Leading with strong and comprehensive responses to the pandemic: 'BC's Top Employers' for 2021 winners are announced
VANCOUVER, BC, Feb. 16, 2021 /CNW/ - In a year when British Columbia's public health authorities have been widely praised for their response to the pandemic, the province's leading employers have stepped up with strong and comprehensive responses to keep employees safe and help protect the community. The best of these initiatives were recognized this morning, as BC's Top Employers for 2021 were announced by Mediacorp Canada Inc., organizers of the annual Canada's Top 100 Employers project.
"The practical and timely responses we saw in British Columbia included organizing task forces and committees to spearhead organizational response and coordinate important tasks, such as safety and mitigation protocols for essential workers," says Richard Yerema, Managing Editor of the Canada's Top 100 Employers project. "Clear lines of communication and accountability have enabled these employers to create positive outcomes – even in the face of the pandemic's daunting challenges."
This year's winners also reached out to employees through pulse surveys to learn where additional support was required and gather feedback on the employer's overall pandemic response. Enhanced communications and surveys provided insights into employee needs, whether it was offering flexibility and resources to help with additional caregiving duties or providing subsidies for ergonomic home office set-up.
"Tangible support such as extending benefits to cover urgent needs such as childcare, access to virtual health care services to enable employees to stay at home and mental health support – these have all been crucial during this time," notes Kristina Leung, Senior Editor. "This year's winners had a strong baseline of benefits before the pandemic, which made it easier for them to respond when employees' needs became more pressing and urgent."
Some notable initiatives the editors highlighted this year include:
- Early in the pandemic, BC Centre for Ability established a task force and moved employees to work-from-home arrangements. The organization also surveyed employees for their concerns in developing a return-to-work plan, along with monthly pulse checks.
- Kabam Games, Inc. offered a work-from-home allowance of $500 and provided access to virtual health care services. The company also hosted virtual social events, including family activities for employees with children and arranged weekly CEO communications.
- While increasing its production for consumers, Nature's Path Foods, Inc. boosted its annual food donation to local charities to $2.5-million (from $1 million), donating over 80,000 pounds to food banks and local charities from March to June of 2020 alone.
- Vancouver-based dating website Plenty of Fish provided staff with childcare subsidies and three options for core working hours, allowing flexibility to meet personal needs. The company also offered 15 days of emergency leave to allow employees to care for those with illness.
- SAP Canada Inc. introduced several virtual initiatives to help employees to maintain balance, including an 'Out of Home Office Day' to encourage employees to separate work and personal time, an 'Active@SAP' video channel to promote physical activity, and a 'Never Lunch Alone' initiative to help employees working from home connect during their break.
- Save-On-Foods Limited Partnership hired more than 1,400 new employees to facilitate ongoing operations during the pandemic. To keep staff safe, the company's health and safety team developed 40 new operating procedures during the pandemic.
- City of Vancouver launched the 'Give a Hand Vancouver' initiative to coordinate community response to the pandemic and enable the city employees to receive and deploy resources and services efficiently.
- WorkSafeBC encourages employees to put their health and wellness first, providing a mental health practitioner benefit of up to $2,400 per year and organizing in-house initiatives such as a 30-day mindfulness challenge, stretch break programs, and a series of lunch-and-learns on health and finances.
Now in its 16th year, BC's Top Employers is a special designation that recognizes the British Columbia employers that lead their industries in offering exceptional places to work. Employers throughout British Columbia were evaluated by the editors at Canada's Top 100 Employers using the same 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 offer the most progressive and forward-thinking programs. The annual competition is open to any employer with its head office in British Columbia; employers of any size may apply, whether private or public sector.
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 over 15 million 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 unique visitors annually and features editorial reviews from the Canada's Top 100 Employers project. The company also publishes The Career Directory, now in its 28th year – a free online guide for recent college and university graduates looking for employers hiring candidates from their educational background.
The full list of BC's Top Employers for 2021 was announced in a special magazine published today and featured in the Vancouver Sun. Detailed reasons for selection for each of the winners, with hundreds of stories and photos, were released by the editors today and are accessible via the competition homepage.
SOURCE Mediacorp Canada Inc.
Stephanie Leung, Assistant Editor, 416-964-6069 x5334
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