Manitoba's Top Employers

14 MANITOBA'S TOP 25 EMPLOYERS 2014 MANITOBA BLUE CROSS The colour of caring extends to workforce with proactive, innovative benefits By Todd Lewys For the Free Press No matter how big or small a company might be, it's not easy being an employer. The reason for that is simple: while the goal is always to achieve optimum productivity from employees, driving them too hard to attain lofty goals can, over time, significantly reduce a workforce's efficiency. Consequently, it's important to look at the big picture, which entails providing the work-life balance that employees require to work to their optimum capacity without becoming fatigued – and providing a benefit package that meets their needs and makes them feel like they're appreciated, and being taken care of. While that fine balance is often difficult to achieve, that's what Manitoba Blue Cross strives for, said Andrew Yorke, the company's president and CEO. Staff from Manitoba "The health and well-being of our employees Blue Cross. comes hand-in-hand with the success of our organization," he said. "We value our dedicated Photos by Darcy Finley and hard-working team, and consider their level of job satisfaction and personal welfare a top priority. The resources, support and on-site amenities we provide are an investment in our team and their continued ability to provide the highest quality of service to our members, clients and partners." The onsite amenities Yorke referred to include an employee lounge (with pool table and foosball game), a fully-equipped fitness centre that employees and family members can access, as well as employee assistance services provided by Manitoba Blue Cross's EAP Centre. He added that the importance of having such amenities available can't be discounted. "Each year we conduct an employee satisfaction survey, and "We believe it's essential for employees to be able to step away the results are consistently positive," she said. "This is a valuable from their desk for a mental and physical refresh. A refuel during barometer for us. It allows us to celebrate areas of high employee the day is important for productivity, and provides our employees satisfaction, and address potential areas of improvement. with time to focus on themselves and their own needs." We're always looking for ways to make our workplace better for Susan Flanders, Manitoba Blue Cross's Vice-President, Client our employees." and Corporate Services, said that feedback from employees on Another way management at Manitoba Blue Cross looks after those in-house perks has been resoundingly positive. its employees is by offering a vacation package that is exceedingly generous. New employees are eligible for three weeks of paid vacation after one year of service, while longstanding employees receive up to six weeks of paid holiday time. "A large part of our day is spent at work," said Flanders. "We believe that being able to look forward to and enjoy time away from the office is very important to an employee's health and well-being. It's an opportunity to reload, and come back with renewed focus. This results in a more engaged, healthy and productive workplace." While holidays are meant to refresh employees, the management team at Manitoba Blue Cross goes out of its way to provide incentives for employees to better themselves professionally. Tuition subsidies, formal mentoring and financial bonuses for completing certain courses are just a few of the tools they use to fuel employee development. "We recognize how important it is that our employees feel stimulated and challenged at work – continuing education is a wonderful opportunity for personal growth, and it opens up the door for new opportunities within an employee's current role and within the organization as a whole," said Yorke. "The reward is two-fold. Our employees broaden their knowledge and skill set, and the organization benefits from the introduction of new tools and ideas." Flanders said that Manitoba Blue Cross will continue to be proactive in its pursuit of providing its employees with the tools – and workplace atmosphere – that will allow them to not only be productive at work, but make the most of the time they spend away from the office. Most importantly, they are always listening to their employees to see how they can better meet their varying needs. "We believe it's integral to stay in touch with the needs of our employees, and to continue to explore new opportunities to further enhance the workplace," she said. "The world is constantly changing, and this means that the expectations of our employees is ever-evolving. We can't assume that the resources we provide them today will best meet their needs tomorrow. That's why we're always looking for new and better ways to take care of them." Make a difference in the lives of Manitobans Recognized as one of Manitoba's top employers for six consecutive years, we're always looking for people who share the same values of customer service and community caring. Join our team. Visit www.mb.bluecross.ca. www.mb.bluecross.ca

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