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In human capital management, Ceridian leads by example
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s one of the fastest-growing human capital management technology providers, Winnipeg-based Ceridian Canada Ltd. is very much in the business of helping other companies find, engage, develop and pay talented employees. That Ceridian applies these same lessons to its own workforce helps explain why this is the thirteenth consecutive year the company has been named one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers. “Our three business priorities are the employee experience, the customer experience and product excellence,” says Dave MacKay, President of Minnesota-based Ceridian Corporation, the parent company of Ceridian Canada. “These three priorities go handin-hand. Happy employees create happy customers. And that, in turn, creates growth opportunities and profit for the business.”
“Happy employees create happy customers.” – Dave MacKay, President, Ceridian Corporation
Ceridian takes a very deliberate approach to employee engagement. Regular surveys check the pulse of the workforce, and the company follows up each one with key action plans based on employee concerns and suggestions. Allemployee calls and on-site town halls keep the conversation going. “We get all our best ideas from the people who work directly with our customers,” says MacKay. Career development is another key priority. A program known as Career Talk provides manned
telephone lines where employees can seek advice on how best to pursue opportunities across the company’s operations. That advice comes back on a same-day basis.
Another ambitious program, known as Top Talent, annually brings together teams of high-performing employees from diverse parts of the business and gives them a challenging problem to solve. Three years ago, one such Top Talent team was charged with setting up Ceridian’s own registered charity, Ceridian Cares. Since 2013, Ceridian Cares has raised and distributed over $715,000. The charity’s focus – also identified by the Top Talent team – is unique. “Across our communities, there are people who don’t get the help they need because of their income levels,” says MacKay. “For example, if you need a wheelchair ramp to your house and you earn $35,000 a year, you can’t access the usual types of assistance and you can’t afford to do it yourself. It’s that kind of gap Ceridian Cares is addressing.” Ceridian also strives to provide work/life balance. Initiatives include $2,000 in annual tuition support per employee and up to $5,000 for employees looking to adopt. The company also helps employees address a number of life challenges, whether it’s finding quality child or elder care or a good financial advisor. “We want to show we are in for the long haul,” says MacKay. “People are making a commitment to us, so we need to make a commitment back to them.” Cali Yakaback, Ceridian’s Ottawabased social media marketing specialist, joined the company three years ago – attracted, in part,
CERIDIAN’S PRIORITIES: THE EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE, THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE AND PRODUCT EXCELLENCE
1,639 350 10,412 49% full-time staff in Canada
jobs available last year
by Ceridian’s frequent placement on the Top 100 Employer list. “I’d never worked for a company with that kind of designation,” she says. “So I knew it would be a place with a really great culture, good benefits and excellent work/life balance.” She hasn’t been disappointed. “This is a well-established global company, but one with a very unique startup feel,” says Yakaback. “Everyone is really passionate about what they do. I talk to people throughout Canada and the U.S. every day and they feel like my next-door neighbours.”
job applications last year
of managers are female
She appreciates Ceridian’s Fun@ Work program, which helps sponsor a host of employee activities, including sporting events and potlucks. Yakaback also embraces Ceridian’s stated values, one of which is optimism. “We realize this is a company that has a really bright future,” says Yakaback. “Our products are winning awards and, even cooler than that, our customers are winning awards for using our products. So it’s a really exciting time to be here.”
Better Mondays. Human Capital Management | ceridian.ca