Manitoba's Top Employers

MANITOBA'S TOP 25 EMPLOYERS 2015 11 I t's a philosophy Great-West Life has lived by since the company's founding here in Winnipeg in 1891: To help improve the financial, physical and mental well-being of Canadians. Just as importantly, Great-West – with subsidiaries LondonLifeandCanadaLife–isalsocommittedtohelping employees by providing a work environment that will empower them to reach their full potential in whatever role theyholdwithintheorganization. "That philosophy certainly extends to our employees," saidLindsayKirkland-Bizruchak,AssistantVice-President, Human Resources. "For over 120 years, we've recognized that the success of our organization depends on our staff, sowedoourbesttoprovidethemwithaworkatmosphere thatallowsthemtoexcelatwhattheydo." Kirkland-Bizruchak said Great-West Life's 11,000-plus employees across Canada – including more than 3,000 in Winnipeg – can be assured of two things: they will have plenty of opportunity to forge a fulfilling career path, and theywillbeengaged. "We offer many employment opportunities – in fact, I believe we have more diverse opportunities than people may think," she said. "For example, while we certainly have many accountants, actuaries and investment professionals, we also have administrators, researchers, marketing and communications people, nurses and doctors, among others. There's something here for everyone, and we offer a wonderful network ofopportunities." Notonlyisthereopportunity,buttheorganizationstrives toensureworkineveryfieldismeaningful. "All employees are looking for a workplace that's rewarding and engaging. When people enjoy their work, they'remorelikelytoperformtotheirfullpotential,"Kirkland- Bizruchaksaid. Recently, Great-West Life began monitoring employee engagementmoreclosely. "In June 2013, we asked staff to fill out an independent survey to provide confidential feedback on key areas such as work environment, professional growth, performance feedback, work-life balance, communication and company vision," Kirkland-Bizruchak said. "About 71 per cent of employees were satisfied with how the company was performing in those areas. We're pleased, as we scored higherthanthenationalbenchmark." However, the organization isn't content to rest on its laurels. "Engagement is an ongoing aspect of what we're doing as an organization, so we're always striving to improveit,"shesaid. Two other key ingredients that play a part in creating a workplaceinwhichpeoplecanthriveareworkplacewellness andwork-lifebalance,Kirkland-Bizruchaksaid. "Asanorganization,werecognizethere'salink between healthandwellnessandreachingbusinessobjectivesatwork. Withthatinmind,wepaycloseattentiontoalltheelementsof wellnessandhowtheyinteract." Each day, employees can help improve their health during working hours through access to a cafeteria featuring nutritious, 'Heart-Smart' options; the services of an occupational health nurse; a state-of-the-art onsite fitness centre offering staff 24-7 access for a nominal fee plusfitnessclassesandaccesstofitnessconsultants;and a staff club supporting an array of men's, women's and mixedsportsleaguesincurling,baseball,hockeyandother sports. "We also launched a corporate wellness program this fall where employees are encouraged to set their own health goals," Kirkland-Bizruchak said. "It's simple – if an employeefeelsgood,they'regoingtobehappierandmore productive. We're committed to doing what we can to help themfeelthatway.Everyonewins." Work-life balance is equally important for Great-West Life,LondonLifeandCanadaLife. "Our pursuit of a good work-life balance never ends," she said. "Our leadership team strives to be as flexible as possible. We're not a rigid nine-to-five organization, so employees can generally determine their hours of work, withincertainparameters.Wealsoofferpart-timeworkand evensometimestelecommuting,whereitmakessense." Combine work flexibility with an opportunity to become involved in activities outside the workplace, and it's that much easier to attain a good work-life balance, added Kirkland-Bizruchak. "We encourage our employees to be active in the communityandofferprogramsandopportunitiesthatmake iteasyandfuntosupportthecausesimportanttothem.Our staff support and volunteer with many organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, United Way, Winnipeg Harvest, CancerCare Manitoba and the Multiple Sclerosis Society, amongothers,"shesaid."Theytakeprideinrepresentingour organization.Itallowsthemtogivebacktotheircommunity, and also share in the team building that comes from theseactivities." While a competitive compensation and benefits program also attracts people to work at Great-West Life, the old-fashioned notion of balance continues to make the company one of the best to work for inManitoba. "Our philosophy is that if we meet the needs of our employees, they will then do a good job and meet the needs of our customers," said Kirkland-Bizruchak. "We're very proud of our organization – how it's evolved, and the rewarding work environment we provide to our employees." ByToddLewysforTheFreePress GREAT-WESTLIFE Balancedworkplacekeytoemployees' happiness,productivity Great-WestLifeencouragesitsstafftosupport communityorganizationslikeHabitatforHumanity. We'recommittedtohelpingtalented andengagedprofessionalsgrow theircareerswithus. Discoveryouropportunityat: Greatwestlife.com Londonlife.com Canadalife.com Careers are growing here

• Cover