From Hire to Retire - Hydro Ottawa Shares its Recipe for Top Employer Success in Five Easy Steps

OTTAWA, Feb. 5, 2015 /CNW/ - For the seventh consecutive year, Hydro Ottawa has been recognized as one of the National Capital Region's Top Employers. The company reveals that, from hire to retire, its secret recipe includes a mixture of employee engagement initiatives, with a dash of community involvement, and a large pinch of employee wellbeing.

Here, Hydro Ottawa shares the top five steps to its recipe for success.

1. A key ingredient for Hydro Ottawa's success is its focus on maintaining a prepared, diverse and sustainable workforce. The company has long-been committed to growing apprentices to power the next generation of trades talent. A talented and diverse workforce that represents the community it serves benefits from extensive learning and development opportunities that include job-related tuition reimbursement. 
2. Recognizing that buying local is important, Hydro Ottawa keeps greens on its menu by making sure that more than 1/3 of goods and services are purchased from local suppliers.
3. A cup of sugar sweetens any workplace when it comes to providing opportunities to give back to the community. An Employee Volunteer Day program allows employees to dedicate one work day each year to a paid volunteer day with a registered charity. In addition, Hydro Ottawa's commitment to community organizations like United Way Ottawa and Christie Lake Kids offer meaningful ways for employees to engage in important initiatives that shape our community. Better make that two cups of sugar.
4. Offering healthy choices is important at Hydro Ottawa. Onsite fitness facilities and wellness programs are available to all employees. Fold in a comprehensive benefit plan that takes care of employees and their families.
5. Seasoned retirees and older workers are vital to the overall flavour of the organization. Hydro Ottawa's 'Prime Time' initiative is key to engaging older workers and retirees by keeping them connected to the organization. The initiative also makes it possible to transfer valuable knowledge from experienced employees to those starting their careers.

For more information about Hydro Ottawa's selection, visit the National Capital Region's Top Employers website at www.canadastop100.com/ottawa.

Quick Facts

• The annual editorial competition, which forms part of Canada's Top 100 Employers, recognizes the region's most exceptional places to work by identifying those employers that lead in attracting and retaining employees.
• The award comes after the organization's most successful United Way Ottawa workplace campaign. Employee donations and corporate matching dollars raised a record-breaking $254,427.63. Since 2001, Hydro Ottawa's workplace campaigns have raised $1.75 million for United Way Ottawa.
• In 2014, Hydro Ottawa was recognized with numerous awards including Canada's Greenest Employers, MediaCorp Canada's Top Employers for Young People, Best Employers for 50-Plus Canadians, and an Ontario Business Achievement Award for Skills and Training, among others.

Quotes

"We know our employees have an appetite for customer service, environmental sustainability and community involvement. Cooking up a great place to work for them makes it possible for our employees to perform at their best for the good of our customers and the community."

- Bryce Conrad, President and Chief Executive Officer

About Hydro Ottawa

Hydro Ottawa's core businesses are delivering electricity, generating renewable power and providing energy conservation/management services. Hydro Ottawa is a community-owned, private company, delivering electricity to more than 315,000 customers in Ottawa and Casselman. It is the largest municipally-owned producer of green power in the province, with hydroelectric and landfill gas-to-energy generating facilities. Hydro Ottawa Holding Inc. (Hydro Ottawa) owns and operates two subsidiary companies, Hydro Ottawa Limited and Energy Ottawa Inc.

SOURCE Hydro Ottawa Holding Inc.

Daniel Séguin, Manager, Media and Public Affairs, Hydro Ottawa, Tel: [phone] ext. 345, [email protected]; www.hydroottawa.com