Manitoba's Top Employers

6 MANITOBA'S TOP 25 EMPLOYERS 2014 WORKERS COMPENSATIONinitiatives BOARD 'Our people are our greatest asset' Employee supports and demonstrate WCB's commitment to staff and community By Stacy Cardigan Smith For the Free Press January 2012. "We work hard to support our staff so they can excel at what they do and in turn deliver great service to our customers." In addition to its focus on employee career and professional development, the WCB also prides itself on its focus on employee wellness. The organization sponsors and staff to involve themselves in community initiatives such as the annual United Way campaign. In addition to a week-long internal fundraising campaign, the organization supports staff that volunteer in various United Way initiatives in the community, such as the annual Plane Pull and Day of Caring. Without the support Joanne Machado receives from her employer, returning to university would have been a lot more difficult. "I was going to try to do it but it would have been a lot harder and it would have taken me a lot longer financially to spread the cost out," said the Workers Compensation Board (WCB) of Manitoba employee. Machado, who has spent six years at the WCB, is currently completing her Bachelor of Arts in Integrated Studies at the University of Manitoba. The WCB covers 80 per cent of the costs of her tuition and books. "This is very important to me to be able to do this. It's a huge benefit of working here," said Machado, who expects to graduate in 2015. It's not every employer that pays for staff to upgrade their skills; then again it's not every employer that is named one of the province's best three years in a row. The WCB is a service-based organization that provides insurance and supports for workplace injuries and illnesses to Manitoba employers and their WCB Wellness Committee Members. Submitted photo workers. At the WCB, supporting staff and continuously working towards a fully promotes a variety of employee wellness Also, each year the WCB lends a staff engaged workforce is second nature. programs including yoga classes, lunch and member to the United Way to participate Caring about employees and customers learns and the recently completed corporate in their sponsored executive program. This is ingrained within the WCB's culture and walking challenge, which encouraged program is designed to enhance skills, teach organization, according to President and employees to increase their daily activity new ones and increase understanding of CEO Winston Maharaj. by walking. vital community issues. "We are in the human services business The organization's support of employee "We believe that we are a caring and our people are our greatest asset," said wellness also extends to encouraging organization and that our staff can play a role Maharaj, who assumed the role of CEO in community wellness. The WCB encourages in supporting community initiatives and that is a natural extension of the service that we provide on a daily basis to our customers," said David Scott, Vice President of People, Technology and Innovation Services. The WCB has also undertaken a number of measures that support the goal of having a diverse workforce. This includes working with a community agency, Connect Employment Services, which provides employment services and other supports to persons with intellectual disabilities. "We share a number of common goals with community agencies such as Connect in assisting persons with disabilities to find suitable employment," Scott said. Opportunities to pursue training and development, wellness and community involvement are just some of the elements that promote the WCB as an employer of choice. These important components, along with an excellent benefits and compensation package for staff, combine to promote employee retention and to attract prospective employees. "People are at the centre of our business. To deliver excellent service, we as an organization must ensure we are providing programs that support our employees and meet their diverse needs," Scott said. So, how does it feel to make the list of Manitoba's Best Employers three years running? "I am thrilled that we have been recognized as a top employer three years in a row," said President and CEO Maharaj. "This award promotes our organization to potential employees and gives us greater visibility in the community. Perhaps most importantly, it contributes to our desire as an organization to put service at the centre of everything we do." who offers you a career with... security • wellness • engagement • growth WCBd WCBdoes.com c

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