Aecon Group Inc., Edward Jones, Keg Restaurants Ltd., Marriott Hotels of Canada and the Co-operators are among the the country’s best companies to work for, according to Aon’s 2017 best employers in Canada list.
The annual ranking, which is based on the opinions of almost 680,000 employees across 200 Canadian organizations, found 79 companies set the mark this year for engaging employees, demonstrating effective leadership, building a performance culture and leveraging the strength of their employer brand.
Employees at Aon’s best employers in Canada ranked their organizations higher than the Aon global average on empowerment (78 per cent versus 68 per cent), support for new ideas (66 per cent versus 55 per cent) and career development (65 per cent versus 54 per cent).
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“Our global research has shown that Aon Best Employers enjoy higher operating profits and sales growth than the average organization. Plus, they have a third less staff turnover and more internal promotions than their counterparts,” said Neil Crawford, partner and Canada talent practice leader at Aon Hewitt, in a news release.
“On a more granular scale, we can see why: highly engaged employees are more effective and efficient in maintaining productive customer relationships, while engendering the kind of positive work culture that all stakeholders – from other employees to customers and suppliers – can feel and appreciate.”
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Among the list’s platinum award recipients, an average of 80 per cent of employees are engaged, according to Aon. Only seven per cent of employees on the list described themselves as disengaged, compared to the Canadian average of 15 per cent.
“At Marriott, our innovative TakeCare programs encourage our associates to take care of themselves, their co-workers and their community,” said Marisa Milton, vice-president of human resources for Canada for Marriott International. “We know these programs keep our employees highly engaged and healthier, and this commitment makes good business sense. We’ll continue to put people first in order to attract, develop and retain the best talent in Canada.”
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Insurance organization the Co-operators has been on the list for 14 years. “Having a highly engaged workforce is extremely important to us, and we see the benefits it brings in terms of the quality of work that comes out of people who are highly motivated, passionate and willing to go the extra mile to help achieve our goals,” said Kathy Bardswick, president and chief executive officer of the Co-operators.
“As a co-operative, we have a distinct culture rooted in our co-op values, which is reflected in our commitment to learning and development, our collaborative spirit and our approach to supporting Canadian communities. The confidential employee surveys provide valuable information on an annual basis that helps us identify our strengths and areas we can improve as an employer.”
The full list and articles about the winners appear in the December issue of Benefits Canada‘s companion magazine and website, Canadian Business and ProfitGuide.com, and is available here.
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