Issue link: http://publications.winnipegfreepress.com/i/756414
EVERY DAY WE STRIVE TO HOLD OUR VALUES AS AN INARGUABLE TRUTH. WE ARE TRUE NORTH. PROUD TO BE ONE OF MANITOBA'S TOP 25 EMPLOYERS 1617TNSE-HR-014_Top-Employers_Ad-Banner1.indd 1 2016-11-22 9:16 AM 21 and wellness program to concentrate on motivating and inspiring all-around well-being. In addition to exercise, it includes activities and events related to nutrition, reading and community involvement. True North has 220 full-time employees and a part-time group of staff of over 1,200-strong. Employees enjoy a variety of activities, such as a casino night in the summer, a holiday skate in the winter, and regular organization-wide lunches celebrating milestones. "We have a great group of people who work hard throughout the year and we are always looking for ways to demonstrate how much we appreciate the work they do," says Haus. Each summer a special employee event is planned — this past year, many employees took the day away from their work to attend a special Camp Day at Camp Manitou that featured activities and team-building. During busy stretches in the event calendar, event staff are provided with themed break rooms that include free snacks. True North employees can also access a free on- site gym, and health and dental benefits that are fully paid for by the company with no deductible. True North has also implemented new employee communication tools, including a quarterly publication called Our True North that focuses on showcasing the culture and telling the stories of True North employees. While many associate True North with the Winnipeg Jets or the MTS Centre, they also own and operate the Manitoba Moose, the MTS Iceplex and the Burton Cummings Theatre. The True North Youth Foundation is the charitable arm of the organization and supports youth in a range of activities and wellness programming through the Winnipeg Jets Hockey Academy, Project 11 and Camp Manitou. True North Real Estate Development is leading the transformative development of True North Square, a four-tower complex set to invigorate and engage people to live, work and thrive in downtown Winnipeg. This breadth of True North entities revealed a need to refocus on brand and identity this past year. "Rapid growth and resulting diversity prompted us to ask ourselves, 'Who are we?'" says Olfert. "Our process, driven by our stakeholders, brought us to the answer: We are One, We are True North." To see how We Are True North is engrained and embraced in the company's corporate culture, visit its new website, tnse.com, that supports its core statement. And, the next time you arrive for an event at the MTS Centre, check out section 330/301 in the upper bowl. That's where you'll find the "True North notch." With its contrasting "Winnipeg Jets hornet silver" seating that starts wide at the bottom, becoming narrow at the top of the section, this notch represents our true north, which provides employees direction and guides their values in everything they do. To prove how True North sweats the details, the company actually site-surveyed the notch, starting at the centre ice dot to the top of the section, to ensure the "arrow" points in true-north alignment. If seeing is believing, so is hearing. The True North shout-out during the Canadian anthem is a testament to the community's positive connection to "True North," when you hear this, know there is a dynamic team of employees who are encouraged and humbled to hear it. ❚ TRUE ENGAGEMENT WE ARE TRUE NORTH. It's not just a statement, it's a way of life for employees at True North Sports + Entertainment. Those four words exemplify how employees value their culture, ignore trends and do what is best for patrons and fellow employees. True North employees also sweat the details, commit to projects, stay committed and contribute to the betterment of the community. TRUE NORTH HAS 220 FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES AND A PART-TIME GROUP OF STAFF OF OVER 1,200-STRONG. TRUE NORTH SPORTS + ENTERTAINMENT PHOTO W e have been humbled to hear from patrons about the emotional connection they have with True North," says John Olfert, Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer. "Whether that be with a player, a team, a game or an event in one of our venues, or by following the work our organization does to promote and grow our city and province." "Our culture and people trump everything we do," says Dawn Haus, Vice-President of Human Resources. "We're really focused on the values of our organization. We want to live them in our everyday, and we're taking the next steps to bring our values into our day-to-day operations. For example, continuous improvement is one of our values — learning and development is a focus going forward." In their 10th consecutive year as one of Manitoba's Top Employers, True North has implemented learning and development initiatives, including the principle-based Franklin Covey's Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, which includes making well- being a priority. The organization recently revamped its health True North has also implemented new employee communication tools, including a quarterly publication called Our True North that focuses on showcasing the culture and telling the stories of True North employees. "