Gowlings has been named one of the 50 Best Employers in Canada by Aon Hewitt, a world leader in employee research and human resources consulting, for the fourth year in a row.
The annual list, which is based on the results of a comprehensive survey of employees from companies across Canada, honours organizations with the highest levels of employee engagement and workplace satisfaction. It is the only national ranking of employers that uses employee feedback as its primary source of measurement.
“It’s a tremendous honour to once again be included on the 50 Best Employers in Canada list,” said Sharon Mitchell, Gowlings chief operating officer. “We recognize how crucial employee engagement and feedback are, and the central role our employees play in our firm’s success. Not only does the Best Employers survey show us what we’re doing well, but it also shows us areas where we can improve so that we can make the experience of working at Gowlings even better.”
Some of the highlights of the employee experience at Gowlings include:
- Regular performance reviews and employee recognition events throughout the year, including an annual employee appreciation week, long-term service awards and annual holiday-themed events
- A fitness program that reimburses employees for 50 per cent of the cost of gym memberships, fitness classes, exercise equipment and other fitness expenses
- A generous benefits package including RRSP matching, an employee referral program, staff kitchens and lounges (with complimentary hot beverages) and a “work perks” program that gives employees access to thousands of special deals at brand-name companies and local businesses
- A firm-wide spirit of community service that encourages staff to give back to the communities in which they live and work, with involvement in initiatives such as the United Way, CIBC Run for the Cure, Movember, Because I am a Girl, the Canadian Red Cross and more
More than 282 organizations from across Canada took part in this year’s Best Employers in Canada survey. Responses from approximately 280,000 employees were gathered and analyzed to determine their engagement, which is measured by how positively employees speak about the organization, how committed they are to remaining with their employer, and how motivated they are by their organization’s leadership, culture and values.
The complete list of the 2014 Best Employers appears in the Nov. 18 issue of Maclean’s and the Nov. 20 edition of La Presse.