Giving back to the community and helping employees connect: this year's 'Nova Scotia's Top Employers' are announced

HALIFAX, NS, March 22, 2022  /CNW/ - Nova Scotia employers are doubling down when it comes to helping their local communities and encouraging employees to connect with one another. That's the message from this year's Nova Scotia's Top Employers, announced today by Mediacorp Canada Inc., organizers of the annual Canada's Top 100 Employers competition.

"After two years of social distancing and isolation, many of this year's winners have taken a proactive approach to help employees connect with another," says Kristina Leung, Senior Editor at Canada's Top 100 Employers. "Employers are going out of their way to foster connections among staff, through social events and communal activities that encourage employees to work together."

"Employees feel tremendous pride when they work on projects that give back to their community," adds Anthony Meehan, Publisher at Mediacorp. "During the pandemic, many of this year's winners provided structure and encouragement in terms of paid days off to volunteer at local charities, as well as similar initiatives that create camaraderie among employees while helping the communities where they operate."

Launched in 2007, Nova Scotia's Top Employers is an annual competition organized by the editors of Canada's Top 100 Employers. This special designation recognizes the employers in Nova Scotia that lead their industries in offering exceptional places to work. 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. Employers are compared to other organizations in their field to determine which offers the most progressive and forward-thinking programs. Any employer with its head office or principal place of business in Nova Scotia may apply for the Nova Scotia's Top Employers competition. Employers of any size may apply, whether private or public sector.

Notable initiatives at this year's winners include:

• Halifax-based Admiral Insurance offers two paid days off each year to volunteer at local charities and, each month, chooses a staff 'charity champion' to decide which group to support. Proceeds raised by that employee are matched by Admiral, to a monthly maximum of $1,000.
  
  
• Lunenburg-based High Liner Foods helps employees connect with one another through a variety of initiatives, such as social events organized with a local art gallery, a 'COVID Hair Don't Care' competition, virtual cooking classes, and wellness challenges to help employees kick the winter blues.
  
  
• FBM Architecture, based in Halifax, takes a proactive approach to help employees manage unexpected challenges, providing compassionate leave top-up for staff needing to care for a loved one (up to 100 per cent of salary for eight weeks).
  
  
• Bedford-based Clearwater Seafoods funds a special program ('Clearwater Cares') to encourage staff and their families to support community projects. The company provides paid time-off to volunteer and, since the onset of the pandemic, has donated over $160,000 to front-line workers and those in need, including food deliveries and donations to local food banks.

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 18 regional and special-interest editorial competitions that reach millions of Canadians annually through a variety of magazine and newspaper partners. Mediacorp also operates Eluta.ca, one of Canada's largest job search engines, which reaches millions of job-seekers annually and features editorial reviews from the Canada's Top 100 Employers project.

The full list of the Nova Scotia's Top Employers (2022) was announced today. Detailed reasons for selection for each of this year's winners were also released by the editors and are accessible via the competition homepage: https://www.canadastop100.com/ns/

SOURCE Mediacorp Canada Inc.

Stephanie Leung, Assistant Editor, 416-964-6069 x1477