Traditional benefits replace flashy employee perks
Forget the foosball tables, on-site video games and big-name rock bands at company events. Canadian employers are returning in droves to old-fashioned values, such as stability and job security, as demonstrated by the organizations on the 2010 Canada's Top 100 Employers list.
"We've seen a change this year in the programs and benefits offered by the winning employers," said Richard Yerema, managing editor of the Canada's Top 100 Employers project.
"Stability and continuity in workplace programs have become the dominant values, with the flashy extras taking a back-seat to traditional benefits that make a real difference in the lives of working Canadians."
To develop this year's Top 100 list, Mediacorp Canada examined the recruitment histories of more than 75,000 employers on job search site Eluta.ca. Mediacorp invited 16,000 of the fastest-growing employers to apply, plus another 8,000 companies and organizations in industries it wanted to examine more closely.
Employers completed an extensive application process that included a detailed review of their operations and HR practices. More than 2,600 employers started this year's application process.
Employers were evaluated using eight criteria:
• physical workplace
• work atmosphere and social
• health, financial and family benefits
• vacation and time off
• employee communications
• performance management
• training and skills development
• community involvement.
Employers were compared to other organizations in their field to determine which offers the most progressive and forward-thinking programs.
"A profound reset has taken place this year in the programs and benefits that leading employers are offering," said
"Things we have taken for granted for a generation - like private pensions and government's role in the employment relationship - are now up for discussion and forward-thinking employers are responding quickly to this sea-change."
The 2010 Top 100 (in alphabetical order):
Agriculture Financial Services Corporation
Agrium Inc.
Alberta-Pacific Forest Industries Inc.
AMEC Americas Limited
AMAPCEO
Assumption Mutual Life Insurance
ATB Financial
Bank of Montreal
Bayer Inc.
BC Hydro
BC Public Service
BD Canada Inc.
BioWare ULC
British Columbia Lottery Corporation
British Columbia Safety Authority
Business Development Bank of Canada
Cameco Corporation
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
Canada Post Corporation
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Canadian Security Intelligence Service
Capital District Health Authority
Capital One Services, Inc.
Carswell, div. of Thomson Reuters Canada Ltd.
Catholic Children's Aid Society of Toronto
Ceridian Canada Ltd.
CH2M HILL Canada Limited
Chatham-Kent Health Alliance
College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario
Compass Group Canada
Deeley Harley-Davidson Canada
DeltaWare Systems Inc.
Diavik Diamond Mines Inc.
Digital Extremes
EllisDon Corporation
Enbridge Inc.
Ericsson Canada Inc.
Ernst & Young LLP
Export Development Canada
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts
Gamma-Dynacare Medical Laboratories Inc.
Gay Lea Foods Co-operative Limited
George Brown College
Goldcorp Inc.
Golder Associates Ltd.
Great Little Box Company Ltd.
Halifax Herald Limited, The
Hamilton Health Sciences Corp.
Hewlett-Packard (Canada) Co.
Hill and Knowlton Canada
Honeywell Ltd.
Information Services Corp. of Saskatchewan
Johnson Inc.
KPMG LLP
L'Oréal Canada Inc.
Loblaw Companies Limited
Mars Canada Inc.
McGill University
MDS Nordion Inc.
Meridian Credit Union
Monsanto Canada Inc.
Mountain Equipment Co-op
MTS Allstream Inc.
NB Power Holding Corporation
New Flyer Industries Canada ULC
Next Level Games Inc.
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc.
Office of the Auditor General of Canada
OMNI Health Care LP
Ontario Power Generation Inc.
Ontario Public Service
PCL Constructors Inc.
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Procter & Gamble Inc.
Queen's University
Research In Motion Limited
Royal Bank of Canada
Royal British Columbia Museum Corp.
Royal Canadian Mint
SAS Institute Canada, Inc.
Saskatchewan Government Insurance
SaskEnergy Incorporated
SaskTel
Shell Canada Limited
Siemens Canada Limited
Simon Fraser University
Sophos Inc.
Statistics Canada
Stikeman Elliott LLP
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
TD Bank Financial Group
Telus Corporation
Toronto Community Housing Corp.
Toronto Hydro Corporation
Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada Inc.
Trican Well Service Ltd.
Upside Software Inc.
Vancouver Island Health Authority
Vancouver, City of
Yellow Pages Group Co.
