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Revealed! Best Places to Work in Canada 2024 – HRD Canada’s Top Picks

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Best Places to Work in Canada 2024 list showcases organizations excelling in employee satisfaction

Revealed! Best Places to Work in Canada 2024 – HRD Canada’s Top Picks
BY HRD staff 11 Jun. 2024

Human Resources Director’s Best Places to Work in Canada 2024 list showcases organizations excelling in employee satisfaction by focusing on healthy work-life balance, open work environments, updated tech tools, team building, and strong coworker relationships. This year, the highlighted companies stood out for prioritizing their employees’ well-being, creating positive and inclusive cultures that enhance the overall employee experience.

Fidelity Investments Canada, with an impressive 87% employee satisfaction rating, has consistently ranked among HRD’s Best Places to Work. The company prioritizes listening to employees, resulting in a thriving culture of celebration and engagement. Fidelity’s initiatives include a subsidized full-service café, extended health and dental benefits, and strong advocacy for commuting solutions.

Diana Godfrey, Senior Vice President of HR and Corporate Affairs, emphasizes, “We try to put ourselves in our employees’ shoes, and we also lobbied our insurance company to extend health and dental benefits past the age of seventy.”

Excellence in employee engagement

Achieving an 82% employee satisfaction rating, The Peak Group of Companies, headquartered in British Columbia, excels in the home renovation and outdoor living products sector. The company’s culture is built on employee well-being, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Employees benefit from an education reimbursement program, cross-functional collaboration opportunities, and a strong emphasis on employee input. The organization supports charitable activities and fosters a family-friendly environment with hybrid work options.

“We care about our team members’ well-being and believe in prioritizing our people,” says Senior Human Resources Generalist Gloria Lam. “All of our staff have been carefully screened and selected to join us, and I think we all share those similar traits.”

With an overall employee satisfaction rating of 84%, the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville attributes its thriving culture to its dedicated workforce of over 500 staff. Employees praised the relaxed dress code, strong coworker relationships, and excellent pay and benefits. The town promotes communication and transparency through quarterly town halls and wellness initiatives supporting work-life balance. The staff events committee enhances the work environment, organizing events like the employee appreciation day featuring games, balloons, and a poutine food truck.

Claudette Banks, HR Director, notes, “We run numerous events yearly, and we do it because we want staff to feel like coming to work is fun.”

Innovative work cultures
UNFI Canada, a national natural and organic food distributor based in Concord, ON, received a 77% employee satisfaction rating. The company is dedicated to diversity and inclusion, fostering strong coworker relationships, and maintaining high-quality office spaces. UNFI excels in remote and hybrid work arrangements, philanthropic activities, and comprehensive training programs. Employees appreciate open communication from senior leadership and the organization’s innovative approach to new technology and work practices.

Lyn Morgan, Senior Director of Human Resources, states, “When you’re providing sustenance to people, it’s rewarding, and a lot of us get a sense of satisfaction from the type of organization we are.”

Creative Options Regina (COR) is celebrated for its exceptional workplace culture, emphasizing the importance of inclusivity and employee engagement. COR’s innovative approaches and dedication to their mission foster a unique and supportive work environment.

The Alberta School Employee Benefit Plan (ASEBP) is recognized for its employee-focused initiatives and comprehensive benefits. ASEBP’s commitment to wellness and professional development contributes to its high employee satisfaction and engagement.

ECO Canada excels in fostering a dynamic and supportive work environment, with a strong focus on sustainability and employee growth. Their commitment to professional development and environmental stewardship sets them apart as a top employer.

These organizations represent the best of the best, setting benchmarks for others to follow in creating environments where employees thrive and feel valued. Their dedication to employee satisfaction is not only commendable but also a blueprint for building outstanding workplace cultures in Canada.

Read the full article on the HRD website.

COR recognized as one of Saskatchewan’s Top Employers (2024)

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Big city benefits, an affordable cost of living and time for life beyond the workplace: ‘Saskatchewan’s Top Employers’ for 2024 are announced

REGINA, March 12, 2024 – With its young and dynamic workforce, affordable cost of living and strong economy, Saskatchewan is increasingly identified as an ideal place to build a career with a healthy work-life balance. Employers in the province are responding by taking notice of the leading workplace initiatives and benefits from across the country to entice more people to province’s attractive labour market. The best of these stories were recognized today as Saskatchewan’s Top Employers (2024) were announced by Mediacorp Canada Inc., organizers of the annual Canada’s Top 100 Employers project.

“Saskatchewan has seen a steady increase in new residents, who are attracted to an affordable place where they can put down roots and improve their quality of life,” says Richard Yerema, executive editor at the Canada’s Top 100 Employers project. “Increasingly, your workplace is not limited by geography and Saskatchewan offers the perfect middle ground – literally and figuratively – between both ends of the country. It’s no surprise that people from across the country have identified Saskatchewan as an ideal place to have a satisfying career with a high quality of life.”

Saskatchewan is renowned for offering residents a healthy work-life balance, while providing the advantages of a growing economy. Employers in Saskatchewan have taken notice of the benefits and workplace programs offered elsewhere in Canada to ensure they are competitive nationally. This combination of top-notch benefits and workplace programs along with enviable lifestyle options beyond the workplace has helped this year’s winners attract and retain the talented employees they need to thrive.

“Feeling connected to others and experiencing a true sense of community is a huge part of the draw for Saskatchewan,” adds Yerema. “So many Canadians are searching for a place to live that’s affordable, while still offering the ability to build a fulfilling life outside the workplace. Winning employers in Saskatchewan understand these challenges and are focused on helping their employees achieve those dreams.”

Now in its 19th year, Saskatchewan’s Top Employers is a special designation that recognizes Saskatchewan employers that lead their industries in offering exceptional places to work. Editors at Mediacorp review employers on eight criteria, which have remained consistent since the2 project’s inception: (1) 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. The editors publish detailed ‘reasons for selection’ for these criteria, providing transparency in the selection of winners and a catalogue of best practices for employers and job-seekers alike. The competition is open to any employer with its head office or principal place of business located within the province of Saskatchewan.

Founded in 1992, Mediacorp Canada Inc. is the nation’s largest publisher of employment periodicals. Since 1999, the Toronto-based publisher has managed the Canada’s Top 100 Employers project, which includes 19 regional and special-interest editorial competitions that reach millions of Canadians annually through a variety of magazine and newspaper partners, including The Globe and Mail. Mediacorp also operates Eluta.ca, one of Canada’s largest job search engines, used by millions of job-seekers annually to find new job postings and discover what the nation’s best employers are offering.

The full list of Saskatchewan’s Top Employers (2024) was announced today in a special magazine co-published with the Saskatoon StarPhoenix and the Regina-Leader Post. Detailed ‘reasons for selection’ for each of this year’s winners, as well as stories and photos about their initiatives, were released today by the editors and are accessible via the competition homepage.

 

 

Saskatchewan’s Top Employers 2024 Winners

3sHealth / Health Shared Services Saskatchewan, Regina

Access Communications Co-operative Ltd., Regina

Andgo Systems, Saskatoon

Bourgault Industries Ltd., St. Brieux

Canpotex Limited, Saskatoon

Cornerstone Credit Union Financial Group Ltd., Yorkton

Creative Options Regina, Inc., Regina

eHealth Saskatchewan, Regina

First Nations Bank of Canada, Saskatoon3

Group Medical Services / GMS Insurance Inc., Regina

Information Services Corporation / ISC, Regina

ISM, Regina

Lakefield LLP, Saskatoon

Legal Aid Saskatchewan, Saskatoon

MLT Aikins LLP, Regina

Nutrien Ltd., Saskatoon

Ranch Ehrlo Society, Regina

Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission, Regina

Saskatchewan Blue Cross, Saskatoon

Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation / SCIC, Melville

Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority / SIGA, Saskatoon

Saskatchewan Polytechnic, Saskatoon

Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation, Saskatoon

Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board, Regina

Saskatoon Police Service, Saskatoon

SaskEnergy Incorporated, Regina

SaskPower, Regina

SaskTel, Regina

Synergy Credit Union Ltd., Lloydminster

Vendasta Technologies Inc., Saskatoon

Proud Recipient of the Canadian Positive Psychology Association Workplace Well-Being Award (2023)

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On November 21, 2023, our team proudly accepted the Canadian Positive Psychology Association Workplace Well-Being Award in the non-profit/charity category! Thank you for recognizing and celebrating our workplace well-being initiatives as we continue to nurture a culture of gentleness in the workplace and strive to influence cultures of support across Canada.

Learn more: https://cppa.ca/cwwa2023/

Nonprofit/charity:

  • Canuck Place Children’s Hospice (Vancouver, BC)
  • Creative Options Regina (Regina, SK)
  • Kids Help Phone (Toronto, ON)

Small public/private sector organizations:

  • Sklar Wilton and Associates (Toronto, ON)
  • PulseLearning (Fredericton, NB)

Large public/private sector:

  • Best Buy (Vancouver, BC)
  • Cenovus Energy (Calgary, AB)
  • Gorman Group (West Kelowna, BC)
  • TransLink (Vancouver, BC)
  • BMO (Toronto, ON)

COR recognized as one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers (2024)

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Stronger DNA, constantly changing: ‘Canada’s Top 100 Employers’ for 2024 are announced.

TORONTO, Nov. 17, 2023 – As Canadians increasingly recognize, many of the traditional workplace practices that existed before the pandemic seem destined never to return. The ‘new normal’ at the nation’s best employers is now to be always looking forward, ensuring their organizations stay flexible, adaptable, and focused on constant improvement. That’s the message from the winners of this year’s Canada’s Top 100 Employers competition, announced today by Mediacorp Canada Inc.

“This year’s winners have shown a clear focus on three key pillars: creating new ways of working, anticipating employees’ needs, and focusing on future skills development,” says Kristina Leung, managing editor of the Canada’s Top 100 Employers project. “There’s been a lot of conversation around whether we will ever return to pre-pandemic work norms, but for top employers, there’s no looking back – only forward. The best employers have emerged from the pandemic with stronger DNA and constantly change to improve their workplaces.”

This year’s winners understand that retention and employee satisfaction isn’t something that just happens, but something they actively need to develop and improve. These employers anticipate employees’ needs before they become a necessity and make improvements continuously.

“Winning employers inherently understand that there is no one-size-fits-all solution,” says Richard Yerema, executive editor of the Canada’s Top 100 Employers project. “The best employers have always been adaptable and proactive when listening to what employees need, want and value in doing their jobs.” He adds, “This has been especially important over the past few years, with employees working overtime to manage the challenges and rapid change in work styles, while ensuring their organizations stay relevant and thrive.”

Since the pandemic, there has also been increased attention to health and safety issues in the workplace, particularly around mental health. This heightened awareness has led to new health and safety initiatives for onsite staff as well as employees working on hybrid schedules.

Now in its 24th edition, Canada’s Top 100 Employers is an editorial competition that recognizes employers with exceptional human resources programs and forward-thinking workplace policies. Editors at Mediacorp review employers on eight criteria, which have remained consistent since the project’s inception: (1) 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. The editors publish detailed ‘reasons for selection’ for these criteria, providing transparency in the selection of winners and a catalogue of best practices for employers and job-seekers alike.

Founded in 1992, Mediacorp Canada Inc. is the nation’s largest publisher of employment periodicals. Since 1999, the Toronto-based publisher has managed the Canada’s Top 100 Employers project, which includes 19 regional and special-interest editorial competitions that reach millions of Canadians annually through a variety of magazine and newspaper partners, including The Globe and Mail. Mediacorp also operates Eluta.ca, one of Canada’s largest job search engines, used by millions of job-seekers annually to find new job postings and discover what the nation’s best employers are offering.

The full list of Canada’s Top 100 Employers (2024) was announced today in a special magazine published by Mediacorp and distributed in The Globe and Mail. Detailed reasons for selection, explaining why each of the winners was chosen, were also released on the competition homepage.

Canada’s Top 100 Employers 2024 Winners

ABB Canada, Saint-Laurent QC
Aboriginal Peoples Television Network Inc. / APTN, Winnipeg MB Adobe Systems Canada Inc., Ottawa ON
Agriculture Financial Services Corporation / AFSC, Lacombe AB ArcelorMittal Dofasco G.P., Hamilton ON
AstraZeneca Canada Inc., Mississauga ON
Bank of Canada, Ottawa ON
BASF Canada Inc., Mississauga ON
Bayer Inc., Mississauga ON
BC Public Service, Victoria BC
BDO Canada LLP, Toronto ON
Bell Canada, Verdun QC
Boston Consulting Group of Canada Limited, Toronto ON
British Columbia Investment Management Corp. / BCI, Victoria BC
Business Development Bank of Canada, Montréal QC CAE Inc., Saint-Laurent QC
Canada Energy Regulator, Calgary AB
Canadian National Railway Company, Montréal QC Canadian Pacific Kansas City / CPKC, Calgary AB Carleton University, Ottawa ON
Cascades Canada Inc., Kingsey Falls QC CIBC, Toronto ON
Citi Canada, Mississauga ON
Clio, Burnaby BC
College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia, The, Vancouver BC Covenant House Vancouver, Vancouver BC
Creative Options Regina, Inc., Regina SK
Danone Canada, Boucherville QC
Dash Hudson Inc., Halifax NS
Dentons Canada LLP, Calgary AB
Desjardins Group / Mouvement Desjardins, Lévis QC
Diamond Schmitt Architects Inc., Toronto ON
Digital Extremes Ltd., London ON
Employment and Social Development Canada, Gatineau QC
Enbridge Inc., Calgary AB
Export Development Canada, Ottawa ON
EY, Toronto ON
Fidelity Canada, Toronto ON
Ford Motor Company of Canada Ltd., Oakville ON
Fowler Bauld & Mitchell Ltd. / FBM, Halifax NS
FreshBooks, Toronto ON
GHD Canada Holdings Inc., Waterloo ON
Graham Construction, Calgary AB
HarperCollins Canada Ltd. and Harlequin Enterprises ULC, Toronto ON Hatch Ltd., Mississauga ON
Hospital for Sick Children, The, Toronto ON
IGM Financial Inc., Winnipeg MB
Imperial Oil Limited, Calgary AB
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, Ottawa ON Inter Pipeline Ltd., Calgary AB
Irving Oil, Saint John NB
Kellanova Canada Inc., Mississauga ON
Keurig Dr Pepper Canada, Montréal QC
Keyera Corp., Calgary AB
KPMG LLP, Toronto ON
Labatt Breweries of Canada, Toronto ON
League Inc., Toronto ON
Loblaw Companies Ltd., Brampton ON
Loopio Inc., Toronto ON
L’Oréal Canada Inc., Montréal QC
Manulife, Toronto ON
Mars Canada, Bolton ON
Mawer Investment Management Ltd., Calgary AB
McElhanney Ltd., Vancouver BC
McMillan LLP, Toronto ON
Medavie Inc., Moncton NB
Medtronic Canada ULC, Brampton ON
Mistplay Inc., Montréal QC
Mondelez Canada Inc., Toronto ON
Nutrien Inc., Saskatoon SK
OpenText Corporation, Waterloo ON
PCL Construction, Edmonton AB
Pomerleau Inc., Montréal QC
Procter & Gamble Inc., Toronto ON
Provincial Credit Union Ltd., Charlottetown PE
Questrade Financial Group, North York ON
Rio Tinto, Montréal QC
Ross Video Ltd., Nepean ON
Royal Bank of Canada, Toronto ON
Samsung Electronics Canada Inc., Mississauga ON
SAP Canada Inc., Vancouver BC
Saputo Inc., Saint-Léonard QC
SaskEnergy Incorporated, Regina SK
Schneider Electric Canada Inc., Mississauga ON
Shell Canada Limited, Calgary AB
Simon Fraser University, Burnaby BC
Sobeys Inc., Mississauga ON
Stryker Canada ULC, Waterdown ON
TD Bank Group, Toronto ON
Teck Resources Limited, Vancouver BC
Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada Inc. / TMMC, Cambridge ON United Way British Columbia, Burnaby BC
Université de Montréal, Montréal QC
University of New Brunswick / UNB, Fredericton NB
Vancouver City Savings Credit Union, Vancouver BC
Vancouver Coastal Health, Vancouver BC
Verafin Inc., St. John’s NL
West Fraser Timber Co. Ltd., Vancouver BC
World Vision Canada, Mississauga ON
Yukon, Government of, Whitehorse YT

Gentle Teaching Stories: “I strongly believe that Gentle Teaching can impact the likely hood of an individual re-offending if human justice professionals practice it in all levels of occupations within the justice system”

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Regina to Host the 2024 Gentle Teaching International Conference

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The 2024 Gentle Teaching International (GTI) conference is the premiere gathering of people from around the world committed to providing positive and proactive support in health, mental health, disability and educational sectors. This event will mark the 23rd anniversary of the conference and will bring together 500+ participants over three-days from October 1-3, 2024. This conference presents a unique opportunity to learn about the research, best practices, case studies and lessons learned on creating and sustaining a culture of support for vulnerable populations in varied environments.

Gentle Teaching incorporates compassion as an alternative to the reactive and restrictive practices that are commonplace in working with vulnerable populations. Our central purpose is to nurture, teach, and sustain the experience of connectedness, companionship and community for those who have repeatedly experienced an existence of disconnectedness, isolation and loneliness.

Gentle Teaching is based on the premise that all individuals have a right to feel safe and valued in their homes; with their families and caregivers; and at their job, school, or other forms of meaningful day activities. Those who are most vulnerable require predictability and structure in their day. They also need to experience interactions from others that are overwhelmingly positive and uplifting (vs. critical and demanding). This is truly a cultural shift to, or in some cases a deepening of, those principles that provide a solid base for helping individuals experience companionship and connectedness. It serves as a foundation for other models of treatment or teaching specific to the needs of the individual.

COR and Gentle Teaching Canada are proud to host the Gentle Teaching International Conference in Regina, Canada on October 1-3, 2024. Visit the conference website to register and be the 1st to know when conference tickets go on sale!

Click Here for the GTI 2024 Conference Website.

Gentle Teaching Stories: “Realizing that every day is a new day and that there are always new experiences to be had, allows for suspense and a chance for growth – not just for whomever I am with, but for myself as well.”

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Gentle Teaching Stories: “Gentle Teaching taught me that things don’t always have to be punishments and rewards”

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