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Employees recognize the member experience is endlessly shifting in response to advancements in the industry. To keep on the cutting edge of these changes, Access Credit Union focuses on continued education for its staff. "We fully support them financially in any education endeavour they're looking to take on. As an example, we probably have between 30 and 40 employees right now that are enrolled in post- secondary education. We had six employees over the past year complete their MBA with a further six presently enrolled," says Larry Davey, president and CEO. "So the staff has embraced where we're going, and at the same time, they receive full support from our board of directors and management for the areas they want to focus on." As credit union members continue to embrace new technology, the role of workers needs to adapt at the same time. Over the past few years, Access Credit Union has introduced an abundance of new technology, and now about 90 per cent of transactions are electronic. "Our staff understands that interaction is becoming reduced on a face-to-face basis, so they have to be able to provide a knowledgeable and trusted service to our members in those times of communication. When we launched all the continuous education and training that we had in house for our staff, they were able to learn the best ways to help members," Davey says. "The people we are hiring continue to be comfortable with a changing environment, and we're proud of the fact that our staff is embracing it. They realize the benefit to them, to the membership and to the organization, and we appreciate their efforts." That appreciation is easy to see, since nearly 35 per cent of the company's 260 employees have earned promotions over the past four years. "It's very exciting for them to see that the work people are doing is benefiting them as well," Davey says. "It's great to see this transition start to come to fruition." With 18 locations throughout southeastern Manitoba, Access Credit Union also offers flexible work options for its employees whenever possible. "When Access amalgamated, seven credit unions came together and a corporate office was formed with a lot of the administrative staff. However, those people had to travel from their communities to the corporate office," Davey says. "To make it easier for them, people can continue to work out of their branch for a certain number of days a week and technology easily facilitates that." In addition to creating an optimal atmosphere for its employees, Access Credit Union believes in giving back to the communities it serves. "One of our main pillars for the organization is community support, and we contribute in the vicinity of $600,000 to $700,000 a year to our communities," Davey says. "This year, we committed to STARS Air Ambulance $250,000 over a five-year period." Similarly, staff members also stand behind initiatives to help the community. For example, through a Jeans for Charity initiative, they can pay $2 per week to wear jeans on Friday and then Access Credit Union matches the donation. At the end of the year, each location chooses which organization they'd like to support in the local community. "This year, Jeans for Charity raised about $54,000. In addition to that, our staff volunteers 9,000 to 10,000 hours per year of their time," Davey says. "So it's part of our mission statement to help our communities remain sustainable, and this is part of doing that. It's important and it's appreciated." ACCESS CREDIT UNION EMBRACES TECHNOLOGY & EDUCATION BY JENNIFER MCFEE Access Credit Union remains an industry leader by adapting to the changing needs of its members — and its workforce. www.accesscu.ca dream. build. live. right here. 06 (TOP) BRITTANY FEHR AND WESLEY NGWENYA COLLABORATE ON A WORK PROJECT. (BOTTOM) JOAN KROEKER TRAINS EMPLOYEES ON ACCESS CREDIT UNION'S INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY. PHOTOS BY DARCY FINLEY

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