Focused on Developing Leaders at all Levels

When LoyaltyOne was launched 20 years ago, it was a new concept, unprecedented in the marketplace, a game changer. Today, the company that put AIR MILES^® on the map has evolved and grown into a global enterprise with multiple lines of business providing loyalty strategy and programs, customer analytics and relationship marketing services. What hasn’t changed though is its dedication to its core values. And given its ranking, for a third year, as one of Canada’s Top 50 employers of choice, you can be sure that the organization is equally dedicated to supporting its employees and shaping its leaders of tomorrow.

With a large focus placed squarely on employee engagement, LoyaltyOne spares nothing to get honest feedback as often as possible from its people. Survey results are reviewed, published, posted, measured and rewarded. “They’re like listening posts,” says Sofia Theodorou-Locke, Senior Vice-President, Human Resources. But while open lines of communication are key to building strong bonds with employees, current research shows that what really counts is the quality of an organization’s leaders. Employees see their relationship with the organization mirrored in their relationship with their manager. No surprise then that people managers have the single biggest direct impact on employee engagement — it’s day-to-day interaction that makes the difference.

It was LoyaltyOne’s senior leadership team that created its own core leadership model, identifying the capabilities needed to become an effective leader in the organization. “Leadership to us isn’t about title, it doesn’t just mean you have direct reports,” says Sofia Theodorou-Locke, Senior VP, HR. Instead, what matters is “your role as a leader in collaborating with others.” It’s about capabilities and potential. Leaders at LoyaltyOne could see the inherent value in laying out a model for their own development — it sets off a chain reaction: employees see that their leaders are committed to the development process at all levels of the organization. And development plans that are clearly laid out help employees envision what their future looks like, inspiring a commitment to stay.

With a multitude of customized programs, they’ve developed career paths for literally every role in the LoyaltyOne organization. The “Manager Once Removed” program, in which an employee’s manager’s manager is asked to provide input into a career plan, is designed to establish relationships and encourage interaction with senior leaders.

A minimum of two formal meetings per year are dedicated to this mentorship program, a commitment that Ms. Locke says is “pretty cool and very valued by our associates.”

Culture is taken seriously at LoyaltyOne. In fact, so much so that the organization recently undertook a culture survey to get a sense of the level of employee engagement. What resulted is a Cultural Vision Statement that is as ambitious as it is aspirational: “Together we will relentlessly pursue powerful ideas with curiosity, courage and agility.” To do so, LoyaltyOne leaders urge their people to be bold, take risks, collaborate, stay passionate and create a meaningful impact on one’s community and environment. With the bar set so high, it’s understood that continuous learning is integral to the LoyaltyOne culture and so is accountability, both to one’s work and one’s colleagues. With accountability comes confidence, which fuels commitment and the desire to engage.

At LoyaltyOne, the focus and attention that the senior leadership team brings to bear on employee engagement is what makes the difference. That commitment demonstrates the organization’s support of its future leaders and the degree to which it believes in them. But what’s really becoming a tipping point, especially with Millenials, is the company’s commitment to corporate social responsibility. For example, LoyaltyOne’s Volunteer Day program allows employees to give back to their charity of choice without taking a day off. Creating a new role for a Chief Sustainability Officer, setting hard environmental targets, including a waste reduction program, and building a Smart car fleet are some of the other ways that LoyaltyOne is inspiring engagement among its employees for the long-term and staying ahead of the curve, as always.

Recognized for:

• Leadership Framework developed by their Senior Leadership Team
• Manager Once Removed (MOR) program allows employees access to senior leaders

Industry: Loyalty Marketing

Headquarters: Toronto, ON

No. of Employees: 1,400

50 Best Employers 2012 Rank: 30th