Announcing the winners of the 2015 National HR Awards

Read in-depth stories on the best human resources practices in the country

Congratulations to the winners of the 2015 National HR Awards. The 17-page section in the Sept. 21 issue of Canadian HR Reporter is testament to some of the best work being done by HR across Canada.

For Canadian HR Reporter, it was an exciting endeavour. We wanted to launch a comprehensive national competition and the response from readers has been nothing short of phenomenal.

We were flooded with applications from coast to coast, and that made judging intense in many of the categories. But it was the quality of the nominations that impressed us the most.

It’s gratifying to be able to tell the stories with so much depth. Too often, award shows focus on the shiny statues and not enough on the actual practice that won the award.

And we’re not done. As I write this, we have a team of videographers crossing the country. If you receive Canadian HR Newswire, our weekly email service, you’ll get a special email with links to videos of the award winners in the first week of October. You can also check www.nationalhrawards.com for updates — we will be housing all of the winner’s stories there, along with videos.

And the winners are…

Without further ado, here are the winners of the 2015 National HR Awards:

Venngo Employee Engagement Award
Winner:
Fidelity Investments
Read their story: Listening key to engagement at Fidelity Investments

Technology/Innovation Award
Winner: Loblaw
Read their story: Video interviews advance Loblaw’s on-campus recruitment

Rideau Best Recognition Program
Winner:
ATB Financial
Read their story: ATB sees results with storytelling recognition

Best Corporate Training and Development Program
Winner:
Calfrac Well Services
Read their story: Calfrac finds flexibility, mobility — and cost savings — in taking blended approach to training

Employment Lawyer of the Year
Winner:
Janice Rubin, Rubin Thomlinson LLP
Read her story: Janice Rubin’s CBC report put spotlight on workplace harassment

Best Recruitment Program
Winner:
K+S Potash Canada
Read their story: Social media, communications help K+S Potash Canada mine for recruits

Best Diversity Program
Winner:
Symcor
Read their story: Hand-on approach has Symcor celebrating diversity

Best Corporate Social Responsibility Program
Winner:
Tata Consultancy Services
Read their story: Volunteer partnerships push Tata Consultancy Services forward

Healthy Workplaces Award
Winner:
Hyatt Regency Calgary
Read their story: Booking a stay with health and wellness at Hyatt Regency

Best Employee Communications Program
Winner:
Alberta Health
Read their story: Monthly newsletter connects, engages employees at Alberta Health

HR Challenge Award
Winner:
CIMA+
Read their story: Strong team gets CIMA through tough times

2015 National HR Awards judges

Best Diversity Program: Michael Bach, CEO of the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion; Kelly Lendsay, inaugural president and CEO of the Aboriginal Human Resource Council; and Beth Clarke, director of employer programs at the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council.

Best Recruitment Program: Lauren Friese, founder of TalentEgg.ca; Mary McIninch, executive director, government relations, ACSESS; and David Hoad, senior consultant at Hay Group.

HR Challenge Award: Edmond Mellina, president of ORCHANGO; Les Dakens, former CHRO for Maple Leaf Foods; and Tiffany Goodlet of KornFerry.

Employment Lawyer of the Year: Gail J. Cohen, editor-in-chief of Canadian Lawyer; and Jean Cumming, editor-in-chief/market director of Lexpert.

Best Employee Communications Program: Jody Bruner, founder Bruner Business Communications; Roger Davies, founder and CEO of McLuhan & Davies Communications; and Sharone Bar-David, author of Trust Your Canary: Every Leader’s Guide to Taming Workplace Incivility.

Best Corporate Training & Development Program: Allison Patterson, national senior leadership and business manager, KPMG Canada; Tony Kerekes, seasoned HR professional with 20 plus years’ experience; and Doug Macnamara, president of Banff Executive Leadership.

Venngo Employee Engagement Award: Courtney Pratt, corporate director and former chair of Knightsbridge Human Capital Solutions; Kay Hubbard, manager of organization effectiveness and talent management at Carswell, a Thomson Reuters business; and Paul Weissman, president of Venngo.

Best Corporate Social Responsibility Program: Barb Conway, vice-president of HR and customer experience at Carswell; and David Wexler, founder and managing partner of Wexler Human Capital Consulting.

Rideau Best Recognition Program: Roy Saunderson, chief learning office of Rideau’s Recognition Management Institute; and Daryl Bettles, manager, compensation, benefits and human resources operations at Carswell.

Technology/Innovation Award: Alan McEwen, HR/payroll consultant with 25 years’ plus experience; and Todd Humber, associate publisher/managing editor of Canadian HR Reporter.

Healthy Workplaces Award: Gerald J. Yaffe, president of Kit Care Corporation; Roland Osske, seasoned HR professional with more than 25 years’ experience; and Beverly Beuermann-King, resiliency and wellness specialist.

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