Manitoba's Top Employers

9 GREAT�WEST LIFE HAS EARNED A REPUTATION FOR SUPPORTING THE HEALTH OF CANADIANS�AND ITS EMPLOYEES ARE NO EXCEPTION. "The physical and mental health of our employees is very important to us," says Cathy Weaver, Vice-President of Human Resources, Canada. "If people feel better, it can only benefit our workplace and our business." Great-West Life, one of Canada's largest providers of employee and individual life and health insurance and other financial services, also supports its own staff members' health and wellness in a variety of ways. The company offers an onsite fitness centre that's open 24-7 and available to Winnipeg staff at a nominal fee. The fitness centre offers a wide variety of wellness programs, including yoga, pilates and other exercise classes. An active staff club organizes several team sports — including hockey leagues for men and women, softball and soccer — with activities running year round. Every employee has a wellness account that can be used for wellness-related expenses, from running shoes and exercise classes to cooking classes or kayaks. Great-West Life employs four occupational health nurses on site who provide basic first-aid and medical support. They are also involved in promoting wellness through activities such as office ergonomics assessments, smoking cessation classes and workplace accommodations. The insurer is committed to helping its employees achieve work-life balance through flex-time programs offering varying work hours and start times, as well as part-time and work-from- home solutions. All employees also receive two paid personal days each year in addition to their vacation time to help them respond to family matters. "We realize life happens outside of work, and we recognize people have things to tend to outside of the office," Weaver says. "That's what the personal days are for." Great-West Life has developed a comprehensive, flexible benefits plan for its employees that provides optional levels of coverage. "We know one size doesn't fit all and that our employees have different needs," says Weaver. The company doesn't stop caring for staff after they retire. All employees are participants in a registered pension, in either a defined-benefit or a defined-contribution plan. Staff can also purchase shares in Great-West Life through a voluntary share-purchase plan, and can benefit from a staff group RRSP. "All employees are eligible for consideration in a bonus payout program as well," Weaver says. "Bonus payouts are always tied to job performance." The company employs 11,000 people across Canada, with over 3,000 in Winnipeg locations. When your workforce is large and spread across the country, communication is key. Great-West Life gathers input from its staff in several different ways, including national employee engagement surveys. "The surveys ensure we receive feedback directly from our employees," Weaver explains. "Employee engagement is very important to us. We always want to hear from employees directly." Among the company's core values are protecting human rights, minimizing its impact on the environment, and supporting the communities where it does business throughout Canada. "For me personally, I'm looking for an organization that aligns with my values—somewhere I can make a difference," says Weaver . "We help improve the financial, physical and mental well-being of Canadians. I think what we do is so very worthwhile." Great-West Life encourages employees to take an active role in supporting charities in their community — even on company time. The company is a national sponsor of the United Way, organizes food drives for Winnipeg Harvest and food banks across Canada, and encourages volunteers to form teams for Habitat for Humanity each year. "We're very proud of our range of volunteer programs and opportunities and how active we are in the community," Weaver says. "Our staff likes to give back." This is the second year in a row that Great-West Life is one of Manitoba's Top Employers. For Weaver, this is no surprise. "We have been around a long time. We're a strong, stable organization that offers a wide variety of career options, including information technology, financial management, actuarial sciences, sales and marketing, law and human resources," says Weaver. "We're celebrating our 125th anniversary next year. We're very proud of being a part of the Winnipeg community for so long and believe we have a bright and strong future ahead of us." We're committed to helping talented and engaged professionals grow their careers with us. Discover your opportunity at: Greatwestlife.com Londonlife.com Canadalife.com Careers are growing here Great-West Life's light-filled two-storey head office atrium is a popular spot for informal staff meetings. Submitted photo. GREAT�WEST LIFE Great-West Life committed to staff, community By Holli Moncrieff The insurer is committed to helping its employees achieve work-life balance through flex-time programs offering varying work hours and start times, as well as part-time and work-from-home solutions. MANITOBA'S TOP EMPLOYERS

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