Manitoba's Top Employers

3 top companies are listed alphabetically. One thing that the Top Employers can't be accused of is failing to do its research. Each year, it writes nearly one million words in publishing its selections and the rationale for selecting each of the winning employers. "You might not agree with each of the winners we've chosen but it's there in black and white for readers to understand why the winners were selected," Meehan says. Spelling it out in such detail encourages transparency in the selection of the winners. "People know it's a fair competition. It also encourages the employers to raise the bar themselves. They pick up the paper, read about what a competitor that made the list is doing –then decide they should match their maternity leave program or offer better working conditions," he says. "We're looking for the kinds of things a job seeker would be interested in. We write from their point of view, from what a new employee would be interested in." In fact, Meehan says the editorial team usually sees applications from competitors within a year or two – as a result, the overall situation for workers improves in that industry. "In the Top 100, we have 100 per cent of them now doing maternity leave top-up. Some will pay up to 80 per cent of your salary for 26 weeks so you won't be left with just the EI subsidy for that period. This makes a big deal for people. How much is your employer going to stand by and help? When you publish it, other employers take notice," he says. The national program and the Manitoba numbers are all part of the same project. When a Manitoba-based organization applies for the national list, they're automatically in the running for the Manitoba competition. "We go through the information they provide and when something really stands out from the rest of their industry, something we haven't seen before, we'll go back to the employers and ask for more evidence or clarification," he says. The Aboriginal People's Television Network, or APTN, has cut the Top Employers muster for 11 consecutive years. Debbie Isaak, its director of human resources, says being recognized brings more than just added credibility to the Winnipeg- based network. "It boosts our employees' morale, makes them very proud and it brings an awareness to them about how we compare to other work cultures. It also brings awareness to our viewers and the rest of the public, all of which has a positive impact on the network," she says. One of the differentiators that sets APTN apart is it's an Indigenous employer that offers traditional elder services as part of its employee and family assistance program. It also provides traditional Indigenous gifts for long-service awards. For example, somebody celebrating their 10-year anniversary at the station receives a customized star blanket featuring colours that are distinct to them. APTN has a total of 145 employees, 70 per cent of whom are in Winnipeg. Two-thirds of its staff are Indigenous, but Isaak is also proud of its gender parity – 53 per cent of it workers are female. "We talk the talk and walk the walk," she says. CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS While those character traits baffle older generations, Millennials – the generation that was born between 1980 and 2000, to be precise – do possess a character trait that garners universal admiration: their desire to give back. These days, as company workforces need to be replenished due to retirement and the transient nature of today's job market, savvy employers are using a novel strategy to recruit Millennials: community-oriented programs that allow twenty and thirtysomethings to give back to the community they work in. "Well-developed community programs have always been the hallmark of the best employers," says Richard Yerema, Managing Editor for Mediacorp's Canada's Top 100 Employers. "Today more than ever, those programs have to be genuine if employers want to attract Millennials to their company." The reason is simple: Millennials do want to make the world a better place. And they will use technology – i.e., their well-used smartphones – to find out if an employer's community program is for real. "If they're interested in working for a certain company, Millennials will investigate their website and social media to see what the program is all about," Yerema says. "They can find out pretty quickly if an employer is walking their talk or not." Craig Evans, CEO for Granny's Poultry, says that a recent staff survey revealed that a strong community program is a big part of what attracts Millennials to work for the company and encourages people to remain there. This came as good news to Granny's management team, he adds. "We were pleasantly surprised by the survey results and pleased to know that employees recognize the value of our community program at Granny's and the need to give back," Evans says. John Quail, Chief Marketing Officer for the Westman Communications Group, says his company is also using a strong community program to recruit Millennials. "They want to be socially responsible, and we appreciate that," he says. "We have a very strong community program that encourages our employees to get involved as much as they can, so I think we're well-positioned in their eyes right from the get-go." That positioning gets even stronger due to a small but significant perk that comes with getting involved in the community. "We have no problem giving our staff members – especially our marketing team, which is quite young – time off to take part in community or charitable events," Quail says. "Millennials really appreciate that. They just love being involved and being able to give back." Yerema says employers like Granny's and Westman – ones who walk their talk with their community programs – are the ones who will continue to attract Millennials to their workforce. "Strong community programs are just a simple, good way to engage people. It's a creative way to put employees' energy to work." Not only is it creative, but it's tangible, he adds. "Creating touchstones in the community is important in an increasingly urban world. Getting involved in the community is tangible and real. People can lose touch with the modern world all too easily. A strong community program helps employees stay in touch." Consequently, the involvement level is high – something that not only Millennials, but all employees appreciate. "The payback in terms of engagement is high," Yerema says. "People can utilize their skills on company time. You feel good about yourself and your employer. In the end, it creates a win-win scenario. Employees – particularly Millennials – can engage at the human level, and employers can use strong community programs as an effective recruitment tool." A CHANCE TO GIVE BACK A LURE FOR MANY YOUNGER EMPLOYEES TODD LEWYS Millennials are oft-criticized for their obsession with technology and seemingly less-than-stellar work ethic.

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