Saskatchewan's Top Employers (2019) by Canada's Top 100 Employers

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CITY OF SASKATOON

SASKATCHEWAN’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2019

14th Annual Edition

SASKATCHEWAN’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2019 Magazine Anthony Meehan, PUBLISHER

Editorial Team:

Richard Yerema, MANAGING EDITOR

Kristina Leung, SENIOR EDITOR

Stephanie Leung, ASSISTANT EDITOR

Chantel Watkins, RESEARCH ASSISTANT

Advertising Team:

Kristen Chow,

DIRECTOR, OPERATIONS

Ye Jin Suhe,

CLIENT SUPPORT COORDINATOR

Sponsored Profile Writers:

Berton Woodward, SENIOR EDITOR

Brian Bergman Simon Hally Patricia Hluchy D’Arcy Jenish Bruce McDougall John Schofield Nora Underwood

p Reviewing the inventory in the meter shop at the City of Saskatoon.

Saskatchewan’s Top Employers lead the way in creating progressive workplaces

ne of the things we are most proud of in this year’s edition of Saskatchewan’s Top Employers is the range of outstanding employers that can be found across the province. From high-technology to mining and traditional public services, Saskatchewan employers can teach their counterparts in the rest of Canada a thing or two about what it means to be an excellent employer. Although Saskatchewan’s unemployment rate is the fourth-lowest in the country, its employers have been at the forefront in offering progressive HR benefits and workplace policies that Canadians now expect from the best employers. Among this year’s winners, you’ll discover a ‘catalogue of best practices’ when it comes to the kinds of benefits that make an employer truly exceptional. This year marks the 14th anniversary of the Saskatchewan’s Top Employers competition, which grew from a small list of just five employers that we wrote about in 2006. Like our first edition, the distinguishing feature of this year’s competition is that our editors publish detailed ‘reasons for selection’ explaining why the winners were chosen. This provides transparency in the selection of winners – and raises the bar so that

other employers can learn what the best organizations are doing and try to improve upon these best practices. We’ve included a summary of these reasons in this magazine (pp. 6-10), but you can read the full reasons for each employer on our competition homepage at: www.ct100.ca/sk

To choose the winners, employers are evaluated by the editors of Canada’s Top 100 Employers using the same eight criteria as the national competition: (1) Physical Workplace; (2) Work Atmosphere & Social; (3) Health, Financial & Family Benefits; (4) Vacation & Time Off; (5) Employee Communications; (6) Performance Management; (7) Training & Skills Development; and (8) Community Involvement. These selection criteria have remained consistent since the inception of the project. In organizing a competition such as this, it’s inevitable that some good employers are left off the list. If you believe that your employer is competitive, please contact our editorial team (see p. 23) to learn more about having your organization considered for next year’s edition. – Tony Meehan

SASKATCHEWANâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S TOP EMPLOYERS 2019

SASKATCHEWAN BLUE CROSS

p Staff at Saskatchewan Blue Cross in Saskatoon at the launch of a campaign to promote community involvement by employees.

Learning and growth opportunities help Saskatchewan Blue Cross employees shine S pecial

to the

Saskatoon S tar P hoenix

or the Saskatchewan Blue Cross, caring for the vast insurance needs of their many customers starts with ensuring a supported and fulfilled workforce.

Their office, based in downtown Saskatoon, boasts a variety of amenities to keep employees energized and excited to come into work. The rooftop patio offers a relax space to take a break

and unwind, the bright sun-filled office provides a warm and inviting workspace and the fitness facility helps employees keep active without having buy a gym membership â&#x20AC;&#x201D; but that is only a

fraction of what they have to offer. Human resources manager Dianne Parent says providing spaces like these allows employees to enjoy spending time at the office and lets them know

SASKATCHEWAN’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2019

that if they need a space to take a breather it will be there for them. “When we look at supporting the health and wellness of Saskatchewan residents that starts with our own employees,” Parent explained. “Things like the patio and the different areas we have where people can sit and enjoy a book or those types of things really helps on the mental wellness side — to take that break and be able to relax and enjoy their environment.” With these amenities paired with a generous benefits package and a heavy focus to provide continuous opportunities to learn and continue their education for the long term — it’s not surprising 2019 will mark their third year on the Saskatchewan’s Top Employers list. Keeping employees engaged through learning — whether that means utilizing the generous tuition subsidies or participating in office workshops like their Destination Blue program, which is a two day workshop that focuses on reworking thought patterns to initiate further growth. “We just really believe that learning is part of how you engage individuals and keep them motivated and striving,” Parent said. Many of these perks come from the company’s social and wellness committees’ regular consultations with employees. Their social calendar is also regularly filled with events like trivia nights, Roughrider tailgate parties, sandcastle building and participating in community charity events — but that is just the tip of the iceberg. Even on regular workdays the Saskatchewan Blue Cross is trying to engage their employees, trying to get them up and active through small fitness challenges. “Our fitness facility is a small one but just trying to, for example, we have a stepper so (we challenge them) to keep the stepper going for the entire day just so people have a relay — it’s just those different creative things we can do to try and push each other to be more active and focus on that wellness,” Parent finished.

SASKATCHEWAN BLUE CROSS

Continued

p Provincial MS Walk ambassador and Saskatchewan Blue Cross employee Darcie Mattick (centre).

SASKATCHEWAN BLUE CROSS

LEARNING & GROWTH

p Employees at the head office of Saskatchewan Blue Cross in Saskatoon enjoying the onsite fitness facility.

SASKATCHEWAN’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2019

K+S POTASH CANADA

p Employees at K+S Potash Canada working at the company’s mine in Bethune, SK.

The following organizations have been chosen as Saskatchewan’s Top Employers for 2019 (employee counts refer to full-time employees only): 3SHEALTH / HEALTH SHARED SERVICES SASKATCHEWAn, Regina. Healthcare support services. 120 employees. Employees receive a generous amount of “flex dollars” for additional health coverage and/or directed to a lifestyle spending account.

CCESS COMMUNICATIONS CO-OPERATIVE LTD., Regina. Cable television and telecommunications. 211 employees. Employee social committee

funds and organizes a variety of events throughout the year, from summer barbecues to a family day at the Saskatchewan Science Centre.

LEARTECH INDUSTRIES INC., Saskatoon. Chemicals and equipment distribution. 121 employees. Offers profit-sharing plan and helps employees save for the future with a defined contribution pension plan. CORNERSTONE CREDIT UNION FINANCIAL GROUP LTD., Yorkton. Credit unions. 143 employees. Encourages employees to get involved in their communities with paid volunteer time and matching charitable donations.

CREATIVE OPTIONS REGINA, INC., Regina. Mental health support services. 121 employees. Encourages work-life balance through a variety of alternative work options, including flexible hours, telecommuting, shortened and compressed work weeks.

ROUP MEDICAL SERVICES / GMS INSURANCE INC., Regina. Health and travel insurance. 111 employees. Offers a health spending account as part of the health plan that increases with length of service, from $250 for new hires to $1,000 for for longer serving employees.

H I

ARVARD DEVELOPMENTS INC., Regina. Real estate management and development. 188 employees. Encourages employees to keep fit with subsidized access to a fully equipped onsite fitness facility. NFORMATION SERVICES CORPORATION / ISC, Regina. Land registration. 325 employees. Offers phased-in work options for employees nearing retirement, along with retirement planning assistance and a defined contribution pension plan. ISM CANADA, Regina. IT consulting. 788 employees. Provides tuition

HARVARD DEVELOPMENTS

ISC

PHOTOS (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP): (1) Warehouse employees at ClearTech Industries prepare to forklift a customer’s order into a tractor trailer; (2) Jiyoon Hong, an employee at Information Services Corp / ISC, says her work is complex but interesting, providing a perspective on land matters; and (3) Employees at Harvard Developments gather in their Regina head office lobby for a staff ‘thank you’ event.

CLEARTECH INDUSTRIES

SASKATCHEWAN’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2019

2019 WINNERS

Continued

subsidies for courses at outside institutions and encourages employees to complete a minimum 40 hours of professional development annually through the “Think 40” program.

SATCC

+S POTASH CANADA GP, Saskatoon. Potash mining. 425 employees. Manages the “PLUS+ time” program that provides employees with 40 additional paid hours to be used for everything from family appointments to eldercare to personal time off.

ATTISON AGRICULTURE LIMITED, Swift Current. Farm equipment dealerships. 512 employees. Encourages employees to become recruiters for the company with new employee referral bonuses, from $500 to $4,000 depending on the position.

ANCH EHRLO SOCIETY, Regina. Charitable organizations. 642 employees. Offers exceptional maternity and parental leave top-up for new moms (to 80 per cent of salary for 50 weeks) and for new dads and adoptive parents (to 80 per cent of salary for 37 weeks).

p Employees at the Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission collaborating at work in Regina. SCIC

ASKATCHEWAN APPRENTICESHIP AND TRADE CERTIFICATION COMMISSION, Regina. Apprenticeship and trades certification. 60 employees. New parents receive parental leave top-ups for 17 weeks (to 95 per cent of salary) and the option to extend their leave into an unpaid leave. SASKATCHEWAN BLUE CROSS, Saskatoon. Health and travel insurance. 186 employees. Hosts an annual gala event to recognize employee contributions and achievements from the previous year. SASKATCHEWAN CONSTRUCTION SAFETY ASSOCIATION, Regina. Professional organizations. 51 employees. In addition to flexible work hours and telecommuting work options, employees can earn up to two extra days off each month through a formal earned days off program. SASKATCHEWAN CROP INSURANCE CORPORATION / SCIC, Melville. Agricultural crop insurance. 362 employees. Considers previous work

p Walking for wellness in Melville, with employees of Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation.

SASKATCHEWAN’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2019

2019 WINNERS

Continued

experience when setting paid vacation for experienced candidates and provides up to five paid personal days off in addition to vacation time. SASKATCHEWAN INDIAN GAMING AUTHORITY / SIGA, Saskatoon. Casino operations. 999 employees. Encourages employees to plan for retirement with a defined contribution pension plan and matching contributions to a unique non-registered savings plan for First Nations employees.

SASKATCHEWAN INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGIES / SIIT, Saskatoon. Post-secondary education. 224 employees. Encourages ongoing employee development through in-house training programs, subsidies for professional accreditations and tuition subsidies for programs related to their position. SASKATCHEWAN POLYTECHNIC, Saskatoon. Post-secondary education. 1,538 employees. Helps employees find work-life balance with a variety of alternative work options and phased-in work options for those near retirement.

SASKATCHEWAN RESEARCH COUNCIL / SRC, Saskatoon. Scientific research organizations. 310 employees. Free memberships, with free passes for their guests, to a fully-equipped onsite fitness facility that features a variety of instructor-led classes. SASKATCHEWAN WORKERS’ COMPENSATION BOARD, Regina. Workplace injury prevention. 480 employees. Workplace diversity and inclusion is championed through recognition of important days such as National Aboriginal Day, International Day of Pink and World Day for Cultural Diversity.

SASKATOON POLICE SERVICE, Saskatoon. Police services. 665 employees. Manages a dedicated summer employment program for Aboriginal students in partnership with a number of community agencies and schools. SASKATOON, CITY OF, Saskatoon. Municipal governments. 3,281 employees. Supports a dedicated Wellness Committee that organizes numerous wellness initiatives throughout the year, from flu shot clinics to lunchtime yoga classes. SASKPOWER, Regina. Power utilities. 3,342 employees. Considers previous

SASKATCHEWAN POLYTECHNIC

q At the edge of discovery in the 3-D printing lab at Saskatchewan Polytechnic in Saskatoon.

SASKATCHEWAN’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2019

Continued

work experience when setting vacation time for experienced candidates and longer serving employees can apply for unpaid or self-funded leaves of absence up to one year in duration. SASKTEL, Regina. Telecommunications. 3,000 employees. Head office employees have free access to an onsite fitness facility, open 24/7

and available to family members after work and on weekends. SOLVERA SOLUTIONS, Regina. IT consulting. 156 employees. Manages a unique “Voluntary Time Away” program that lets employees plan to take up to three months away while receiving partial pay and full benefits. SOUTHEAST COLLEGE, Weyburn. Post-secondary education. 35 employ-

CITY OF SASKATOON

q Keeping the roads in shape with a member of the road crew at the City of Saskatoon.

ees. In addition to their paid vacation, employees receive extra time off in the holiday season as well as up to five paid personal days for the year. SYNERGY CREDIT UNION LTD., Lloydminster. Credit unions. 177 employees. Offers great financial benefits including discounted financial services, low-interest home mortgage rates as well as a defined benefit pension plan.

NIVERSITY OF REGINA, Regina. Post-secondary education. 1,320 employees. Offers its new moms and dads maternity and parental leave top-up payments, along with the convenience of onsite daycare services when they are ready to return to work. –Richard Yerema & Kristina Leung

q Sampling peat in the field with employees from the Saskatchewan Research Council.

SRC

2019 WINNERS

SIGA

PHOTOS (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP): (1) Lifeguards from the Recreation & Sport Dept. of the City of Saskatoon; (2) Employees from SaskTel celebrating National Aboriginal Day; (3) Musicians performing at the employee wellness day organized by the Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board; (4) Employees from the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority helping harvest crops for the Saskatoon Food Bank.

SASK. WCB

SASKTEL

CITY OF SASKATOON

SASKATCHEWAN’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2019

CREATIVE OPTIONS REGINA

p Employees at Creative Options Regina with a client.

Caring for the caregivers is key for Creative Options Regina S pecial

to the

R egina L eader-P ost

he job of providing supports for people with disabilities or those struggling with their mental health can take a heavy toll, though Creative Options Regina discovered when you care for the caregivers it benefits both the clients and the company. This is their second year being named as one of Saskatchewan’s top employers. This year will mark Creative Options Regina’s 10th year in business though executive director Michael Lavis notes it was about seven years ago when the company started to refocus their efforts to create a healthier and happier work environment for their employees. “The field of work we are in may not be physically demanding, but it’s very emotionally demanding,” he explained. “We need to ensure our employees feel

supported and have the supports they need to be doing well both physically and mentally to be able to provide the quality care.” Lavis said the key to providing this supportive work environment was to understand the needs and wants of their employees, which he credits as being the non-profit’s most valuable assets, and make sure they felt valued, respected and that their voices were being heard. Not only do they offer their more than 200 employees flexible hours — including the opportunity to work shortened and condensed work weeks — and the option to telecommute, they also encourage the employees to share their passions — leading to the introduction of a number of sports teams, clubs and fun nights out.

“It’s about facilitating relationships both in and outside of work,” Lavis said. “When you think about the amount of time people spend in the workplace throughout their life, you would hope they have those relationships and connections with their coworkers.” Putting these extracurricular activities in place is generally at a very minimal cost to Creative Options Regina, Lavis said. Even when there is a fee — such as the $1,000 entry fee to participate in the Regina Dragon Boat Festival — the amount of time and the number of employees who come out to support is more than worth it. “All summer long they practice once a week, they’re engaged in this physical activity and connecting by doing something that they all love. So to me,

thats $1,000 well spent,” he said. “Sometimes you just have to give it a try.” Though Lavis notes it’s not always easy to manage the different needs of all their employees, he says this approach has also helped them retain employees longer — which in turn has helped maintain a sense of trust with their clients alongside the high quality of care they are known to provide. “In the support services sector the turnover rate is quite, quite high and we’ve been year after year between nine and 14 per cent — which is a fraction of the provincial average,” Lavis finishes. “I believe a big part of that is because of the work environment we are cultivating and the attention we pay to our employees.”

SASKATCHEWAN’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2019

Access Communications is all about staff empowerment

s a high school dropout and the mother of five children living in small-town Saskatchewan, Toni Thibault sometimes despaired for her future. “I thought I’d be waitressing or in some other dead-end job, just making ends meet,” she recalls. Her prospects improved dramatically nine years ago, when she earned her GED high school equivalency diploma and was hired by Access Communications Co-operative Limited, one of Saskatchewan’s largest telecommunications providers. Today, she works as a team leader for customer care in the company’s North Battleford office. “It’s been an amazing transition,” she says. “It shows my kids that just because you struggle at a young age, it doesn’t mean that you can’t learn and grow.”

I’ve always had the opportunity to grow. I love the job I’m in and look forward to coming to work everyday. _______ Toni Thibault

Team Leader, Customer Care

Access Communications Co-operative has always been there to support Thibault

p Toni Thibault, Customer Care Team Leader at Access Communications Co-operative Ltd.

and its more than 300 other employees across the province. As a community-owned, not-for-profit co-operative that celebrated its 40th anniversary during 2018, it has a proud tradition of being recognized as one of Saskatchewan’s top employers. “We’re all about empowering our employees,” says Carole Sauer, manager, human resources and safety. “The notion that your ideas are listened to and heard – that scores very highly with our employees as evidenced by our regular, third-party surveys,” she adds. “If you think something is not right or you have a better idea, we urge employees to

bring it forward. We always want to know so we can continue to improve.” Sauer says Access Communications Co-operative looks for employees who are customer-focused problem-solvers who love being involved in their communities. Reflecting its co-op roots, Access Communications is dedicated to providing competitive compensation and benefits, along with a safe, challenging and friendly environment for every member of its diverse workforce. As a busy mom who also serves as a reserve lieutenant with the Canadian Forces, Thibault appreciates the co-opera-

tive’s generous benefits and its strong work-life balance. New employees start with three weeks of paid annual vacation and three paid personal days to use when needed. For those in the family way, Access Communications provides new parents with maternity-leave top-up payments (to 100 per cent of salary for 17 weeks). On the professional front, the company encourages ongoing employee development with full tuition subsidies for courses both related and not directly related to their current position. It’s the kind of company where you can build a long-term career, says Thibault. “I’ve always had the opportunity to grow,” she adds. “I love the job I’m in and look forward to coming to work everyday.” ¡

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FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA

1,242

JOB APPLICATIONS RECEIVED LAST YEAR

YEARS, LONGESTSERVING EMPLOYEE

1,600

CHARITIES HELPED LAST YEAR

This story was produced by Mediacorp in partnership with Postmedia, on behalf of Access Communications.

Amazing people. Community involvement. myaccess.ca/careers C-011 Top Employer Banner.indd 1

2019-01-03 10:13 AM

SASKATCHEWAN’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2019

Creative Options Regina is a career ‘hidden gem’

ristyn White first became aware of Creative Options Regina (COR) while completing her kinesiology degree at the University of Regina. She was immediately impressed by COR’s unique approach to supporting people with intellectual disabilities and mental health challenges. “We believe the person comes before the disability,” says White, now a home team leader with COR. “Regardless of what label you’ve been given, you deserve to be treated with respect and dignity and to live a beautiful and happy life.”

We look for people who understand and share our core values and who want to make a difference. _______ Michael Lavis Executive Director

Founded in 2009, COR is a non-profit, charitable organization that provides in-home support based on the philosophy of Gentle Teaching. Putting aside traditional approaches and practices based on control and compliance, COR strives to help the people it serves discover and reach their personal goals. The focus is on building relationships and creating a

are given training and course work right from the start, a lot of it provided by outside experts in the disabilities field. I truly believe I’ve learned as much through this training as I did in my university degree – that’s how thorough it is.” White, who oversees a home supporting three individuals, values the strong relationships she has developed with them, as well as with her co-workers. “Coming to work every day is fun and exciting,” she says. “I’m surrounded by like-minded people who believe passionately in what they do. It helps create a positive atmosphere where the people we support know their needs and interests are being put first.” ¡ p Creative Options Regina supports and builds an inclusive community with their employees

sense of community where people feel safe and valued. That culture of gentleness is woven into all aspects of the organization, including how COR recruits and trains its employees. “Value alignment is very important for us,” says executive director, Michael Lavis. “We look for people who understand and share our core values and who want to make a difference.” COR’s workforce is young (average age: 29) and includes many people who have never before worked in the human services field.

“The majority are recent graduates from a variety of disciplines, including social work, nursing, the arts and business,” says Lavis. “Many had no idea this could be a career for them. It’s one of those hidden gems where people really discover their own potential.” Because of its diverse recruitment base, COR puts a strong emphasis on providing new hires with the training, mentoring and professional development they will need to do their job. “There are so many opportunities to learn and grow at COR,” says White. “You

121

FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES IN CANADA

YEARS, AVERAGE AGE OF ALL EMPLOYEES

56%

OF EMPLOYEES ARE WOMEN

146

TRAINING HOURS FOR NEW EMPLOYEES

This story was produced by Mediacorp in partnership with Postmedia, on behalf of Creative Options Regina.

SASKATCHEWAN’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2019

Family defines the culture at Harvard Developments

f there’s one word that sums up the corporate culture at Regina-based Harvard Developments, it’s family – and for good reason. The 115-yearold real estate company, which develops, owns and manages a portfolio of retail, residential and commercial properties in western Canada, is now in its fourth generation of family ownership. “Our culture and our business are really reflective of that word — family,” says managing director and COO Rosanne Hill Blaisdell, daughter of president and chief executive officer Paul Hill. “The people on our team really are part of our family. It empowers them and allows them to take pride in the work they do.” p Employees from Harvard Developments celebrating the grand opening of The Landing in Grasslands

The whole family culture makes Harvard completely different from any place I’ve worked. You hear the same thing from people who’ve worked here 30 or 40 years. _______ Matt Geiger Marketing and Communications Administrator

B U I L D I N G

G R E AT

Matt Geiger, marketing and communications administrator, agrees. “The whole family culture makes Harvard completely different from any place I’ve worked,” says Geiger. “You hear the same thing from people who’ve worked here 30 or 40 years.” The culture is reflected in many of the company’s policies and programs. Harvard has a scholarship program to support both employees and their children in the pursuit of higher education. Since 2007, says Hill Blaisdell, Harvard has contributed $268,000, most of it for children attending post-secondary education.

P E O P L E

A N D

Harvard’s mentorship program supports employees pursuing outside professional certifications, particularly those working on becoming Certified Professional Accountants. “A lot of our young finance staff are working towards their CPA designation,” says Hill Blaisdell. “It’s a very arduous program and we are proud to invest in their journey.” The company promotes employee health and wellness through a state-of-the-art gym in its downtown Regina head office and by providing employees across the organization with $20 per month for any outside sports program or organized physical activity. Harvard holds annual “Employee Thank

P R OJ E C TS

LET’S BUILD TOGETHER. P R O U D T O B E O N E O F S A S K AT C H E W A N ’ S T O P E M P L O Y E R S

H I L L C O M PA N I E S . C O M /C A R E E R S

You” events at both its regional and head office locations. Hill Blaisdell and her father meet with employees to bring them up to date on new developments and to promote camaraderie among team members. The company is also deeply committed to giving back to the communities it serves. Employees have the opportunity to volunteer at food banks or other recognized charitable organizations throughout the year. Harvard is also a founding partner in the United Way Regina’s “Summer Success” program that aims to improve the reading skills of inner-city children. “The Summer Success program is something we all look forward to each year,” says Geiger. “Giving back to the community — especially when it comes to children and education — is in our DNA.” ¡

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FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA

EMPLOYEES WITH 20+ YEARS EXPERIENCE

CHARITIES HELPED LAST YEAR

1,200

VOLUNTEER HOURS LAST YEAR

This story was produced by Mediacorp in partnership with Postmedia, on behalf of Harvard Developments.

SASKATCHEWAN’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2019

Employees give Sask Apprenticeship high marks

o continue providing exceptional customer service, the employees of the Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission, or Sask Apprenticeship, need to enjoy their work and be committed to the organization’s goals, says CEO Jeff Ritter. That’s why he was delighted by the latest results of the commission’s annual employee engagement survey. “Our 2018 survey confirms we have very satisfied and engaged employees,” says Ritter. “Alignment with our vision, mission, mandate and direction is extraordinarily high — 91 per cent of employees agree with them. And 81 per cent say they look forward to coming to work every day and agree their managers allow them to be effective.”

We recognize our employees’ contributions every day. We want them to grow and succeed, so we support education that will help their careers. _______ Jeff Ritter CEO

These high scores came as no surprise to Desiree Morrison, executive administrative

people to bring forward concerns or questions that they’re reluctant to ask their managers about,” she explains. “We take them to senior management. We don’t meet as often as we used to because there’s less need, but the committee will continue.” As well, Morrison is active on the social committee, which finds creative ways to raise funds for various charities, and the United Way committee, and she volunteers to help with an annual award banquet recognizing the journeyperson in each trade who has earned the highest mark in the certification exams. “Apprenticeship programs give young people the opportunity to have rewarding careers,” says Ritter. “Our staff love that they can help people change their lives.” ¡ p Desiree Morrison enjoys an ice cream social for Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade

Certification Commission staff members

assistant to the chief operating officer. “This is a fabulous place to work,” she says. “It’s small, with a family feeling. I do love coming to work every morning.” Sask Apprenticeship also surveys its customers — skilled trade apprentices and the employers who hire them — and they confirm the value of engaged employees. In the latest survey, more than 90 per cent of employers agreed the commission’s employees are friendly, courteous, helpful and knowledgeable, while the equivalent responses from apprentices were in the high 80s.

“We recognize our employees’ contributions every day,” Ritter says. “We want them to grow and succeed, so we support education that will help their careers.” Morrison is benefiting from that support as she works towards a degree from Athabasca University, education she interrupted seven years ago to join Sask Apprenticeship as a client service representative. Since then she has moved up through three other positions to her current role. She’s also an enthusiastic participant in several committees, including the employee engagement committee, which is “a way for

Awesome by trade. Proud to be named one of Saskatchewan’s Top Employers.

saskapprenticeship.ca

FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA

69%

OF EMPLOYEES ARE WOMEN

54%

OF MANAGERS ARE WOMEN

55%

OF EXECUTIVE TEAM ARE WOMEN

This story was produced by Mediacorp in partnership with Postmedia, on behalf of the Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission.

SASKATCHEWAN’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2019

Changing thought patterns at Saskatchewan Blue Cross

really loved it and has implemented it into their daily lives,” Carter says. “Blue Cross wants all of us to be as healthy and happy as possible, and that will organically come back into the workplace.” Another aspect of Destination Blue, Arnott notes, is increased staff consultation, so SBC management has asked employees to come up with ideas about ways to improve all aspects of the workplace. “We got 150 or more ideas, and there are about 70 we’re moving forward with.” One example: it was suggested that too many resources were being devoted to the annual United Way Fowl Supper and Silent Auction event that could be diverted directly to the United Way itself — SBC acted on this and increased its funds raised. ¡

subtle but profound transformation has been taking place at Saskatchewan Blue Cross (SBC), a transformation in how employees think. Recently, the organization — which provides health and dental benefits, travel, short- and long-term disability, and life insurance coverage to residents of the province — adopted a performanceenhancement program developed by The Pacific Institute.

You start to recognize when you might be in a fixed mindset where you are blocking out opportunities – and that can be at home, at work, anywhere. _______ Desiree Carter

Team Lead and Senior Group Underwriter

“Not only has ‘Destination Blue’ given employees additional leadership and performance skills but, interestingly, our staff who are parents have told us the program just sang to them in terms of handling the challenges they might have

p Saskatchewan Blue Cross employees participating in a United Way Campaign Launch

with their children more effectively,” says SBC president and CEO Arnie Arnott. The program was first delivered to executives and managers and then rolled out to the rest of the company through designated internal trainers; Desiree Carter, team lead and senior group underwriter, is one of 12 trained facilitators. “The main focus is to understand how your mind works and the impact it can have on your everyday life, and, amazingly, you can start to rewire how you think and approach life,” she says. “You start to recognize when you might be in a fixed

mindset where you are blocking out opportunities — and that can be at home, at work, anywhere. “It identifies the concept of having a growth versus a fixed mindset,” she continues, “of seeing yourself doing things that you might otherwise have thought you could not do. The concept of I can’t do it...yet. Now if I’m in a challenging situation, instead of being stressed out, I instinctively use positive self-talk and think, ‘OK, what can I do to get through this obstacle?’ If it is to be, it starts with me. And life gets easier. “I know in my own team, everybody

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2,463

JOB APPLICATIONS RECEIVED LAST YEAR

YEARS, LONGESTSERVING EMPLOYEE

200+

CHARITIES HELPED LAST YEAR

This story was produced by Mediacorp in partnership with Postmedia, on behalf of Saskatchewan Blue Cross.

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SASKATCHEWAN’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2019

Empowering changesfor forcustomers customers EmpoweringWCB WCBstaff staff to to make make meaningful meaningful changes

ven ven though Amber VanVan Parys though Amber Parys was was hearing impaired when sheshe hearing impaired when starting working for for thethe starting working Saskatchewan Workers' Saskatchewan Workers' Compensation Board in 2008, sheshe hadhad nono Compensation Board in 2008, trouble fulfilling duties a claims trouble fulfilling her her duties as aasclaims entitlement specialist, thanks to her entitlement specialist, thanks to her hearing a special phone hearing aidsaids andand a special phone andand headset provided by her employer. “I was headset provided by her employer. “I was do job my happily job happily without able able to dotomy andand without stress,” Parys, in email. an email. stress,” sayssays VanVan Parys, in an But after returning to work following But after returning to work following thethe birth of her two children, her hearing birth of her two children, her hearing hadhad worsened so much that she was no longer worsened so much that she was no longer able to use the phone. “I had encountered able to use the phone. “I had encountered great stress at this point in my life,” writes great stress at this point in my life,” writes Van Parys. “How was I going to work?” Van Parys. “How was I going to work?” When it was clear there was no technology When it was clear there was no technology to help her use the phone, the WCB to help her use thejob phone, the“IWCB created a new for her. could not be created a new job for her. “I more grateful to them forcould doingnot thisbe for moreme,” grateful to them for doing this for she adds. me,” she adds.

We want to show We to show that want we care about the thatwell-being we care about of our the staff well-being of our staff through actions, not through actions,words. not just through just through words. _______ Stuart Cunningham Vice-President of Human Resources _______ Stuart & Cunningham Communications

Vice-President of Human Resources & Communications

contribute to solving process contribute to solving thethe process problems that in the way,” problems that getget in the way,” sayssays VanVan Parys. “That allows everyone to maxiParys. “That allows everyone to maximize their potential as people mize their potential as people andand employees.” employees.” That, in in turn, means employees are are That, turn, means employees able to to provide better service to to able provide better service customers. “What we’re really trying to to customers. “What we’re really trying dodo is is to to getget better at talking about the the better at talking about type of of culture andand work environment type culture work environment we’re trying to create and whywhy we’re we’re trying to create and we’re trying to create it,” says Cunningham. trying to create it,” says Cunningham. “Yes, it’s about serving our customers in “Yes, it’s about serving our customers in a better way, but we’re confident that, a better way, but we’re confident that, through focusing on an exceptional through focusing on an exceptional customer experience, we can also fix customer experience, we can also fix some of the problems that frustrate our some of the problems that frustrate our staff on a day-to-day basis.” ¡ staff on a day-to-day basis.” ¡ p Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board employees work together to eliminate injuries to eliminate injuries p Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board employees work togetherand restore abilities

“Often people are reluctant to declare people are reluctant a“Often disability,” explains Stuart to declare a disability,” explains Stuart of human Cunningham, vice-president Cunningham, vice-president ofThe human resources & communications. WCB resources & communications. The WCB has a policy of contributing up to $5,000 has policy of contributing up to $5,000 toahelp employees with disabilities. hoping more will feel to “We’re help employees withpeople disabilities. comfortable to say, will ‘I’m feel “We’re hopingenough more people suffering. Can you help?’” comfortable enough to say, ‘I’m At the Saskatchewan suffering. Can you help?’”WCB, there are new values and a new WCB, vision,there are At the Saskatchewan Cunningham says, as leadership shifts new values and a new vision, from the traditional "command and Cunningham says, as leadership shifts from the traditional "command and

and restore abilities

and control approach to one where we and control approach to one attempt to truly empower our where staff to we attempt to truly ourchanges staff to identify and makeempower meaningful identify and make meaningful changes to their work in support of excellent to their work in support of excellent customer service.” Every level of the organization is customer service.” involved in theofshift. are is Every level the Managers organization encouraged to develop their frontline involved in the shift. Managers are staff into critical thinkers; frontline encouraged to develop their frontline workers beingthinkers; asked to identify what staff intoare critical frontline processes are causing problems, and workers are being asked to identify what then suggest processes arepossible causingsolutions. problems,“This and new culture has empowered us to “This then suggest possible solutions. new culture has empowered us to

FULL-TIME STAFF 480 INFULL-TIME CANADA STAFF 480 IN CANADA OF EMPLOYEES 70.3% AREOFWOMEN 70.3% AREEMPLOYEES WOMEN OF MANAGERS 59.3% AREOFWOMEN 59.3% AREMANAGERS WOMEN CHARITIES HELPED 40 LAST YEAR HELPED CHARITIES 40 LAST YEAR This story was produced by Mediacorp in

partnership with Postmedia, on behalf of This story Workers' was produced by Mediacorp Saskatchewan Compensation Board. in partnership with Postmedia, on behalf of Saskatchewan Workers' Compensation Board.

Our Employees shape who we are. OurThey Eare mployees shape whoone we are. the reason we’re They are the reason we’re one of Saskatchewan’s Top Employers! of Saskatchewan’s Top

Employers!

www.wcbsask.com/careers

SASKATCHEWAN’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2019

Saskatoon Police Service is a leader in innovation

t first glance, the paths that led Mitch Yuzdepski and Cy Bray to the Saskatoon Police Service (SPS) appear almost identical. Both of them knew as teenagers that they wanted to become police officers. Both applied for police jobs when they finished high school, and both were turned down. “As a naïve 18-year-old kid growing up in Saskatoon,” says Yuzdepski, “I thought, I’m a good person, I have a good character. They should hire me. But I’ve discovered since then that it takes more than good character to be a good policeman.”

We want people with different backgrounds and different experiences. It makes us a better service. _______ Mitch Yuzdepski Deputy Chief

Yuzdepski went on to complete a bachelor’s degree in sociology at the University of Saskatchewan before he landed a job with the SPS in 1987. Over the next 31 years, he worked in every depart-

p Saskatoon Police Service employees

ment, from detention to the canine unit to homicide, and obtained a business administration certificate from the university as well. With his experience and qualifications, Yuzdepski became deputy chief in the fall of 2018. By then he’d learned that the SPS thrives on training, imagination, innovation and initiative, as well as education. In fact, these qualities attracted Cy Bray to the SPS. “I’d heard many positive things about the SPS,” he says. “They treat employees well, they’re open to innovation and they encourage initiative.”

Bray graduated in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree from the University of Regina, where he was an academic all-Canadian as a member of the track-and-field team, and spent 20 weeks at the Saskatchewan Police College studying every aspect of policing, from ethics and wellness to crisis intervention, before he joined the SPS. From the day he started, Bray experienced first-hand the impact of the SPS’s innovative approach to policing. By then, Yuzdepski had spearheaded the creation of the Police and Crisis Team (PACT), which pairs a police officer with a

mental health professional to help direct individuals with mental health or addiction issues to appropriate services. The initiative ranks among the most innovative in the country. “I’d say I deal with mental-health situations three times a shift,” says Bray, who spends four days on and four days off duty. More recent SPS initiatives include Exxplore Emergency Services, a one-day event organized by SPS and the city’s fire department to attract women to both services. “We try to attract people who represent the community,” says Yuzdepski. “We don’t want everyone to be the same. We want people with different backgrounds and different experiences. It makes us a better service.” ¡

665

FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA

688

JOB APPLICATIONS RECEIVED LAST YEAR

43.4%

OF EMPLOYEES ARE WOMEN

28%

OF MANAGERS ARE WOMEN

This story was produced by Mediacorp in partnership with Postmedia, on behalf of Saskatoon Police Service.

SASKATCHEWAN’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2019

Southeast College stays tuned to its community

hen a gas pipeline was routed through Carry the Kettle First Nation in Saskatchewan, band leaders contacted Southeast College about training some of their young people to work on the new project. Instead of bringing the students 35 km to Southeast’s campus at Indian Head, the college sent instructors to the First Nation. “About 120 students went through the program,” says Larry Heggs, business & program development consultant, “and about 75 per cent of them will remain with the company when the pipeline’s done.”

Most of our resources are invested in people, so it’s important to create an environment for people to have fun, be innovative and succeed. _______ Dion McGrath

President & CEO

Such responsiveness distinguishes Southeast College from more conventional post-secondary institutions. “I don’t think anybody is as attuned as we are to the community,” says Heggs.

p Southeast College Advisor assists a college student

With six campuses training more than 5,000 students a year, the 44-year-old college serves more than 70 cities, towns and First Nations in southeast Saskatchewan. It delivers a variety of programs, from grain marketing to suicide prevention to portrait photography, that meet the educational and labour demands of the region. It also offers university, technology and trades, health care, business, safety, and industrial training in response to specific requirements of local industries. “We encourage our staff to think outside the box,” says president & CEO Dion McGrath, “not only with new

programming ideas but also with new ways to create efficiencies.” Like the pipeline program delivered to Carry the Kettle First Nation, Southeast’s curriculum reflects the immediate needs of its constituents. “The business sector says, we’d like a course in leadership or mental health,” says Heggs. “Then we set out to develop and deliver it.” Located in the heartland of Saskatchewan’s oil industry, Southeast recently adopted an international program in oil-well control that had previously been available only in Edmonton, 800 km away. “People in the industry here said, why

do we have to send our guys all that way?” Heggs says. “Why can’t we do it here? The college responded by identifying programming options and new partners.” Based in Weyburn, McGrath takes a similarly responsive approach to his relationships with his staff. When a new employee joins the college, he takes the individual to lunch. Once a month, he fields open questions from staff from all six Southeast locations. “I want people to have a clear understanding of our goals and how they contribute to our success,” he says. “Most of our resources are invested in people, so it’s important to create an environment for people to have fun, be innovative and succeed.” ¡

FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA

142

APPLICATIONS RECEIVED LAST YEAR

WEEKS, MATERNITY LEAVE TOP-UP PAY

78%

OF MANAGERS ARE WOMEN

This story was produced by Mediacorp in partnership with Postmedia, on behalf of Southeast College.

“Most of our resources are invested in people, so it’s important to create an environment for people to have fun, be innovative and succeed.” - Dion McGrath, President and CEO, Southeast College

1-866-999-7372 www.southeastcollege.org

SASKATCHEWAN’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2019

Inclusivity and and creativity creativity lead to job Inclusivity job satisfaction satisfactionat atUniversity UniversityofofRegina Regina

C C

allieMorris Morrissays saysher herjob jobisisaa allie perfectfit. fit.Even Evenbefore beforeshe she perfect startedworking workingasasthe the started Indigenousstudent studentrecruiter recruiter Indigenous forthe theUniversity UniversityofofRegina, Regina,Morris Morris for wasalways alwaysencouraging encouragingher herfamily familyand and was friends to go on to post-secondary friends to go on to post-secondary education.Now, Now,with withthe theuniversity’s university’s education. support, she can reach even more support, she can reach even more students within Indigenous communistudents within Indigenous communities and urban schools with larger ties and urban schools with larger numbers of Indigenous students. numbers of Indigenous students. As Morris talks with prospective As Morris talks with prospective students about programs, admissions students about programs, admissions requirements and supports available on requirements and supports available on campus, she’s able to share her own campus, she’s able to share her own experiences as an Indigenous member of experiences as an Indigenous member of the U of R community and graduate in the U of R community and graduate in business administration from the business administration from the university’s Hill School of Business. university’s Hill School of Business.

The university The university gives me the resources gives me the resources and room I need to and room I need to get my work done. get my work done. _______ Callie Morris

_______ Student Indigenous Callie Recruiter Morris Indigenous Student Recruiter

“I’m loving this job,” says Morris. “My “I’m loving this Morris. recruitment teamjob,” andsays manager are“My very recruitment and manager supportive team in what I want to doare andvery of the different ideas I have in trying getofstudents supportive in what I want to do to and the different ideas I have in trying to get students

p Callie Morris (right), Indigenous Student Recruiter at University of Regina, appreciates having the University of Regina, appreciates having the p Callie Morris (right), Indigenous Student freedomRecruiter to try newatthings and bring new ideas to the workplace freedom to try new things and bring new ideas to the workplace

here. The university gives me the resources here. The university gives thedone.” resources and room I need to get myme work andHaroon room I Chaudhry need to getechoes my work done.” Morris’ Haroon Chaudhry echoes Morris’ sentiments. As associate director of sentiments. As associate director of international student services, Chaudhry international student services, Chaudhry feels his own values of multiculturalism, feels his own of multiculturalism, diversity and values individual empowerment align diversity individual empowerment align well withand those of the University of Regina. well“I’m with thoseinterested of the University of Regina. really in increasing “I’m really interested in increasing cross-cultural relationships among cross-cultural relationships among and students and building a harmonious students and building a where harmonious and welcoming atmosphere students welcoming atmosphere where students can feel supported,” Chaudhry says. “We can feel supported,” Chaudhry says. “We work collaboratively across the campus to create an environment that work collaboratively across theexpands campus to create an environment that expands

the student experience beyond the the student experience beyond the classroom.” classroom.” The U of R hosts numerous cultural Thereflecting U of R hosts numerous cultural events the university’s diversity, events reflecting the university’s diversity, including International Night, a huge including International Night, a huge multicultural event attracting thousands event attractingrepresentathousands ofmulticultural students, staff, government of students, staff, government tives and community members. representatives andkind community members. works “That of social engagement “That kind of social engagement works to help build a strong campus community to help build a strong campus and community and infuse a sense of belonging value sense ofbody,” belonging inand its infuse diverseastudent says and value in its diverse student body,” saysempowChaudhry. “It showcases student erment, leadership and intercultural Chaudhry. “It showcases student empowconsciousness.” erment, leadership and intercultural consciousness.”

Doug Cripps, associate dean (underDoug Cripps, associate dean (undergraduate) forfor thethe faculty of kinesiology graduate) faculty of kinesiology and health studies, says hishis employment and health studies, says employment with thethe university hashas given him, as part with university given him, as part of of hishis research and work, opportunities to to research and work, opportunities sitsit onon national boards, including thethe national boards, including Active Living Alliance forfor Canadians with Active Living Alliance Canadians with a Disability. He sees that work as aligning a Disability. He sees that work as aligning with thethe university’s commitment to to with university’s commitment communities, both internal and external. communities, both internal and external. “I didn’t have to convince my employer,” “I didn’t have to convince my employer,” says Cripps. “They’ve supported me and says Cripps. “They’ve supported me and recognized that my volunteer work on recognized that my volunteer work on boards would only enhance my work as boards would only enhance my work as an employee. Otherwise, I couldn’t do this. an employee. Otherwise, I couldn’t do this. The university gives me the necessary The university gives me the necessary freedom to engage in these activities that I freedom to engage in these activities that I think are so important and it adds think are so important and it adds incredible value to my job.” ¡ incredible value to my job.” ¡

1,320 1,320

FULL-TIME STAFF FULL-TIME IN CANADA STAFF IN CANADA

TERM AND PART-TIME 1,700+ AND PART-TIME STAFFTERM LAST YEAR 1,700+ STAFFHIREDHIRED LAST YEAR

OF LEADERS AND 50% OF LEADERS AND MANAGERS ARE WOMEN 50% MANAGERS ARE WOMEN OF EMPLOYEES ARE 11% VISIBLE MINORITIESARE OF EMPLOYEES 11% VISIBLE MINORITIES This story was produced by Mediacorp in partnership onMediacorp behalf of in This storywith wasPostmedia, produced by University of Regina. partnership with Postmedia, on behalf of University of Regina.

Tell us your story If you are an exceptional employer with

progressive human resources programs and

initiatives, consider applying for next year’s edition of Saskatchewan’s Top Employers.

Now entering its 20th year, our national

project is Canada’s longest-running and best-

known editorial competition for employers. For information on next year’s

application process, visit:

CanadasTop100.com/2020 Applications for our 2020 competition will be released later this month and must be returned by April.

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Thankyou you faculty and who staffmake whoamake a difference Thank to to ourour faculty and staff difference inthe thelives lives students every in of of students every day. day.