with $5,000 and an additional week of vacation to accomplish a personal project.

OTSUKA CANADA

PHARMACEUTICAL INC., SaintLaurent. Pharmaceutical products; 135 employees. Benefits plan features a health spending account, ranging from $750 to $1,750, and a wellness spending account of up to $1,000.

POMERLEAU INC., Montréal.

Construction services; 2,472 employees. Transitioned to hybrid work for eligible roles in the past year and offers a one-time reimbursement of up to $500 for home office needs.

PSB BOISJOLI LLP, Mont-Royal. Accounting firms; 230 employees.

Organizes Wellness Wednesday lunch and learns with professional speakers, such as nutritionists and psychologists.

PUBLIC SECTOR PENSION

INVESTMENT BOARD / PSP

INVESTMENTS, Montréal. Pension funds; 803 employees. Offers four weeks of starting vacation allowance as well as the ability to carry forward up to 10 unused vacation days.

PUBLIC SERVICES AND PROCUREMENT CANADA, Quebec region, Montréal. Federal government, government support services; 15,843 employees. Provides health benefits that extend to retirees, with no age limit and 50 per cent premium coverage.

RICHTER LLP, Montréal. Accounting firms; 496 employees. Introduced a subsidy for adoption if needed, to $10,000 per child, and increased its maternity and parental leave top-up program to provide additional support for parents-to-be.

RIO TINTO, Montréal. Mining; 11,512 employees. Considers previous work

 Employees at Laurentian Pilotage Authority review a travel route.

 Laurentide Controls recognizes employee achievements through the Blue Carpet program, based on feedback from peers and clients.

PHOTOS (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP):

1. Société Générale Canada encourages employees to help recruit new candidates with referral bonuses.

2. A RONA employee lends a hand at a Habitat for Humanity build on International Women’s Day.

3. PSP Investments offers four weeks of starting vacation allowance, plus the ability to carry forward up to 10 unused vacation days.

2023 WINNERS

experience when setting vacation entitlements for new hires.

Continued

RONA, Boucherville. Retail; 13,572 employees. Organizes an annual Heroes Campaign, with corporate stores matching 50 per cent of donations received, to a maximum of $2,000 per store.

SAMSUNG ADS CANADA, Montréal. Advertising agencies; 213 employees. Encourages employees to support community intiatives with paid volunteer time and matching charitable donations to a maximum of $400 per year.

SOCIÉTÉ GÉNÉRALE CANADA, Montréal. Banking; 475 employees. Offers generous new employee referral bonuses when employees help successfully recruit a new candidate, from $3,000 to $9,000 depending on the position.

SOCIÉTÉ QUÉBÉCOISE

D’INFORMATION JURIDIQUE / SOQUIJ, Montréal. Provincial government, legal services; 127 employees. Employees start with four weeks of paid vacation along with 12 paid personal days off to help balance their work and personal lives.

SODEXO CANADA LTD., Montréal. Food service contractors; 8,858 employees. Helps employees plan with retirement planning assistance services, a defined contribution pension plan along with phased-in work options when nearing retirement.

SOLLIO GROUPE COOPÉRATIF, Montréal. Retail cooperative; 15,622 employees. Employees are encouraged to support charitable initiatives with organized fundraising initiatives as well as paid time off to volunteer.

SOLOTECH INC., Montréal. Audio video equipment and services; 884 employees. Head office features a unique “jam room” that’s equipped with a variety of music instruments for employees to use, including drums, guitars, microphones and mixing consoles.

TELEFILM CANADA, Montréal. Federal government, cultural agency; 209 employees. Helps employees plan for their next role with retirement planning assistance and generous contributions to a defined benefit pension plan.

TROUW NUTRITION CANADA INC., Saint-Hyacinthe. Animal food production; 1,210 employees. Offers discounted gym memberships at a local gym along with virtual yoga classes, healthy lifestyle discounts, and online health and nutrition info sessions via the company’s intranet.

UBISOFT CANADIAN STUDIOS, Montréal. Software publishers; 5,440 employees. Offers all employees five weeks of paid vacation along with additional time off between the

Christmas and New Year’s holidays.

UKG / ULTIMATE KRONOS GROUP, Montréal. Computer software; 567 employees. Formal hybrid work program includes a monthly internet allowance as well as a subsidy for setting up a comfortable home office, up to $500.

ULTRA ELECTRONICS TCS INC., Mont -Royal. Communication systems; 159 employees. Lets employees share in the company’s successes through share puchase, profit-sharing and year-end bonus programs.

q Readying the technical service truck at Solotech, an audiovisual supplier.

UNIVERSITÉ DE MONTRÉAL, Montréal. Post-secondary education; 5,667 employees. Encourages ongoing education through a tuition waiver program along with a dedicated online learning portal for management employees.

WB GAMES MONTRÉAL INC., Montréal. Video game developers; 359 employees. Moves employees to four weeks of paid vacation after only four years on the job.

– Richard Yerema & Kristina Leung

Montréal’s best employers invest in people power

Giving newcomers a chance to shine drives the most successful recruitment strategies

Montréal’s cosmopolitan flair, combined with its long history, attracts a wide variety of employers from legacy corporations to innovative creative organizations to red-hot software start-ups.

The city’s famous livability doesn’t make it immune to the challenges of recruitment and retention, however, and insights from winners of this year’s Montréal’s Top Employers competition show that addressing the individual needs and

ambitions of a young workforce is crucial to achieving a competitive edge.

Richard Yerema, executive editor at Mediacorp Canada Inc., which manages the competition, says, “Montréal is a true mosaic of diversity and very busy on a number of fronts.” He adds that the city’s top employers distinguish themselves by thoroughly vetting prospective new employees and then taking a holistic approach to nurturing their potential.

This is especially true at Danone Canada. Melanie Lebel, the company’s

senior vice-president, human resources, says, “We treat each Danone employee as a co-owner, giving them the opportunity to share their views to help shape the company’s future. Employees nowadays don’t just want to go to work for the sake of going to work - they want to be valued.”

Underscoring this at Danone are employee resource groups, which Lebel describes as “grassroots-driven affinity groups where employees can collaborate and innovate to help drive awareness, promote professional development, build

an appreciation for the power of diverse perspectives, and advance the strategic priorities of our Inclusive Diversity initiatives.”

Stepping beyond one’s comfort zone is something many new professionals crave, and it’s appreciated at Danone. “Stepping out of one’s job description is valued, and we encourage employees to seize opportunities to step out of their everyday and engage with the community and industry,” Lebel says, adding that Danone’s finger on the pulse of what makes its

 Employee resource groups at Danone Canada give employees a chance to collaborate and innovate, as well as promote professional development.

DANONE CANADA

INVESTING IN PEOPLE Continued

employees tick is fortified by regularly “asking them for honest answers as to what makes them proud of working at Danone.”

Cosmetics giant L’Oreal is equally committed to fulfilling the individual needs of its 1,450-strong workforce. “Listening to them is vital, as is clear communication across the board,” says Andrea Guaraldo, L’Oreal’s vice president human resources Canada. “Our talent pool is comprised of over 17 nationalities, and we’ve also found that providing them with increasing degrees of responsibilities — even if they’re not fully ready — is a great way to keep them engaged.”

But first L’Oreal ensures that they attract the right person for the right job, and to do so it relies heavily on recruitment from universities. “We work with 20 institutions across Canada in addition to being active on social media,” Guaraldo says.

These efforts are augmented by L’Oreal Brandstorm, an international competition that gives students the chance to be mentored by the company’s business experts. “We’ve been running Brandstorm for over 30 years,” Guaraldo says. “It’s a great way for potential recruits to learn about our company and culture, and it enables us to discover new talent.”

Overall, L’Oreal maintains a strong commitment to what Guaraldo calls “People development. We offer many career opportunities and advancements, and we back this up with a heavy investment in learning, both in the digital and in-person realms.”

Guaraldo concludes, “Montréal is a dynamic labor market, so it’s necessary to extend ourselves in order to attract exceptional talent.”

– Robin Brunet

 Aluminum producer Alcoa Canada offers a range of in-house training and development programs.

 PSP Investments starts employees with four weeks of vacation and can carry up to 10 unused days forward.

“Employees nowadays don’t just want to go to work for the sake of going to work – they want to be valued.”

— Melanie Lebel Senior Vice-President, Human Resources, Danone Canada

ABB Canada drives social progress in the workplace

When a young woman reached out to RoseAnne Gabriel, who oversees university relations at ABB Canada, and asked for a virtual coffee chat, Gabriel immediately said yes. The woman had seen a posting for the company’s Discovery Program but was worried she did not meet all requirements.

The program is designed for recent engineering graduates who then get to do three different rotations within an 18-month period at the Montréal-based technology leader.

“I could see she had drive and potential, so I encouraged her to apply,” says Gabriel.

“That young woman ultimately secured the position and is now graduating from the program. Her story is near and dear to my heart because one of the things I love about my job is seeing the potential of people and helping them reach their goals.”

ABB Canada offers numerous educational initiatives through its school programs and multiple partnerships with universities, colleges and cégeps, helping

students bridge the gap between theory and practice, and exposing students to career possibilities in electrification and automation.

ABB also welcomes 100-plus interns each year and provides further opportunities through the ABB Global Trainee Program and its early talent program.

In addition to hosting several STEM activities, the company also donates to select schools with equipment, technology and training classes. For example, through the ABB Robotics Centre at Sheridan College near Toronto,

students can gain hands-on experience and learn about its cutting-edge technologies on more than 15 ABB robots.

“When we present ABB, we do so in a fun, interactive way,” says Gabriel. “We want the next generation of leaders to have a hands-on learning experience with our technologies, solutions and portfolio of products to really spark an interest in wanting to join our Canadian organization.”

While ABB maintains an extensive educational outreach, there’s much more to the company’s

community giving. Over the last five years alone, ABB Canada and its employees have donated well over $4.5 million to charitable causes.

In 2020, ABB revamped its philanthropic policy with “a new way of giving,” marking a new era of corporate philanthropy by making giving an everyday action. Instead of having a campaign for a few weeks in November, the new model enables employees to support their local communities and charities when they want and in the way they want all year long.

 ABB Canada offers educational initiatives through its programs and partnerships with schools to promote student success.

“One of the things I love about my job is seeing the potential of people and helping them reach their goals.”

— Rose-Anne Gabriel University Relations, Early Talent & Employer Branding Specialist

Julie St-Pierre, human resources business partner, says the new campaign is more connected to the company’s core values – courage, care, curiosity and collaboration –as well as more focused on key areas of concern. By utilizing an intuitive, easy-to-use digital platform that aligns employees'

community impact goals with ABB's objectives, the company can also offer employees much more community choice.

“We want to collaborate with the employee, so it’s not only the business but the employee who’s involved in the donation,” says St-Pierre. “Every time I donate,

ABB matches my donation, which is really powerful for an employee who can have much more impact for a cause they care about.”

St-Pierre says the generosity of employees is remarkable year-over-year.

“We often do ad hoc campaigns to support fundraising efforts

when there’s a crisis or natural disaster in Canada, such as Hurricane Fiona or the fires in British Columbia,” says St-Pierre. “We ask our people to give and ABB matches the amount. I’m proud of how our employees respond. It’s in our DNA to support the community.”

Be

Innovation at the heart of our communities

part of the change.

 ABB participating in the ‘Desgagnés Kayak Challenge,’ a fund-raising activity for the NGO Young Musicians of the World.

The sky’s the limit for careers at Air Canada

In 2001, Sobora Duy flew from his home in Orlando to Montréal to visit his father, who was ill with cancer. When he missed his return flight to the United States, the sympathetic Montréal-based Air Canada agent gave him a two-week extension. “Those were the last two weeks I had with my dad before he died,” says Duy. “When I moved back to Montréal, Air Canada was the only option for me.”

Air Canada is the country’s largest airline by size and passengers carried. Although Duy had a background in human resources, he joined Air Canada in 2014 as a customer sales and service agent at a Montréal call centre. “I figured I could put my foot in the door and learn the airline industry from a customer-service point of view,” he says.

That’s exactly what Duy did, soon moving into roles in diverse areas – social media co-ordinator,

benefits specialist, leaves administrative manager – before becoming manager for mental health and wellness programs in 2021. “My team encouraged me to return to human resources, and it wasn’t a hard transition,” he says. “At that point, I needed to learn the corporate side of Air Canada –what other branches are doing, how the structure works.”

Before Duy’s father passed away, he made his son promise to take care of his health. Duy blogged about his weight-loss journey, and his commitment to a healthy lifestyle didn’t go unnoticed at

the office. When asked if he’d be interested in leading the employee wellness program, Unlock the Best in You (UBY), he didn’t hesitate.

UBY’s mission is promoting wellness through innovation, prevention and connection – whether that’s connecting one-on-one or with groups of colleagues in Canada or in other countries. “Our goal is to create a culture where people feel supported in achieving their health goals,” says Duy.

According to Arielle Meloul, executive vice president, chief human resources officer and public affairs, ensuring that everyone

maintains their physical and mental health is a priority. Air Canada has its own chief medical officer, as well as medical offices in Montréal, Toronto and Vancouver.

“So many of our employees are on the road keeping our operations going, and we feel strongly about taking care of them,” says Meloul.

A lawyer who was born and raised in Montréal, Meloul joined Air Canada in 1997 as assistant general counsel and director of legal services as the airline was building a world-class legal team.

“I loved private practice, but I have a passion for business, and the lure

 An aircraft maintenance engineer at Air Canada inspecting equipment to ensure safe and effective operation.

“We don’t believe in putting our people in boxes on an organizational chart –we’re very big on moving talent around based on individual skill sets.”

— Arielle Meloul Executive Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer and Public Affairs

31,900 58 100% 280

of getting deep into the business proved to be challenging and exciting,” she says.

After 14 years, Meloul became senior director of human resources, moving through various executive roles until she assumed her current scope in 2020. “We needed to get our employees

Rising Higher

re-engaged, and I was tapped to help move the culture along,” she says. “We wanted human resources to become a true business partner, and over the years my role grew.”

Growing roles and offering diverse opportunities are key to employee satisfaction. “We don’t believe in putting our people in

boxes on an organizational chart –we’re very big on moving talent around based on individual skill sets,” says Meloul.

Value is also added through internal and external diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, such as the Girls in STEM program, where middle-school

students visit Air Canada and meet women in non-traditional roles such as engineers and pilots. “Diversity is part of Air Canada’s DNA, with our employees speaking more than 50 languages,” says Meloul. “We fly to multiple countries, and our customers and employees reflect that.” 

 Air Canada flight attendants complete pre-flight check-ins.

A ‘one team’ culture drives Alimentation Couche-Tard

“It’s been quite the adventure.” That’s how Mélanie Alain describes a 22-year career with Alimentation Couche-Tard (ACT) where she’s flourished since starting as a part-time cashier in Montréal. Now director of operations, she’s responsible for all 73 Couche-Tard convenience stores on the island of Montréal.

With each promotion, Alain says, ACT provided the training and support she needed to succeed in her new role. The company helped her grow in other ways, she adds. Studying part-time, Alain earned a degree in business administration with ACT’s full tuition support. She even met her husband –who also works for ACT – at a company Christmas party and the couple have two daughters, age eight and 15.

Alain hadn’t set out to rise through the ranks of one of the world’s largest convenience retailers. She’d grown up working in her parents’ restaurant in Gaspé and, wanting a different career path, had moved to Montréal where she enrolled full-time in college with the goal of becoming a police officer.

To be self-sufficient, Alain

worked two shifts a week as a cashier at the Couche-Tard across the street from where she was living off campus. Within two months she was promoted to assistant manager and by the time she finished her course, she’d been promoted to store manager – and decided she was no longer interested in police work.

What appealed to her then and continues to inspire her today, Alain says, is the company culture that puts people first. “The

question is always, ‘how do we help people to grow?’”

For her part, Alain advises the cashiers she supervises to consider ACT in their long-term career plans. University students working part-time, for example, often think they’ll need to look elsewhere for a job when they graduate, she says.

“I encourage them to look beyond the store,” she says. “ACT’s size and global reach mean there are all kinds of different store and office opportunities. The sky’s

the limit.”

Founded as a single convenience store in 1980, the company has grown organically and through acquisitions to more than 14,000 stores in 24 countries worldwide. This comprises of convenience stores and mobility services, including fuel and charging solutions for electric vehicles.

ACT announced in 2015 that Circle K, which it had purchased in 2003, would be its global convenience brand and that it

 A customer service representative at Alimentation Couche-Tard offering fast and positive service.

“It’s not just lip service when we say we’re all one team. We have never forgotten that we all grow together.”

— Suzanne Poirier Senior Vice President, Operations

would successively rename its other brands. Couche-Tard remains its flagship brand in Québec.

Suzanne Poirier, senior vice president of operations, attributes the company’s success to its mission and values, which have shaped its culture over the years.

“We’re all here to make life a little easier for our customers and our colleagues,” she says. “It’s not just lip service when we say we’re all one team. We have never forgotten that we all grow together.”

The result, she says, is an environment where people are encouraged to reach their full

potential. Learning and development opportunities range from gamified training for young employees, including summer students, to leadership development programs. The company also offers those who determine that their current career path no longer suits them the opportunity to

retrain and try something new.

“The door is never closed,” says Poirier, who was a mid-career professional when she joined ACT in 2018.

As for Alain, she says she’s always been certain she made the right career choice. “I’m exactly where I belong.”

GROWING TOGETHER

 Employees are encouraged to grow through learning and development opportunities at Alimentation Couche-Tard.

At Bell Canada, the focus is always on the employee

Early in her career, Stacey Hoirch moved from an accounting firm to a major manufacturer and on to a multinational pharmaceutical company before joining Bell Canada. She expected to stay with Bell for five years or so before seeking a new opportunity elsewhere. That was 17 years ago.

“I wasn’t envisioning staying long, but I’m still here and absolutely love it,” says Hoirch, vice-president deputy controller & planning. “Bell is a large, national company, but it’s easy to find your way around, especially when you start, because people are always willing to support you. It’s a very supportive culture.”

Nicolas Carrara, who came to Montréal from his native France to do a master’s degree in business strategy, joined Bell in 2019 and sees the potential for a long and rewarding career with the company.

“When I was doing my master’s, I had the opportunity to discuss

Bell Canada with two directors,” says Carrara, lead for the incubator and accelerator program, 5G services innovation team. “They were talking about their jobs and the impactful opportunities Bell would offer me to flourish. So far, it’s been a wonderful journey.”

For one thing, he’s been given responsibility for developing a cutting-edge innovation lab, which he and his team are scaling up to an innovation centre with locations in Montréal and Toronto.

“Every time I’ve needed a leader to help me discuss some challenges

or simply answer some questions, I’ve never received a negative response,” he says. “It’s ‘let’s book time,’ ‘let’s talk about it’ and ‘how I can help you.’ I’ve gone all the way up to discussing financial structure and innovation culture with two senior vice-presidents. That’s incredibly motivating.”

As a senior leader, Hoirch says an essential part of her role involves listening and being accessible. Both are critical to retaining and developing talent. “I have weekly discussions with my direct reports,” she says. “There’s

always an opportunity to talk about what’s going on with their teams and mapping out what they want to do next year.

“There are formal mid-year and year-end evaluations with employees, but that is not where the conversations end,” Hoirch says. “It’s a 12-month, 52-week discussion,” she adds. “It’s just having the conversations with them and supporting them if they want to try something different. The focus is always on the employee. That’s one of the stronger parts of the culture

 Bell Canada promotes collaboration and creativity with open-plan workspaces.

“Bell is a large, national company, but it’s easy to find your way around, especially when you start, because people are always willing to support you. It’s a very supportive culture.”

— Stacey Hoirch Vice-President, Deputy Controller & Planning

 Bell Canada supports external training opportunities for certifications and accreditations. at Bell.”

Career growth is another huge priority at Bell, she says. The company offers a wide array of internal training materials that employees can access through the career zone suite of online resources. Among other things, there are courses available on how

to communicate effectively, either verbally or written, and how to read an audience. “I’ve absolutely used these resources,” says Hoirch.

Bell also provides other training for the overall well-being of its employees including topics related to truth and reconciliation; mental health; diversity, inclusion and

belonging; unconscious bias and much more.

The company also supports employee growth through the Bell Mentoring program. The program fosters an environment for employees to participate in a knowledge exchange, challenge their beliefs and promote a growth

mindset. Hoirch herself has participated in the program throughout her career, as both a mentor and mentee. Hoirch says she “appreciates the relationships that are created through connections you would not necessarily have the chance to form through day-to-day interactions.” 

Opportunities take flight at Bell Textron Canada

When MarieFrance Myre speaks of the support Bell Textron Canada Ltd. has provided her during her 18 years at the company, she doesn't just mean career development. To be sure, the senior continuous improvement specialist does point to the three funded opportunities for further training in the U.S. that opened up her professional path. But there were other significant opportunities as well.

“One project I could never have dreamed of was setting up a drive-through vaccination clinic in 2021 that aimed to vaccinate our employees, their families and the community during the pandemic” says Myre. “It was a big challenge but when you work with agile and competent teams like at Bell Textron Canada, you feel like you can move mountains.”

An almost seamless transition

between professional and personal support is a hallmark of Bell Textron Canada, says human resources site leader Anne-Sophie Parenteau. “This is not a company people tend to leave,” Parenteau says, “and it often goes from one generation to the next.” The Mirabel-based company, the commercial helicopter arm of the American aerospace manufacturer Bell Textron Inc., has been at the innovative edge of flight technology in Canada for decades. It offers high-end design, tech and factory-floor work, and a commitment to career development.

“We strongly encourage people to continue to develop themselves,” says Parenteau. “The company partners with numerous schools to provide training, co-op and otherwise. And we offer employees tuition reimbursement and encouragement to look at a variety of training, not just inside the company, but outside as well.”

Bell Textron Canada’s workplace culture is rooted in that support and in continuous open communication between management and employees, Parenteau adds.

“President Steeve Lavoie actually does two weekly tours, one in

the office, one on the shop floor, to make sure that he hears the concerns of the employees and is able to communicate and answer questions.”

Some of the concerns raised then are easy to fix, Parenteau says, while others involve major efforts. “But it all gives us a pulse of what our employees are needing.” And one thing management does hear is support for Bell Textron Canada’s community involvement, whether that involves employees helping set up the local Christmas market, implementing the only COVID-19 vaccine drive-through

 Bell Textron Canada offers programs and targeted development designed for experienced professionals to broaden their skill sets.

“The company was sensitive to a difficult situation, which really helped me find medical and mental resources, and managed my schedule to allow me to be there for my family.”

— Marie-France Myre Senior Continuous Improvement Specialist

in the Laurentians, or the company’s $500,000 contribution to First Nations Technical Institute in Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory near Deseronto, Ont., after a February 2022 fire ravaged its hangar, air fleet and maintenance equipment.

For both Myre and Parenteau,

though, the emotional bond with Bell Textron Canada goes deeper still. Along with her professional growth and her involvement in an unexpected pandemic project, Myre is open about her appreciation for its response to a familial crisis. “The company was sensitive to a difficult situation, which

really helped me find medical and mental resources, and managed my schedule to allow me to be there for my family. I will always be grateful for that.”

And if the family support Bell Textron Canada offers makes it feel like actual family to Myre, she’s not alone. “It was one of

my dreams to work here,” says Parenteau, “because I have an uncle who worked at the company and talked about it with such love, it was almost part of the family. I hope my son – who helps me with my volunteer activities here –whatever he chooses to do, will be able to work here too.”

 An employee at Bell Textron Canada polishing one of its helicopters.

How BNP Paribas’s workforce evolves with the times

Two paths have led BNP Paribas to its evolving set of workplace benefits and conditions, according to chief operating officer Cécile Grimault.

“There is a competitive market for talent, and you have to be looking at what is happening at other companies,” she says. “But, more importantly, it’s also aligned with the bank’s values. We want to have a positive impact on the environment, and the first part of the environment where we have an impact is our employees’ well-being.”

Some developments, such as the tripling of paid personal days off from two to six and the doubling of mental health care practitioner benefits from $500 to $1,000, were prompted by the COVID-19 lockdowns. But even after the shock of the pandemic has waned, BNP is still looking at its working environment with an assessing eye. “Every year there are new actions we can do to take into

account the needs and the reality of our employees,” Grimault says. Those actions include a new $10,000 lifetime maximum for IUI fertility treatments. “That simply reflects the reality that there can be difficulty for people to have children, and the fact that we are able to cover those needs is important,” says Grimault.

“It’s the same thing for transgender people’s needs,” she adds, referring to a similar $10,000 lifetime maximum for surgical procedures involved in gender identity. “That too is aligned with the reality of the society in which we’re living. And all these

developments were very much employee-driven.”

The primary engines for that drive are BNP’s many employee resource groups (ERGs). Pauline Schrapp, project manager, change and solutions, is also co-chair of MixCity, the bank’s women’s ERG. “The bank has so many ERGs and initiatives that you can always find something that matches with your profile, with your beliefs, with what you want to develop in yourself. Ours aims to foster a gender-inclusive workspace.”

MixCity promotes workshops, mentorship programs and sponsorships. “During ‘Gender Equality’

week in September, we organized self-defence classes for women, as well as training for things like how to speak with a strong voice, and panels on women in technology,” says Schrapp. “We try to address every bias related to gender that we can face at the office.”

For Schrapp, a native of Strasbourg, France, her employer’s support for international mobility and its commitment to a welcoming workspace are among the aspects of the France-based bank she most appreciates.

“A few years back, interacting with a senior colleague who was behaving in a rude and

 BNP Paribas employees connect at the company’s summer event.

“The bank has so many ERGs and initiatives that you can always find something that matches with your profile, with your beliefs, with what you want to develop in yourself.”

— Pauline Schrapp Project Manager, Change and Solutions



condescending manner, I had no clue how to speak up for myself,” Schrapp says. “But, after greater participation in MixCity, when I later had a similar experience I felt much more empowered, and I did speak up. And I felt the support of the bank.”

In 2023, when the Diverse

creates a positive work environment in which everyone can thrive.

Abilities Supporters Community ERG comes to life, BNP will further match its working environment to the society around it, says Grimault. “One thing we’re doing is something quite different regarding people who identify as neuro-diverse.”

Creating a working environment

suitable for all, including the neuro-diverse, Grimault continues, is a work-in-progress. “It raises the need – a good need for us, because it leads us to look at people a little bit differently and change what we tend to apply when we assess people – for an appropriate interview process, and

awareness of how to interact with people with this type of sensitivity,” says Grimault.

“We have hired neuro-diverse people already and we are at the phase where we can consider how to grow this initiative to a broader level. We’re still in the middle of our journey.”

BNP Paribas

Broadsign’s values are part of every decision

Before working at Broadsign, a digital signage and out-ofhome advertising technology company, Dana Tunks held senior positions in both the consulting and auditing worlds. And she developed a “pretty good eye” for what attributes make a tech company special. Broadsign had them.

“It’s a values-based leadership,” says Tunks, the chief financial officer. CEO Burr Smith “has really embedded his values down through the organization and is using those values as part of all decision-making. That’s really quite unique.”

Among the things that drew Catherine Lee to Broadsign fresh off a marketing degree was just that. “I could tell that it aligned with the values that I hold dear, that it would be a place where I could grow my career and I could share my ideas openly,” says Lee, a product marketing specialist. “That’s one of the things I love –that no matter what level you’re at, you can ask anyone anything.”

When Lee started at Broadsign, she was thrown almost immediately into working on large projects. “It was a lot but it was such a great learning experience,”

she says. “They trusted me and they trained me at the same time. I felt like I had all the support I needed.”

Training and growth are supported at Broadsign – in fact the company recently hired someone whose job is solely focused on it – and when Lee moved into her more specialized field, the company offered her what she needed to succeed. “Still,

to this day, I’m learning,” she adds. Any time she has asked to do courses or get certifications, it’s been “no questions asked.”

Even though she has progressed quickly over the past three years, Lee continues to work closely with her manager to be ready for what might come next. “I have a clear roadmap of how my role is going to evolve,” Lee says. “I can see that path, and it’s great to have

those goals.”

It’s also, by Lee’s admission, a fun place to be – beautiful, well-designed and well-equipped offices, with a full kitchen and beer tap, videogames and foosball tables, plus cinq à sept gatherings every month. “It’s software, right?” says Lee. “Everyone works really hard, but I think they also appreciate the balance from taking time to connect with colleagues.”

 Broadsign employees at its first ‘Global Employee Summit’ in Montréal.

“When you have really engaged employees, you tend to have really happy customers.”

— Dana Tunks Chief Financial Officer

What kept the company strong during the pandemic was its focus on two things, Tunks says: its customers and its employees. Twice a year, Broadsign measures engagement and the leadership team takes the feedback, flags areas of improvement and implements changes. One was getting more

involved in issues that employees cared about, such as sustainability and diversity, equity and inclusion, both of which are now very active global corporate initiatives.

“The team at Broadsign is passionate about what they’re doing, the problems they’re solving for the industry,” says Tunks.

“That passion turns into employee engagement. And when you have really engaged employees, you tend to have really happy customers.”

That’s borne out in one of the company’s key metrics – the client churn, or attrition, rate. Some customers who were with Broadsign in 2004 and 2005 are

still with the company.

“You need to do what’s right for the customer, what’s right for the employees, what’s right for the industry,” says Tunks. “You end up having a really great culture and you overlay that with values-based leadership, and it really does make a difference.”

 Joe Cotugno, SVP, international operations, at Broadsign

BDC’s caring, flexible culture is the bottom line

In 2012, two years after moving from India to Montréal to work in IT, Sadhana Venkatesan decided to start her own consulting business with her Québecois boyfriend. One of her clients was located in the same office building as Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC). “I kept seeing BDC’s logo and I was very curious to learn more,” she says.

When Venkatesan learned that BDC is a financial institution that helps create and develop strong Canadian businesses through financing, advisory services and capital, with a focus on small and medium-sized enterprises, a light bulb went on. “My dad is a banker in India and I’m an entrepreneur, and I discovered that one of my boyfriend’s aunts had worked for BDC,” she says. “It seemed like a good fit.”

In 2019, Venkatesan joined BDC as a solutions architect, moving into an enterprise architect’s role two years later. In November 2022, she was promoted to assistant vice president, architecture, overseeing various business lines and responding to the organization’s strategy and vision. Being the only woman on her team of 35

architects doesn’t faze her.

“I’ve always been treated fairly and given lots of good opportunities,” she says. “Everyone has been very welcoming, and I’ve never felt out of place or that I wasn’t listened to in meetings. My managers come to me to recognize my work and efforts – that’s so rare in other workplaces.”

Another thing Venkatesan appreciates is the scheduling flexibility she’s been offered since giving birth to a daughter after marrying

her boyfriend and business partner, as well as throughout the pandemic. “I have a five-year-old now, and my work hours are very flexible,” she says. “My colleagues know my daughter’s face and name from our video calls!”

The coaching and mentoring Venkatesan has received has gone above and beyond what she had expected. The CIO loans her books he thinks might interest her, and she’s part of an internal mentoring program with one-on-one monthly

meetings. “You get access to the top leaders at BDC, and you can speak about anything under the sun,” she says.

A caring culture that promotes internal talent in a safe environment appeals to all employees.

Adil Seif, BDC’s regional director of corporate financing, adds that there are many opportunities to get out of your comfort zone. “If you want to move around, the organization will support you by encouraging you to get involved

 Business Development Bank of Canada has an employee resource group which focuses on the relationship between employees and entrepreneurs while increasing diversity and inclusion.

“My managers come to me to recognize my work and efforts –that’s so rare in other workplaces.”

— Sadhana Venkatesan Assistant Vice President, Architecture

29,308

in projects with committees to develop your networks,” he says. Seif is involved with the employee resource group, which focuses on both BDC employees and the entrepreneurs they serve.

“It gives us a better sense of people’s needs and the gaps to be filled, and it’s a way to contribute

and give back to our colleagues and clients,” he says. Increasing diversity and inclusion is an important mandate, achieved in part by launching funds for historically underserved markets such as Indigenous and Black entrepreneurs.

While employees learned how

to work efficiently from home during the pandemic, Seif is happy to be able to return to meeting colleagues and clients in person in Montréal, Moncton and Halifax. “My role is client-facing, and it has always been flexible,” he says.

“BDC is a big supporter of finding the balance between productivity

and your personal life.”

The bottom line for all BDC employees is focused on the people they serve. “The purpose and mission fostered around the entrepreneurs keeps me energized,” says Seif. “BDC is very agile and innovative, and I’m proud to work here.” 

No other bank is doing what we do.

 The encouraging culture at Business Development Bank of Canada promotes and supports internal talent.

At C3, happiness is part of the job description

Since its beginnings almost 20 years ago, the goal of C3 Solutions Inc. has been to be the best at what they do – creating software for yard management and dock scheduling – and have fun while doing it. And while the company has grown a lot since then, that goal has never changed.

In fact, the company even created the position of chief happiness officer four years ago. “We were a small company and then we added employees and a management layer,” explains C3 president Élise Crevier. “We wanted to maintain our culture and that fun and that family feeling but management had less time to take care of that on a day-to-day basis. So we decided to have someone whose job would be exactly that.”

Crevier was one of C3’s first employees, starting in human resources, then working in three other departments before moving into the president’s office a year ago. That freedom to grow and change is one of the things that has kept her with the company for so long. And C3 tries to make all employees have the same opportunities for development.

In the onboarding process, each new employee is “immersed in C3,” Crevier explains. “They meet people in every department, they

learn how each department works – their vision and their function.”

There are quarterly conversations, at minimum, between managers and employees about development and goals. “But it’s really a two-way conversation about the level of fun and happiness they have in their jobs.”

There is a buddy system as well

for new employees, a touchpoint for the early weeks with C3. But help is available any time, according to Kelly Pearson, the chief happiness officer. On returning from maternity leave, Pearson herself discovered that quite a bit had changed. “I sat down with every department,” she says. “Everyone is so generous

with their time, and even if they have to work longer hours, it’s like ‘No, my main focus is to help.’ It’s part of our DNA.”

Then there are regular cinq à sept gatherings, a C3 band, board game and videogame nights, a volleyball team (there’s a court next to head office), and a social budget for every team, as well

 Managers and employees at C3 Solutions hold quarterly conversations about their development and goals.

“Happy people work hard but they also feel like they’re part of something.”

— Kelly Pearson Chief Happiness Officer

as many opportunities to help out together in the broader community.

Because culture is so much a part of working at C3, Crevier admits they were nervous about working virtually during the pandemic and what impact that might have culturally. So while

everyone was working from home offices – which were outfitted with ergonomic furniture by C3 – Crevier says they renovated headquarters, getting rid of designated desks and creating a co-working space.

“We now call it the C3 House,” says Crevier. “We wanted our

people to come back to the house and we built a hybrid format where at least one day per week every team is together, and all teams see each other over a month-long period.”

If anything, she adds, the culture is even better as a result. “Happy people work hard but they also

feel like they’re part of something,” says Pearson. “It’s a very close-knit family. We have a lot of younger people after a recent big hiring phase and a lot of senior people who have been here for 10 or 15 years. And it’s really great to see everyone work so cohesively together and just be so generous.” 

LEADERS IN YARD & DOCK SCHEDULING MANAGEMENT

We are cool, passionate, agile, and striving to place our employees and customers at the center.

 C3 Solutions renovated their offices to allow employees to get together and collaborate.

full-time

Futuristic work and tight teams define Cerence

When Robert Thifault explains why Cerence Technologies Inc., 315 employees strong in Montréal, had 25,000 job applications last year, he begins, unsurprisingly, with the cutting-edge tech work on offer. “We aren't developing tomorrow’s applications, but the applications for two years from now,” says Cerence’s senior director, cloud services research and development.

“We have future technologies we are working out with our automotive partners,” says Thifault, who works at the leading creator of AI-assisted technology for automobiles and transportation. “There’s what we call multimodal for urban navigation, so you can be in your car and just ask, ‘What’s that building on my left?’ and it will tell you. Or the one we call smart car manual, where a camera will look where you look, and you can point to a button and ask

what it’s for, and it will tell you. Point at a restaurant and it’ll ask if you want to make a reservation. All very, very interesting for new developers, right?”

But it doesn’t take Thifault long to raise the way his futuristic tech is coming alive. “Our team structure has people working collaboratively to develop applications end to end, rather than just develop a feature and not see the end of the product. That makes the work very collaborative, with cross-functional teams having their own researchers, language

specialists and testers. So: collaborative and dynamic.”

Combine that with the transparent communication that Cerence is increasingly practising, adds Thifault, and staff engagement solidifies. “You get better commitment from the teams when members know their voices are heard and see their value to the organization,” Thifault says. “So that communication is part of the culture as well.”

For Lisa Amos, manager, software development, three-yearold Cerence’s strong collaborative

spirit and its open communication are also key attractions. Amos joined Cerence’s predecessor company in 2017, a decade after a co-op stint there during her time at McGill University. “I had fond memories of the way we worked,” she says, “and I knew it was a company that I wanted to be part of again.”

That collaborative culture only intensified with the transition into Cerence, Amos continues.

“Beginning together on smaller teams, discussing new ideas and implementing them together from

 The team structure at Cerence Technologies allows employees to work collaboratively on developing applications end to end (photo credit: smvisualcreations.com).

“The best way to mentor someone is to integrate them in everything that you’re doing, because while they may not have experience, they have a fresh perspective we should listen to.”

— Lisa Amos Manager, Software Development

the start, bonded everyone all the more and made the teams much stronger.”

As well, adds Amos a few days before accompanying her team to a Montréal food bank, Cerence allows employees two days of paid-for volunteer work yearly, for whatever causes they choose.

“There is a strong focus on giving back to the community.”

Cerence supports employees with opportunities to advance their careers, says Amos, who moved from software development team member to leader last August. It provides up to $3,000 annually in tuition subsidies, and

encourages her to pay forward the mentorship she experienced.

“I came here because the people I worked with as a student really left a lasting impression on me,” Amos says. And now, managing at a company that chose its name to reflect both the cerebral science and the human emotional

response aspects of its work, Amos remembers that mentorship when working with interns or new hires.

“The best way to mentor someone is to integrate them in everything that you’re doing, because while they may not have experience, they have a fresh perspective we should listen to.” 

 Cerence Technologies employees are offered education opportunities and training and development programs to help them grow in their career (photo credit: smvisualcreations.com).

in Canada

Sustainability is a touchstone at Concordia

From green buildings to rooftop green gardens, sustainability is the gold standard attracting not just students but faculty and staff to Montréal’s Concordia University.

“Our faculty, staff and students have told us that sustainability is important to them,” says Carolina Willsher, associate vice-president, human resources.

Concordia’s ‘Sustainability Action Plan,’ launched in 2020, is a collaboration with its community that includes a long-term vision for 2040 along with five-year plans around five key pathways: food, waste, climate, research and curriculum.

“As an employer we want to make sure we are aligning our values with what and who we say we are. Our employees carry those values for the organization, and the ‘Sustainability Action Plan’ is a large part of that.”

Concordia has about 6,000 full and part-time faculty and staff and 50,000 students split between its main downtown campus and another in the city’s western side. The university operates a shuttle

bus between campuses and there are bike racks and indoor bike parking passes at each.

“We have a carpooling program for employees as well as electric vehicle charging stations at both campuses,” says Willsher.

Sustainability generally means meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the needs of the next.

As provost and vice-president, academic, Anne Whitelaw is concerned with ensuring that students receive a high-quality education both inside and outside the classroom.

“Sustainability means that we

need to be mindful of the decisions that we make as a university. We need to think about how we run the university on one hand, but also the kind of education that we give our students,” Whitelaw says.

“So are we bringing sustainability issues and concepts into our curriculum? Are we getting students to think beyond their personal worlds and lives and getting them to think globally?”

Whitelaw says many students are engaged in these issues and Concordia wants to work with them to support the kinds of projects and programs they want

to put in place.

“We have undergraduate and graduate programs addressing sustainability as well as emerging certificate programs in sustainability,” she says.

Students choose Concordia because of its teaching, its research and also its actions in relation to sustainability, Whitelaw explains.

“Students also come with their own ideas and their own desires to do things and what I find exciting is when those two elements connect.”

Concordia has some five generations of employees, including some who have been there 50 and more

 Faculty, staff and students at Concordia University gather at Loyola campus for the annual ‘President’s Welcome’ reception.

“Sustainability means that we need to be mindful of the decisions that we make as a university.”

— Anne Whitelaw Provost and Vice-President, Academic

years, adds Willsher.

“When we think about the values we have as an organization, including values relating to sustainability, it speaks to multiple generations,” Willsher says.

“And with sustainability, it’s really important from the perspective of enhancing social well-being

and having people feel and know that they are making a difference.”

Concordia has a number of green buildings and four have received special designation from LEED, the global green building certification program. Certified LEED buildings create healthier spaces by improving efficiency and

lowering carbon emissions. Willsher adds that another attraction for employees is the various gardens, including rooftop ones.

“That’s where employees can actually learn about urban biodiversity, which is important because of our urban campus.

They’re able to see what we’re growing and how we grow, and take that knowledge and actually use it in their personal lives,” Willsher says.

“Concordia is such an open community. We’re really interested in making a very positive impact on society.” 

ONE OF MONTREAL’S TOP EMPLOYERS, 8 YEARS RUNNING

 The John Molson School of Business building at Concordia University is one of its institution’s four LEED-certified buildings.

History and innovation mix harmoniously at CSL

The CSL Group Inc. has been a part of Canada’s history since as far back as 1845. The iconic company has played an important role in shaping maritime shipping in Canada and throughout the world, and has served in both World Wars by dedicating ships to the allied effort.

That history is part of what drew Luciana Praxedes to the company. Now a ship operator in charge of all the commercial aspects of the fleet, Praxedes came to CSL in 2022 with years of international on-board experience and the desire to learn the business from the shore side.

“I was always inspired by how CSL’s history is connected to Canadian history – how it dedicated vessels to help in the war,” she says. “It’s so inspiring to be with a company that takes a social responsibility. They’re not only here for making money, but to have an impact in our society.”

Even though Stéphanie Aubourg had been watching ships go back and forth on the St. Lawrence her whole life, she’d never really considered the maritime industry as a career. But she was won over almost from the moment she walked through the company’s

front doors in Old Montréal and saw replicas of the ships everywhere.

“When I started here, I quickly realized how exciting it is to work in maritime shipping,” says Aubourg, chief human resources officer. “The CSL work environment is so multi-faceted, innovative and diverse, and the

people who work here are one of a kind. It’s a business that's been operating for more than 100 years and it's still renewing itself.”

With lots of challenges and plenty of opportunities to move around or up on land or at sea, there’s rarely a dull moment. CSL brings in 20 cadets every year and about the same number of interns

to work onshore. All are set up with training and opportunities for advancement, with mentorship eagerly provided by experienced personnel.

“There are opportunities for growth within the company and plenty of support to help me gain new skills,” says Praxedes. “And I also feel CSL has my back – I

 Seafarer working on board the MV Thunder Bay, a lake freighter owned by CSL Group.

“It’s so inspiring to be with a company that takes a social responsibility.”

— Luciana Praxedes Ship Operator

work with great leadership and feel inspired by them.”

A program called Talent Voyage focuses on high-potential employees and is key to succession planning. It involves coaching, mentoring and competency development with an aim to prepare the next generation

of leaders.

“We have employees that started with us as interns and worked their way to director positions, or people who started on board our ships as cadets and are now captains or chief engineers,” says Aubourg. “If you’re ambitious and motivated, you’ll always be

CHOOSE A CAREER

challenged by new and complex projects.”

Outside of the business day, there are lots of ways for CSL employees to give back to the community. Praxedes particularly enjoyed a CSL event designed to give children information about the marine industry, complete

with remote-controlled boats to transport cargo.

One six-year-old boy was really excited to be there, Praxedes recalls. “He said, ‘My father works on board, so I want to be a captain one day. I came here to get my first exercise.’ That was so rewarding.” 

 CSL Group provides opportunities for growth within the company and support to gain new skills.

Groupe Dynamite ignites innovation and creativity

When Chanel Vincelli began working at Montréalbased Groupe Dynamite Inc. almost seven years ago, she did not foresee being able to boost the fashion retailer’s brand image, much less create a new position for herself. But that’s what can happen in a company that listens to and nurtures its young talent.

“I was working as a junior concept designer, and as much as I enjoyed it, I saw that there was a gap between what we were communicating about collections and what marketing was communicating as a brand,” Vincelli recalls. “So I kind of forged a new path, and a job that didn’t exist before.”

Vincelli, who is now senior brand editor of the Dynamite Clothing brand, is grateful for the encouragement she received from management at Groupe Dynamite, which operates Dynamite and Garage clothing stores in Canada and the U.S., to speak up and act

on her ideas.

“I saw a void and went after it, and I was fully supported,” she says. “I was given the opportunity to prove that this position would be valuable and could build the brand’s image. It’s something I wouldn’t be able to do elsewhere, and I’m super thankful to Dynamite for trusting me and giving me that space.”

at Groupe Dynamite, says the company’s commitment to advancing employees’ professional development makes it a place where young women like Vincelli can express themselves creatively and build their career.

space for employees to express themselves and develop their careers in an industry they can identify with and feel passionate about.”

Sarah Paula Brami,

vicepresident of talent and culture

“Retail fashion is a fast-paced industry,” she says. “The products we develop this month are different from the ones we will develop next month. We’re always innovating, and there is lots of

As well as an internship program with a curriculum focused on training prospective employees and familiarizing them with different aspects of the business, Groupe Dynamite offers reimbursement for certain courses taken by employees interested in continuing

 Chanel Vincelli, senior brand editor, Dynamite clothing, at Groupe Dynamite.

“This is a company that takes care of you. They think of everything, and they’re constantly looking at how they can better serve their employees.”

— Chanel Vincelli Senior Brand Editor, Dynamite Clothing

their education.

“That’s really important to us,” Brami says. “We want to empower young people to continue their education and consider retail as a long-term career option.”

There’s also a plan to expand the organization’s benefits in order to offer employees and their families

a complete range of services, including virtual health care as well as a new additional mental health program. “Whether it’s financial, mental or physical health, they’ll be provided with what they need to address their issues,” Brami says. “I’m very proud of that.”

Vincelli is appreciative of the new initiatives. “This is a company that takes care of you,” she says. “They think of everything, and they’re constantly looking at how they can better serve their employees. It’s great.”

Vincelli thrives on the exciting atmosphere in the office. “At

Dynamite, every day is different,” she says. “It’s full of challenges, but there’s always a supportive team there for you. People really encourage each other. Everyone is hyper creative and full of drive to get our ideas off the ground and make the brand better every single day.” 

 Groupe Dynamite employees at its summer barbecue.

Insight teammates are in a constant state of learning

After working for three years for a computer retailer, Simon Malette joined Montréal’s Insight Enterprises in 2014 as an account executive.

Insight is a leading provider of computer hardware, software, cloud solutions and IT services to tens of thousands of clients globally in business, government, education and health care. As an account executive, Malette worked with clients in Québec and the Maritimes, helping them to maximize the value of technology, while prospecting for new clients in his territory.

“This was my first real job,” he says, “and I wasn’t sure how long I’d stay.”

More than eight years and two promotions later, Malette is still with the company.

“I found that Insight treats employees not like numbers but as a top priority,” Malette says. “I’ve formed personal relationships outside of work with many of my colleagues. We’re a tight group.”

Such harmony is one of the three Hs that define Insight’s culture, says senior vice-president and general manager John Dathan. The others are hunger and heart.

“Hunger is the drive to get going,” he says. “Heart is knowing that how you do business is as important as the business you do. And harmony means we work as a team not only with each other, but with partners, clients and the communities in which we operate.”

Insight was formed 34 years ago by brothers Tim and Eric Crown in Tempe, Arizona, selling hard drives, Dathan observes. Now a public company with more than 12,000 teammates globally, 950 in Canada, it still has a family feel.

In fact, Dathan says, “we have three families among our

teammates with at least four family members working here. Other families have nieces and nephews.”

In his advancement through the company to his current position, Malette has taken advantage of one of Insight’s top priorities: knowledge.

“After I started as an account rep, I really wanted to develop my technology side,” he says.

With the encouragement of his colleagues and of Dathan in particular, Malette began educating himself in the technology that the company provided to its clients.

“Insight gave me the opportunity

to specialize in what I wanted to be,” he says. “John pushed me most. He suggested that I consider another role in the company, specifically this one.”

Enrolling in courses provided by Insight and its partners, Malette acquired the expertise he needed to become a cloud and data centre transformation specialist first, and then a modern infrastructure specialist, the position he has held since June 2022.

“The courses get you into the comfort zone of the technology that you’re selling,” he says. “We’re learning continuously through

 Insight employee demonstrating a virtual reality headset to clients.

“The whole company is based on knowledge. Also, I’m surrounded by extremely smart people.”

— Simon Malette Modern Infrastructure Specialist

partners and inside training to keep on the leading edge of technology. The whole company is based on knowledge. Also, I’m surrounded by extremely smart people.”

In his current position, Malette supports Insight clients in Québec and the Maritimes with cloud

backup, network security and backup solutions.

“A lot of my solutions are based on experience with other customers in similar situations,” he says. “We’re in a constant state of learning.”

From Dathan’s perspective, Insight thrives on continuous

learning by its teammates. “The only way to add value is through knowledge,” he says.

That doesn’t mean that Insight teammates do nothing but work. “We have fun,” Dathan says.

From barbecues to roller skating parties, employees can avail themselves of recreational events

throughout the year to relax and become more familiar with their teammates. They can also depend on Dathan to show up in a wardrobe that’s based on the company colour of fuchsia.

“I have a full wardrobe,” he says. “Suits, shirts, ties. People gravitate to it.”

 Insight team hosting an annual golf tournament.

Keurig Dr Pepper Canada promotes a learning culture

After a career spent in the financial and public sector, Martin Vermette joined Keurig Dr Pepper Canada (KDP Canada) in mid-2021, and he’s enjoyed every minute since then.

“I didn’t know anything about the consumer-packaged goods industry or what KDP Canada was about other than being a coffee and soft drink company,” says Vermette, a senior manager in human resources responsible for the commercial division, IT departments and talent development. “I am most excited about the strong culture of innovation and human values.

“My colleagues are incredible, the opportunities for growth are endless and my time here has gone by so quickly that it feels like I started yesterday.”

And there’s plenty to be excited about at KDP Canada. The company may be widely known for its coffee business through the brand Keurig, but it is, in fact, the

third-largest player in the beverage industry. KDP Canada offers a wide variety of hot and cold products, marketed under more than 60 leading brands, such as Canada Dry, Schweppes, Mott’s Clamato, Van Houtte, Timothy’s, Bai and the recently acquired Québec brand of non-alcoholic cocktails called Atypique.

Lê-Ngoc Chiem spent most of her career in consumer-packaged goods manufacturing companies before joining KDP Canada eight years ago. “I was attracted by KDP Canada’s reputation for sustainability, its involvement in local communities and its caring attitude toward maintaining the

quality of life of its employees,” says Chiem, director of financial planning and analysis. “Because KDP Canada has been experiencing tremendous growth, the company focuses on talent development and provides many opportunities for employees to learn and explore new skills.”

Even as a seasoned professional, Chiem has had many opportunities to grow during her KDP Canada tenure. She started as a commercial finance manager supporting sales and marketing strategy. Then she moved to the financial planning team and was promoted from senior manager to director.

“I’ve been very lucky to benefit

from our mentoring program,” she says. “I’ve had mentors from the strategy and treasury teams.”

Keurig Dr Pepper Canada uses the 70-20-10 rule to develop talent where new knowledge and skills acquired mostly come from varied and challenging work opportunities. “In a company as diverse as KDP Canada, employees can explore new skills through projects, move from one team to another or be given stretch assignments, in addition to have access to mentoring and traditional training,” says Vermette.

KDP Canada goes to great lengths to mentor the 15 to 25 students it recruits in summer, fall

 Keurig Dr Pepper Canada focuses on talent development with on-the-job learning, mentoring and training programs.

“One of the most important aspects of KDP Canada is our culture and creating an environment that allows employees to grow. It’s something you feel and breathe on a day-to-day basis.”

— Martin Vermette Senior Manager, Human Resources

and winter under its ‘LEAP’ and co-op programs. “Every employee can volunteer to be a mentor,” says Vermette. “They meet regularly with their mentees to discuss career options, problem-solving and networking opportunities, among other things.”

The company also involves the

co-op students in various projects that give them real exposure to the business. “We work with every business unit within KDP Canada to identify areas where they can bring value and learn from their experience,” he says. “At the end of their co-op, they present their projects’ outcomes to the senior

leadership team.”

KDP Canada offers full-time employees tuition reimbursement for professional accreditation as well as external degree programs relevant to their positions. The company also has a suite of internal training programs and certifications that are tailored to

employee development and the work they do.

“One of the most important aspects of KDP Canada is our culture and creating an environment that allows employees to grow,” says Vermette. “It’s something you feel and breathe on a day-to-day basis.” 

for making us an employer of choice.

 Keurig Dr Pepper Canada employees at the Atypique launch event in Montréal.

Excellence is onboard at Laurentian Pilotage Authority

When Karine Villeneuve became pregnant in 2017 while working as a dispatcher for the Laurentian Pilotage Authority (LPA), she worried that the long day and night shifts would no longer work for her once she had the baby. Fortunately, a position opened up that fit with her expertise, and the LPA supported her transition to becoming a marine safety technician, a position she still holds.

The Laurentian Pilotage Authority (“LPA”) is a federal Crown corporation responsible for administering and providing marine pilotage and related services in the waters of the Laurentian region, in particular the St. Lawrence River and the Saguenay River.

“As a marine safety technician, I deal with all the paperwork for the pilots, but I was already knowledgeable about that from my sailing background on the Great Lakes,” says Villeneuve. “I had some training when I first got the

new role and my boss mentored me on the job. The LPA is very open to helping you out with any course or training related to your work, and the nice thing is they pay the fees.”

The LPA also offers coverage for a wide range of health-related expenses, for mental health as well as for physical activity, and notably provides 93 per cent top-up of wages throughout an employee’s maternity or parental leave. Villeneuve also appreciated having her four weeks of vacation available when she returned from

her most recent maternity leave.

“The extra days were very helpful when I was coming back, as a small baby is often sick after beginning daycare,” says Villeneuve. “We’re hybrid now, so working from home three days a week really helps with my worklife balance. It’s very flexible here – we can choose which days we go into the office and I’m allowed to start early so I can leave in time to pick up the kids after work.”

Claudine Bishop, chief human resources officer, says family is really important at LPA. The

family-friendly top-up paid to employees helps ensure they won’t have a big financial impact during their maternity or parental leave. “We want employees to benefit from their leave and not feel rushed to come back,” says Bishop. “It’s important that our employees don’t have to face the difficult decision of choosing work over personal matters. Plus, there’s always some flexibility when a person is returning from any kind of leave. If there’s a specific situation, we like to find solutions to adapt to their needs.”

 Quality of life at work is essential for Josée Leroux, interim CEO at Laurentian Pilotage Authority.

“It's important that our employees don’t have to face the difficult decision of choosing work over personal matters.”

— Claudine Bishop Chief Human Resources Officer

full-time staff in Canada weeks, maternity and parental leave top-up pay job-related tuition subsidies

That flexibility also applies to learning and career opportunities for employees.

Bishop says the objective is to empower its professionals as experts in their field, but also to increase their strategic advisory skills and influence within the organization.

“Our employees always want to get better at what they do, so the career path isn’t always about getting a manager’s job or a promotion,” says Bishop. “It’s also about making a difference and being engaged in development opportunities. We see that employees take a greater interest

in more transversal skills and soft skills like communication, time management, training, or even political skills and change management abilities.

“It’s important that we have a dialogue with the employee to understand what their career path is and where they want to grow

inside of our organization,” Bishop adds. “Sometimes it’s not always the training we would have expected. They come to us with great ideas to develop themselves.

“People want to do their best and contribute to their highest potential. Excellence is our main driver.” 

 A dispatcher at Laurentian Pilotage Authority coordinating marine pilotage activities.

Maples Group helps employees find their perfect fit

When Émilie Savard got her start at Maples Group in 2009, the Montréal outpost of the international legal and financial services firm had just eight people, and Savard was its first information technology hire. Fast-forward 13 years: the firm has grown rapidly to a team of more than 300, and Savard has grown along with it.

She initially benefited from the firm’s entrepreneurial spirit and openness to giving employees opportunities to take on new challenges and expand their skill set. While she started as a business systems analyst, she expressed an interest in a more client-facing role and Maples gave her the opportunity to play a leading part in landing an anchor client for a new business line. “As much as people are hungry for challenges, there are always opportunities for them,” she says.

Today, as a mother of a young child, Savard appreciates the firm’s

flexibility, which allows her to achieve a better work-life balance.

“When I came back from maternity leave, I wanted better work-life balance to focus on my family, and I stepped into a role that’s perfect for what I needed,” says Savard, now the head of Maples’ project management office. “I’ve been able to continue evolving with the firm. It's a relationship that goes both ways –I’ve given a lot and they’ve given a lot back to me.”

Shabab Khan, a fund accountant

who participated in the 24-month associate rotation program that Maples offers entry-level hires, says this people-first focus extends to the company’s youngest talent.

Candidates including new graduates have the opportunity to rotate through three eight-month periods across departments to give them the chance to sample different career paths and find the best fit for their skills and aspirations.

When Khan joined the fund accounting department, after a stint as a know-your-client analyst

in the regulatory department, he realized he’d found his passion. Rather than heading on to a third department for the next rotation, Khan moved permanently to the fund accounting team.

“That’s been the highlight of my time here,” he says. “I feel like the company is invested in our professional growth and career development.”

Savard says Maples also tries to foster an enjoyable work environment through its team-building and social events, employee groups

 The Maples Group is committed to developing the next generation of industry experts.

“I’ve been able to continue evolving with the firm. It's a relationship that goes both ways – I’ve given a lot and they’ve given a lot back to me.”

— Émilie Savard Head, Project Management Office

and wellness initiatives, which have helped to build the organization’s social fabric after a surge of new hires in the past few years. In her early years at Maples, Savard took part in the company’s pub quiz roundtables, and now meets up with colleagues every week for the lunchtime running

club. “There's something for everyone,” she says.

Khan was born in Bangladesh, where soccer played a major role in the national culture. It was something he says he found himself missing in Canada – until the latest World Cup began in Qatar, and he learned many of

his colleagues loved the sport just as much as he did. He joined the office World Cup bracket tournament and fantasy soccer league. He has also taken part in numerous other team-building events.

“There’s always something happening, especially with the

pandemic easing up. We’ve had the opportunity to meet more new people as our team continues to grow, and everyone’s extremely kind and genuine,” he says. “Seeing great people on a daily basis, it makes you want to work harder and help your colleagues out to the very best of your abilities.”

 The Maples Group provides a diverse workplace for continuous growth and development.

Nestlé Nespresso brews up unique employee experiences

Yasmine Elmir wanted to work at a company with the highest social, economic and environmental standards. So she was delighted when after having only been with Nestlé Nespresso Canada a short time the company received its B Corp certification, a globally recognized seal of approval.

“Nespresso has sustainability in its DNA and it’s one of the reasons why I work here,” says Elmir, communications specialist. “The B Corp certification proved the company is committed to using business as a force for good.”

Headquartered in Montréal, Nestlé Nespresso Canada is part of the Nestlé family of companies, the world’s largest food and beverage company. It sells coffee, coffee machines and accessories online and through retail partners, and also offers boutique coffee experiences to consumers across Canada.

Elmir’s managers soon trusted her to create a high-level buzz around the company that had nothing to do with coffee. They welcomed beehives on the roof of the downtown Montréal head office as an example of Nespresso’s commitment to sustainability. Now she and her fellow employees can enjoy fresh honey in their

coffee while learning about the importance of pollinators.

Elmir works with employees from every facet of the company’s operations. Collectively, they’re part of a caffeinated culture of caring which has employee well-being at its core. Nespresso has brewed up a blend of generous benefits, flexible working arrangements, training and professional opportunities to support its people.

“It’s about creating an experience for the employee so they can work in innovative ways, create inspiring moments and have the supports in

place to increase collaboration and caring for one another,” says Eric Desautels, vice president human resources.

“We empower our employees and trust them to bring their best to the organization, which raises us up and allows us to give unique experiences to our customers.”

Training and education are fundamental to development at Nespresso. Employees learn about all things coffee, from how it’s grown and picked to all the steps that take it to store shelves and consumers’ cups. Programs are

infused with company values and goals like respect, collaboration, leadership training and career advancement.

Elmir works in the open and welcoming atmosphere of Nespresso’s head office, where conversations in multiple coffee corners have replaced chatting around the water cooler. At these coffee klatches, employees bounce ideas off one another, discuss new product lines and connect with different teams. The offices also have spaces where employees can relax and rejuvenate, including a

 Nestlé Nespresso Canada employees celebrating Laval boutique grand re-opening in November 2022.

“I’m in a place where I’m continuously learning, growing and getting better at what I do.”

— Yasmine Elmir Communications Specialist

leisure facility, prayer room and nap rooms on every floor.

“We provide a working environment where people are always well equipped to do the job they’re in, and at the same time, see there’s an opportunity to grow with us,” says Desautels.

“We’re part of a worldwide

company that offers a lot of opportunities and we’ve always had double-digit growth year over year. A big part of that is because of our employees’ dedication and putting their ideas forward to keep us moving ahead.”

The Nespresso experience also spills over into the community. It

has recycling partnerships with municipalities and education initiatives in schools in addition to supporting numerous charities. It’s a combination of employee enrichment and professional support that has Elmir relishing the prospect of another day at work like that first cup of coffee in

the morning.

“When I wake up in the morning, I never regret coming to the office – it’s a protective environment and I love being there,” she says.

“I’m in a place where I’m continuously learning, growing and getting better at what I do.”

 Nestlé Nespresso Canada encourages employees to brainstorm ideas at coffee corners in the office.

Teamwork makes the dream work at Pomerleau

Samia Tabarah likes to joke that she’s the “E” in the ESG (environmental, social and governance) strategy at Pomerleau

As the regional environmental coordinator in Montréal, Tabarah ensures the company’s projects in the region meet its environmental commitments, respect the legal and regulatory framework, and help projects achieve sustainable development certifications such as LEED.

Being involved in the region's various projects and supporting all of them is a “big responsibility,” Tabarah says, and not one she takes lightly.

“Having the opportunity to lead this team and make sure that our environmental commitments are not only being met but are being exceeded is meaningful for me,” she says. “We’re building something that has a lasting effect on the community in the most sustainable and innovative way. We’re

pushing the industry forward.”

That tangible impact is what draws many employees to work at Pomerleau, and to stay for the long haul, says Judith Moreau, project lead in organizational development. The Saint-Georges, Que.-based general contractor has projects in the residential, commercial, institutional, industrial, civil and infrastructure sectors.

“We’re working on complex and stimulating projects and people see the results of their work every day,” she says. “We’re really proud of what we’re doing.”

The company’s culture is

another major draw, she says. One of Pomerleau’s five central values is love, and Moreau says a big part of her role, which is focused on employee engagement, is ensuring employees feel a sense of belonging at the company and like they’re part of a family. That’s taken on new importance in the past few years as the company experienced rapid growth and a large influx of new staff, she says.

The company builds its culture through social events and initiatives like the ‘Pomerleau Challenge,’ a recurring event where employees team up with colleagues

across the organization who they might not have met before and compete in sports challenges together. Moreau, who began working at Pomerleau just a year and a half ago, says she befriended co-workers from across the country during the event.

Pomerleau also focuses heavily on employee training and development through its PX³ training ecosystem. Employees have the opportunity to take part in job-specific training and technical skills, but Moreau says the company has also emphasized the importance of soft skill

 A Pomerleau employee working on the deconstruction of the Champlain Bridge.

“We’re building something that has a lasting effect on the community in the most sustainable and innovative way. We’re pushing the industry forward.”

— Samia Tabarah Regional Environmental Coordinator

development, such as effective communication, collaboration and giving feedback. New employees also participate in a culture onboarding where they learn about Pomerleau’s history as a family business and its five core values. At Royalmount, a major mixed-use private development

in Montréal that Pomerleau is constructing with other partners and subcontractors, PX³ has been piloting a unique form of training. Members of the training ecosystem visit the site roughly once a month to offer workshops in a hands-on and experiential manner on various subjects such as

interacting respectfully with other team members and contractors, learning various communication styles, respecting the accountability ladder and handling confrontation.

“I’ve never seen something like that before,” says Tabarah, who’s involved with the Royalmount project. “We’re all working to-

gether more effectively as a result.”

Moreau says the pilot is an example of the company’s mindset that performance is “not just about results but how you get to the results. It’s like a sports team: at the top teams it’s more than individual talents, it’s about how they work together.” 

 A Pomerleau employee testing a robot at the company's innovation lab in Montréal, Quebec.

PSB Boisjoli fosters personal and professional growth

Amrit Pal Singh has worked with PSB Boisjoli LLP as a junior auditor for about a year. In this short time he has worked with companies in multiple industries.

“Because we’re a mid-sized firm working with small and mediumsized organizations, even as a junior I’ve had the opportunity to speak with controllers and CEOs,” says Singh. “PSB Boisjoli encourages employees to put themselves out there and develop, not only professionally, but personally as well.”

Located in Montréal, PSB Boisjoli is an accounting, tax and advisory firm that has been dedicated to meeting the financial needs of small and medium-sized organizations for more than 80 years. As a full-service firm, it offers strategic, tax and estate planning; audit and assurance services; and corporate financing and restructuring services.

“If you find you want more challenging work, or something in a different area, managers at

PSB Boisjoli will do their utmost to accommodate your request,” says Ravneet Kaur Singh, manager, corporate business group. “One year you have a particular file and, by the next year, someone more junior has that file and you are overseeing the work.”

Kaur Singh says PSB Boisjoli achieves this level of employee growth by offering opportunities for development, providing support to staff taking on courses or new work, and creating a team environment.

Recruited by PSB Boisjoli at the end of his bachelor of commerce

in accountancy, Pal Singh had support on the job from day one. Each new employee is assigned a buddy to answer work-related questions and help them integrate into the firm and get to know the other staff members. Pal Singh’s buddy came out of the same university program two years earlier. His buddy’s career growth sets an example and he has introduced Pal Singh to the social aspect of PSB Boisjoli, from casual get-togethers to parties to working together on community day to clean up local parks.

In addition, employees set

goals for each year with their performance coach. The coach makes regular calls to see how they are doing and gauges the goals at the mid-year and annual reviews.

Pal Singh is currently working toward his certified professional accountant (CPA) accreditation.

PSB Boisjoli offers their team members a day off for each exam and Pal Singh has found the management flexible in allowing time off when required.

Besides his studies, Pal Singh finds his work offers real opportunities to increase his scope. “As an auditor I work with different

 PSB Boisjoli employees celebrating at its annual ‘Fun Day’ event.

“PSB Boisjoli encourages employees to put themselves out there and develop, not only professionally, but personally as well.”

— Amrit Pal Singh Auditor

managers, seniors and partners in diverse industries,” he says. “It expands my horizons.”

An open-door policy around the office, and even when working remotely, means that everyone can get their questions answered right away.

“People are friendly,” says Pal

Singh. “They get up and walk about. I can ask anyone a question.”

Pal Singh is also an integral member of the firm’s recruitment and social committees. He’s been asked his opinion on recruitment trends, how PSB Boisjoli can encourage remote staff to come

in and connect with others at the office, and what activities they might provide for the party for people who have written their final CPA exam.

Kaur Singh has, herself, benefited from PSB Boisjoli’s opportunities for personal and professional growth. In less than five years, she

has been promoted from senior analyst to supervisor to manager. She is now a performance coach to members of her staff. And she says her colleagues have become friends.

“The firm invests in you,” she says. “Your hard work pays off and you are rewarded in the end.” 

WHERE LEADERS ARE CREATED AND RESULTS ARE ACHIEVED

 PSB Boisjoli employees preparing a barbecue on the company’s terrace.

PSP Investments invests in growth for employees

Mélanie Bernier decided to take a position with the Public Sector Pension Investment Board (PSP Investments) in 2008 because its mandate sparked her interest and an acquaintance who worked there made it sound like an interesting and stimulating organization.

“We’re very lucky to engage in meaningful work,” says Bernier, senior vice-president, chief legal and people officer. “No two days are the same. There’s always something to learn in the investment industry. PSP Investments is a great place to develop as a person and as a professional.”

PSP Investments is a Crown corporation created by the federal government in 1999 with a mandate to enhance the value of public sector employee pension contributions. Besides its main business office in Montréal, the organization is headquartered in Ottawa and has offices in London, New York and Hong Kong, and

it has investments in over 100 sectors and industries.

“We’re contributing to the sustainability of the pension plans for those who have worked for our country,” says Bernier. “We’re proud of that as an organization and our employees care about that.”

In the years since she joined, Bernier has seen PSP Investments grow and evolve, which has been a benefit to employees. “When we create a new asset class or start a new project it creates opportunities for employees to learn or move to new groups,” she says. “We’ve also put in place great learning programs for our people.”

Some are mandatory because they provide technical or compliance training. Newly appointed managers, directors and other senior leaders are also required to participate in leadership programs to develop the soft skills, knowledge and mindset that helps them manage difficult conversations and provide positive feedback, coaching and mentoring.

“I’ve participated in a couple of different programs,” says Tammy Marer, senior director, legal affairs. “They help you build on the competencies you need to keep growing in leadership roles.”

PSP Investments has focused on promoting equity, inclusion

and diversity (EI&D), notably through the creation of an EI&D strategy which sets clear priorities and actions. An EI&D council contributes to raising awareness and removing potential barriers. The organization’s eight affinity groups – people with disabilities, veterans, Indigenous peoples and LGBTQ+, among others – are heavily involved in the EI&D initiatives.

Representatives of the affinity groups sit on the council. They organize speaking events and various educational initiatives throughout the year, which are open to employees across the organization. “I’ve been involved

 Tammy Marer, senior director, legal affairs, at PSP Investments

“No two days are the same. There’s always something to learn in the investment industry. PSP Investments is a great place to develop as a person and as a professional.”

— Mélanie Bernier Senior Vice President, Chief Legal and People Officer

with a couple of different affinity groups,” says Marer. “This year we had speakers on a variety of topics including enabling anti-racism and allyship, understanding the lived experiences of the LGBTQ+ community, and Indigenous history and reconciliation.”

PSP Investments held a

three-day EI&D forum in 2022. It featured 25 sessions with guest speakers and workshops. There were also three panel discussions on subjects such as breaking the stigmas around disability, embracing diversity and communicating as allies. Over 700 employees took part in the forum.

Marer adds that employee health and wellness – physical, mental and emotional – has become embedded in the fibre of the organization. Employees are entitled to a comfortable annual amount in mental health benefits.

“Everyone can find a therapist and be fully covered for at least

one session a week,” Marer says. “If you have family coverage, it extends to your family. It’s just a fantastic initiative.”

And it is a reflection of the broader corporate culture. “We care about our people,” says Bernier. “We make sure that we treat them well.” 

 PSP Investments employees meeting at its office terrace in Montréal.

Richter sends team members to its own university

When it comes to providing leadership training for team members, Richter goes a step beyond: the Montréal-based business advisory and family office has launched its own educational institution.

“Our culture is based on innovation, learning, philanthropy and exceptional client service,” says Andrea Musailowski, senior director of talent and culture. “Learning and talent development are at the forefront, so this year we implemented the Richter University learning platform.”

Richter University provides not only standardized education programs across the firm’s offices in Montréal, Toronto and Chicago, but individualized training in diverse aspects of the advisory business, including communication, leadership and human skills, as well as business development.

“It gives our people technical expertise, and as they develop their careers it will also provide them with other key skills,” explains partner Mindy Mayman. “For example, they might understand the tax law very well, but they also need to know how to handle family dynamics. So they will be

equipped with all the skills they’ll need.”

Richter University is even available for mobile devices. “It ensures we’re supporting the hybrid model where people can learn at a time and place that fits their schedule,” says Musailowski. “Every team member has access to courses that align with the skill set they need to do their job effectively and advance to the next phase of their career.”

Further professional development for women is available through ‘Women in Leadership’ events every quarter, she adds. “These events give women at manager level or higher the

opportunity to come together to share knowledge around business development, health and wellbeing, and work-life balance.”

Musailowski and Mayman are especially proud of Richter’s Business | Family Office model, which looks beyond tax and business advisory services to advise clients on things like generational wealth management, philanthropy, estate and insurance planning, and investments. Combining their expertise in business advisory and family office services, Richter team members bridge the gap between business and family.

It’s an integrated model that creates close relationships with

clients, and provides benefits for staff as well. “Team members find the holistic approach both challenging and fulfilling,” says Mayman. “Challenging in that you don’t stay only in your lane of expertise, you get exposed to lots more, and fulfilling because you’ve helped business owners achieve their personal and business objectives.”

“We have client engagement on both the business advisory and family office sides, and we equip our team members to integrate families’ objectives at the intersection of these two worlds, which means we can provide our talent with more diverse career

 Richter supports professional development for women through its ‘Women in Leadership’ events.

“‘Family’ is both the way we deal with our clients externally and the way we think of our people internally.”

— Mindy Mayman Partner

opportunities,” Musailowski adds. “They can take their foundational skill set and apply it to both sides, which makes us more competitive as an employer.”

In recent years Richter introduced a virtual health-care program that offers staff members a range of medical and mental

 Richter team members at a summer event.

health services through a mobile app.

“If a team member is feeling unwell physically or mentally, or their family is experiencing challenges, they can be connected immediately with the right type of resource,” says Mayman. “We also offer a family care solution

to those team members who need babysitting or tutoring services for children.”

It’s well-known that in a team member survey, the word most used to describe Richter was “family.”

“I think that speaks to the internal culture as well as the clients

we serve,” says Mayman. “Richter has always serviced private entrepreneurs and looked at their business needs, their families’ needs and where the two intersect. So ‘family’ is both the way we deal with our clients externally and the way we think of our people internally.” 

Rio Tinto is committed to cultural transformation

Not everyone enjoys having difficult conversations. Then there’s Christina Moe-Pouaty, senior advisor, equity, inclusion and diversity (EID), with Rio Tinto, who’s grateful for the opportunity.

Rio Tinto, a leading mining and metal company, has committed to transforming its workplace culture so that all employees feel heard, valued and respected. Moe-Pouaty is one of many working to facilitate the change.

“The more we talk about sexual harassment, bullying and racism, the more we normalize the conversation,” she says. “I feel that normalizing having these genuine conversations contributes to creating psychological safety in our workplace.”

Moe-Pouaty left CongoBrazzaville in 2007 as a teenager and moved to Montréal. After earning a degree in business administration, she wanted to carry on with post-graduate studies. At the same time, MoePouaty says, she also recognized that as an immigrant she needed some Canadian work experience.

Instead, she found a long-term career with Rio Tinto. Moe-Pouaty is now helping to embed some of the 26 recommendations for change spelled out in an external review the company commissioned in 2021 in conjunction with its Everyday Respect task force.

Her focus has been on supporting global EID initiatives such as training the company’s leaders so they can understand their responsibilities relating to the prevention and management of harmful behaviors in their work environment. Ninety per cent of the leadership has already received this training.

“We are working on changing mindsets,” says Moe-Pouaty, who did finally earn an MBA in management consulting while working full-time. “It makes me proud of the role we are taking in the broader societal shifts that are happening.”

Rio Tinto had begun the process of cultural change when it launched the Everyday Respect task force and redesigned its purpose and values under the rubric of “Care, Courage and Curiosity.”

Even so, the external report was unflinching in its portrayal of workplace challenges confronting

some employees. Rio Tinto then took the highly unusual step of publishing the full 84-page document online in February 2022.

Maxime Savignac, vice president, human resources for Rio Tinto Aluminium, says the company is committed to implementing all 26 recommendations and auditing their progress. He adds, it’s as committed to being open and transparent in reporting its progress as it was in facing its problems.

“This is not the flavour of the week, the month or the year,” Savignac says. “We are taking this work extremely seriously. These

 Montréal is a global hub for Rio Tinto and supports operations around the world.

“We are working on changing mindsets. It makes me proud of the role we are taking in the broader societal shifts that are happening.”

— Christina Moe-Pouaty Senior Advisor, Equity, Inclusion and Diversity

full-time

staff in Canada weeks, parental leave top-up pay weeks, minimum annual leave charities helped

changes are here to stay.”

The company has already taken steps to make its facilities safe and inclusive for all employees. This includes practical measures like installing convenient and accessible women’s washrooms at its remote operations.

Rio Tinto also renovated the

daycare in its Montréal head office where over 700 employees work. With 20 new spaces, the daycare can now accommodate 75 children, whether babies or nearly school-aged.

In keeping with its belief that everyone deserves to feel safe, since 2019, the company has

been supporting organizations that help people experiencing domestic or family violence. In 2022, it increased its donations to $450,000 across 17 groups. For its own employees who are experiencing such abuse, or who have an immediate relative who is, Rio Tinto offers up to 10 days

of paid extra leave, flexible work hours, financial aid and emergency accommodation.

 Rio Tinto has an on-site daycare and medical clinic available to employees at its Montréal hub.

At RONA, everyone has a voice to help drive the culture

Growing up in the field of retail and engaging with people gave Marc Macdonald a sense of the meaning of service.

“It is meaningful for our employees that we were open for people during COVID-19,” says Macdonald, senior vice-president, human resources, at RONA. “The culture of service to the community has always been there.”

With its head office in the Greater Montréal Area, RONA has a network of some 450 corporate and affiliated dealer stores from coast to coast under different banners, including RONA, Lowe's, Réno-Dépôt and Dick’s Lumber. They meet the needs of Canada's home improvement DIYers and contractors alike.

Macdonald says RONA employees help Canadians carry out meaningful projects for their homes, and take pride in being part of making dream homes come true. They focus on customer service in the stores and, in return, the company serves its

employees well.

One way RONA invests in employees is through its benefits program.

In light of the increased needs for mental health care due to the pandemic, the organization expanded coverage to include more types of mental health-care professionals. It now ranks as one of the best mental health coverage benefits in the Canadian retail industry. And RONA’s retirement plan matches employee RRSP contributions up to four per cent –or five per cent after 10 years of service.

Benefits are only one way RONA makes sure its employees thrive.

“Offering a welcoming

environment where everyone feels safe and included has always been a priority,” says Macdonald. This is why the company has doubled down on its equity, diversity and inclusion initiatives over the past years.

The company sponsors business resource groups (BRGs) to influence and drive a more inclusive culture. Women Empowered was launched in 2022 and a Pride BRG will follow in 2023. “This resonates with our teams, who have rated inclusion as one of the best-perceived topics in the annual engagement survey,” says Macdonald.

RONA also offers many opportunities for development.

New hires in stores receive 25 hours of training on RONA’s mission and values, service, sales and products – and as their career grows, more training follows.

Louis-Philippe Charland, manager of paid media strategy, is one example of employee growth. Less than three years into his work at the organization, Charland was nominated for a new, advanced leadership program. He joined a team of 45 people from across the enterprise to work through a three-month program customized to the organization’s business context and challenges.

At the end of the program, Charland completed a project and presented it to the senior

 Louis-Philippe Charland, manager of paid media strategy at RONA inc., with his daughter at the on-site daycare centre.

“Offering a welcoming environment where everyone feels safe and included has always been a priority.”

— Marc Macdonald Senior Vice-President, Human Resources

 Marc Macdonald, senior vice-president, human resources, at RONA inc leadership. Since then, he has led his marketing team through one of the leadership development exercises.

“At RONA, a successful leader is one who knows they are there to support the team,” he says.

Charland is inspired by the mentorship and exposure to senior

leadership he has experienced at RONA, including meeting once a month with his vice-president.

In fact, there are periodic virtual meetings called “Chat with Cat,” where the whole team meets with the VP of marketing, Catherine Laporte.

“We connect with employees

wherever they are,” says Macdonald, who himself goes out to visit stores regularly. Last year, the company held a back-to-school event that included a bingo game and group spinning sessions. And in the summer, RONA held a staff barbeque at its Boucherville head office, where employees had a

chance to gather, play games and share ideas on how to improve the work environment on a massive whiteboard, and much more.

“We are not that hierarchical here,” says Macdonald. “We don’t have better ideas because of our title. At RONA, everyone has a voice.” 

Even if this is what you call a power tool

Samsung Ads puts the employee at the top of the screen

Caitlyne Hawrelak is proud of the emphasis Samsung Ads places on each employee’s physical, mental and professional well-being.

“I’m proud to be a part of a company that invests in its employees and wants to see them succeed, whether that is through training or lunch and learns or helping them craft a career path,” says Hawrelak, talent acquisition specialist. “Samsung Ads is committed to investing in employees’ growth.”

The company, which provides advertising across Samsung TV, mobile and desktop products, delivers courses offered through LinkedIn Learning and a process and budget geared toward helping employees choose other training opportunities that fit their goals. Tailored career paths help employees map their careers and their manager then helps them craft a plan to take them there over time.

“I think it is a great service, because sometimes people aren’t aware of the path,” says Jacques Shih, president. “By showing the path, they can clearly prepare themselves for what’s coming ahead and then nourish that direction.”

Hawrelak also loves that

Samsung Ads makes time for fun too. “We spend a lot of time at work, so it’s important to enjoy what you’re doing and to have fun while you’re doing it,” she says.

The Samsung Ads social committee plans events so that the team from across Canada can participate virtually. This has included culinary week, where employees and their families could

take classes including cooking Indian food, chocolate making or tea tasting. For eco-friendly week, classes included gardening, cooking with zero waste and candle making. Virtual wellness classes include yoga and fitness.

“It’s great that you get to have fun and connect with your colleagues who have similar interests and with whom perhaps

you wouldn’t have the opportunity to do so otherwise,” Hawrelak says.

With the start of a hybrid work model, the company gives employees coming into the office the opportunity to order complimentary lunches from a caterer. A transportation subsidy helps offset gas, cycling or public transportation costs for employees working at the office.

 Samsung Ads Canada empowers employees to achieve their highest potential.

“I’m proud to be a part of a company that invests in its employees and wants to

see them succeed.”

— Caitlyne Hawrelak Talent Acquisition Specialist

“These programs help dampen the extra costs related to coming back to work,” Shih says. “With the hybrid model, we also wanted to break the isolation, so we started quarterly town halls, where employees could connect with their colleagues, as well as other virtual activities and a

 Samsung Ads Canada offers a hybrid work environment with lunch benefits.

holiday party.”

This atmosphere is furthered by leaders’ open-door policy. “You don’t have to go through anybody to book meetings. It’s a very direct, collegial relationship and our leaders are very engaged with employees,” Shih says.

“We’re a business and we have

to make sure we deliver, but the employee experience is a very big part of our focus,” he says. “It makes it pleasant to be at work ‒ not only for the employee, but for the leaders as well. There is nothing like seeing employees who are happy and engaged and who say that the company makes a

difference for them.”

Shih says this positive energy also helps increase productivity and improve employee retention. “If an employee is happy and fulfilled and sees how they bring value, the company benefits also. There is no drawback to this approach, only benefits.”

Our Differences Make the Difference

Values and connection lead the way at Trouw Nutrition

With over 1,200 full-time staff spread over three regions across Canada, it’s important that employees at Trouw Nutrition Canada Inc. feel connected. For Bastiaan Bartelse, director of human resources at Trouw, it all comes down to shared values.

The company, which manufactures and distributes animal feed under brand names like Shur-Gain, has five core values, notes Bartelse: “Trust, inclusivity, curiosity, integrity and passion. We try to find people who connect to those values.”

And while the company looks for employees with a broad range of skills, from manufacturing and research to sales and customer service, “we believe strongly that skills you can develop, value-based competencies and behaviour, are essential,” he says.

Remote work wasn’t unusual at Trouw before the pandemic lockdowns, but the company knew that maintaining the relationships that had built up between in-office workers was important.

Communications specialist Anne-Marie Saint-Germain says the company encouraged staff to

take 15-minute “coffee breaks” with each other at the beginning and end of each week, with no agenda except to catch up with each other’s lives, “like we would do by the coffee machines at the office.”

Saint-Germain says the company excels at encouraging employees to acquire new skills. Workday, an internal software application, lets them subscribe to training

in everything from nutrition to languages. There are also 100 per cent tuition subsidies for certification and degree courses.

“If you’re interested in learning, interested in this business, there’s always a place for people here,” she says. “Everybody eats three times a day, so everybody should be interested in agriculture.”

Bartelse says that as a private, family-owned business, Trouw

can focus on employees instead of shareholders, and that internal advancement is a priority: “It brings a different perspective to how we do business and provides continuity,” he says.

“We really want our people to be closely connected to the local industry, to the local communities and to our customers.”

Volunteer work is one way to maintain this connection, and

 Trouw Nutrition Canada employees welcoming guests at its poultry event.

“We are a company with relevance – our purpose is to feed the future.”

— Bastiaan Bartelse Director, Human Resources

Bartelse says the company does this with both sponsorships and volunteer hours. “We have a volunteer day where people contribute time to a cause, which we facilitate with co-ordination and T-shirts in addition to the time off,” he says.

“We have local communities

where things are organized, from holidays to local engagement programs. You need to feel part of the team in whatever local office or region you’re working.”

Saint-Germain describes herself as a big volunteer, with a list of causes she tries to support, but says previous employers have

never recognized how that volunteer work helps her with her job.

“All the skills I've learned in my different roles are really recognized here by HR,” she says. “To be this encouraged at work – this is the first time I’ve lived it. They say that by doing this work you

get more skills and this is going to benefit us.”

Bartelse says this is all integral to Trouw’s mission. “We are a company with relevance – our purpose is to feed the future. If you relate to that purpose, we really are the company you want to look into.”

 Trouw Nutrition Canada encourages employees to take breaks with each other to build relationships.

Employees enjoy serious fun at WB Games Montréal

Ann Lemay loves the freedom to work from her Montréal home with her cat on her lap and some home-brewed coffee at her elbow. And thanks to the innovation, cutting-edge technology and commitment of WB Games Montréal Ltd., she has the world at her fingertips.

“Working remotely allows me to be creative in my own space and still meet with my team so we can bounce ideas off each other virtually,” says Lemay, narrative director.

“I love what I’m able to do as a director, working with my team to ensure quality and having fun while we’re doing it. It makes me feel empowered as an employee.”

WB Games Montréal develops state-of-the-art video games like Batman: Arkman Origins and Gotham Knights for major platforms like Xbox, Sony PlayStation and Microsoft Series X/S. A subsidiary of Warner Brothers Interactive Entertainment, its 359 employees include directors, writers, animators, artists, designers and software engineers.

It’s fast-paced and demanding work, but Lemay and her fellow employees are supported by a

company that looks after their physical and mental well-being as well as providing flexible work arrangements. WB Games Montréal offers extensive education and training programs and incentives to keep employees current in the high-tech gaming space, including tuition subsidies, online training and paid internships.

For employees who prefer to go into the office under the company’s hybrid work model, WB Games Montréal has open and bright headquarters without cubicles. The rooftop patio has

great views of Mont Royal and is the focal point for employee barbeques and happy hours.

Stephane Roy, head of studio, says WB Games Montréal has worked hard to create an overall employee experience designed to attract and retain top talent in the ultra-competitive gaming market.

“We’re not just competing with the city of Montréal or the province Québec – now the planet is the playground we’re in,” says Roy.

“You need to take care of your people and make sure they grow with you and feel safe because it’s

not just a question of money. It’s more than just yoga classes and free beer. It’s ensuring employees feel they’re part of the studio and they’re listened to.”

WB Games Montréal creates a secure workplace culture by embracing values like caring, collaboration and playful creativity.

Lemay loves the company’s commitment to equity and inclusion, which allowed her to develop a ‘diverse voices’ internship for her department. Not only did the company hire a talented new intern, but it also identified a pool of potential employees in

 WB Games Montréal embraces values such as caring, collaboration and playful creativity.

“Equality, transparency and fairness have been my experience at WB Games – that’s what I live for.”

— Ann Lemay Narrative Director

the process.

“Equality, transparency and fairness have been my experience at WB Games – that’s what I live for,” says Lemay.

“It gives us the freedom to get things done by collaborating, treating each other well and having fun while we’re doing what we love.”

While the company is plugged in globally, it also takes care of its own backyard through community connection. WB Games Montréal donates annually to organizations that help the homeless and supports school outreach programs. Employees also receive paid time to volunteer for charitable causes.

Another key connection is with the company’s parent corporation, Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. Being part of a multi-billion-dollar entertainment empire opens the doors for employee career advancement.

“There are so many different aspects to Warner Brothers –games, movies, television shows

and more,” says Roy.

“If you join WB Games Montréal, you can learn and grow with us starting as a young artist to becoming a project lead and finally an expert and master of the craft. The gaming industry is moving fast and we give you the opportunity to move with it.”

 WB Games Montréal supports career advancement through its global parent corporation.