Manitoba's Top Employers

SLOW, STEADY EVOLUTION FOR MANITOBA'S TOP EMPLOYERS In each part of the country, the best workplaces earn acknowledgement through regional Top Employers lists, which form part of Canada's Top 100 Employers project by MediaCorp Canada. For Richard Yerema, managing editor for Canada's Top 100 Employers, the expansion of Manitoba's list signifies a positive situation for the province. "Each regional list has started and grown in small steps, so whenever one does make a step up, it's always a nice thing. We're pretty conservative in how we grow the list and we need to hear from a threshold of good employers before we move up," he says. "This year, the addition of five spots is a reflection of greater interest from applicants. It's a positive sign and a pleasant surprise since the lists generally reflect economic realities. Manitoba probably has the highest reapplication rate for the Top Employers list in the entire country. I think it reaffirms that Manitoba is a remarkably stable province." Applicants are evaluated using eight criteria: physical workplace; work atmosphere and social; health, financial and family benefits; vacation and time off; employee communications; performance management; training and skills development; and community involvement. "Manitoba presents a nice diversity of industry, and in the world of employment, that's opportunity," Yerema says. "There's a little bit of everything including aerospace, sports, finance, agriculture, insur- ance, public sector, education. It's a stable and also a mature employment landscape with a va- riety of industry." And for Manitobans, there is plenty to be confident about when it comes to employment opportunities. "Manitoba is the bridge, the hub. It's that nice place in the centre of the country, and there's something unique in that," Yerema says. "From our perspective on the project, it has presented a high reapplication rate and it has always painted this picture of stability for us. In Manitoba, you know what you're looking at and the growth is a nice, steady step, which really does define the province in other ways too." In contrast, Yerema is based near Toronto, where change occurs at a dizzying pace. "We celebrate that change as vibrant but it's also very disruptive. One can certainly appreciate a steady state of growth that is measured, responsible and easier to manage. Such does imply stability versus the inherent chaos that comes with exponential growth," he says. "Good urban and economic development has everything moving in sync with each other, so the services and infrastructure can develop with the businesses and personnel that are there. That way, it all goes together in a much easier voyage. Through the prism of this project, Manitoba's slow, steady state of evolution is nice to see." Manitoba's Top Employers can be considered the cream of the crop for best practices in the workplace — and the great news is that more local companies are earning recognition this year for their efforts. BY JENNIFER MCFEE For the first time, Manitoba's Top Employers list has expanded to 30 noteworthy organizations, jumping up from 25 top spots in previous years. "There's a little bit of everything including aerospace, sports, finance, agriculture, insurance, public sector, education. It's a stable and also a mature employment landscape with a variety of industry." 03

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