Unlocking the potential of their employees

With a name that literally defines its culture, it’s not surprising that The Co-operators is known among its staff as something more than an employer — it’s regarded as a ‘caring organization’. The insurance and financial services provider is a co-operative, run by its member-owners and guided by its founding principles that are intended to make an impact beyond the bottom line. “We’re like a family,” says Jodi van Dam, Director of Human Resources for the company that has been serving Canadians nationwide for 65 years. In this “family”, it’s clear that the top priority is maintaining a strong focus on learning and development, one of the key drivers of the company’s approach to employee engagement.

To support its commitment to the career development and growth of its workforce, The Co-operators offers a wide range and variety of educational programs at all levels throughout the organization. Opportunities to achieve specific designations are widely embraced, as are the study days and the financial rewards that make employees’ efforts especially worthwhile. Ultimately though, it’s the employees’ sense of accomplishment and the morale boost from having learned new skills that really adds value. Developing competencies builds confidence as well as a loyalty to the organization that has effectively shown an interest in investing in development and maintaining a long-term relationship with its people.

Flexible, family-focused and supportive, The Co-operators believes in maintaining a healthy work-life balance. In a time-stressed society, working from home, the ability to take personal days and the option of compressing the work week are a few of the ways The Co-operators invests in its people while also making time for learning and development. The Co-operators demonstrates its commitment to its employees through traditional means of offering solid benefits and pension plans, of course. But it is the phased retirement options, succession planning, leadership development and educational opportunities that make for what Van Dam calls “the total reward.” By sending clear signals to its employees that their growth is of long-term value to the organization, The Co-operators is rewarded with improved performance, productivity and retention of their top talent.

At The Co-operators, employee engagement is tacit and seamless — embedded into the company’s business strategies. Where it is tangible though is the degree of commitment the organization elicits from its people. This is demonstrated on the company’s website where real employees share their experiences and the way they have personally benefitted from working for an organization committed to creating a culture of engagement. It seems that The Co-operators continues to be named as one of Canada’s 50 Best Employers year over year precisely because it “walks the talk” and lives by its Co-operative values.

Recognized for:

• Commitment to continuous learning
• Focus on work-life balance
• CEO champions being an employer of choice

Industry: Financial Services

Headquarters: Guelph, ON

No. of Employees: 4,000

50 Best Employers 2012 Rank: 24th