19
( 2020 )
Constant transformation, constant learning at Bell
EMPLOYEES AT BELL CANADA ARE ENCOURAGED TO BUILD NEW CAPABILITIES THROUGH CONSTANT LEARNING
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eing prepared for the future is always top of mind at Bell Canada. With the rapid pace of changes in the communications industry, the company is always seeking ways to innovate – which makes constant learning a priority. As one of 8,000 individuals responsible for designing, building and operating the company’s broadband fibre, wireless, satellite and media networks, Lesa Hills knows that first-hand. “We focus on building people’s capabilities,” says Hills, the network unit’s senior manager of operational excellence, “and set them up for success in the future.” With this in mind, Hills recently helped lead the development and implementation of the largest learning strategy rollout within the company. Encompassing Bell’s transformational values, the strategy combined online
training and materials with traditional classroom methods and focused on improving processes, agility and upskilling to meet emerging challenges. As part of the initiative, Hills had to educate herself about the company’s advancing technologies, including 5G, the Internet of Things, Smart City technology, machine learning and artificial intelligence. “If I’m supporting my team to succeed, I need to know where the business is going,” she says. “Coming from a background in biology and research, I had little
Team members have access to a wide variety of opportunities and resources, making Bell an exciting place to build your career. – Bernard le Duc Executive VP, Corporate Services
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knowledge of Bell’s technology,” she continues. “I learned about telecommunications on the job. I took extra time to see things first hand, spending time with field technicians and technology leaders, learning the fundamentals of mobile and fibre technologies.” With more than 50,000 team members, Bell Canada provides mobile phone, TV, broadband Internet and business services across the country. To sustain the high-performance corporate culture that drives it forward, the company strongly supports diversity in its workforce, continuous learning, innovative workplace mental health initiatives and award-winning programs for team-member engagement. “Our industry environment is changing all the time,” says Bernard le Duc, executive vice-president, corporate services. “So we have to reinvent ourselves continually. “We leverage our organization’s scale and reach,” le Duc explains, “so team members have access to a wide variety of opportunities and resources, making Bell an exciting place to build your career. We encourage employees to create a career development plan and support them in moving out of their comfort zone.” Le Duc himself has done that several times since joining Bell in 2001. “I came into the company as a strategic planner,” he says, “moved into finance and now I’m in corporate services. Employees from different backgrounds bring unique perspectives and solutions to our business. There’s a real benefit.” That open-mindedness led to one of the company’s proudest initiatives, Bell’s Let’s Talk. With its promotion
of mental health in the workplace, the program has become a model for organizations across the country and delivered a significant return on investment for Bell. “Before we launched our workplace mental health program, the first thing we did was make sure our internal policies and support resources were in place,” le Duc says, “so our employees could see the program was genuine.” A commitment to authenticity characterizes the Bell experience. For Hills, the personal growth of her team members keeps her passionate about organizational change and development. “With new projects and new technologies, you need the right skills,” she says. Bell understands the importance of upskilling in a rapidly changing industry – expanding people’s capabilities and bridging the gap between today’s needs and the workforce of the future. “The technology changes so quickly,” says Hills. “We’re on a continual learning curve. I’ve been here 11 years, but sometimes I still think of myself as a new employee. “That’s the great thing about Bell,” she concludes. “Whether you’re just starting out or well into your career, the future is here.”
52,000 9,074
EMPLOYEES JOBS AVAILABLE LAST YEAR
28,000+
EMPLOYEE LEARNING OFFERINGS
11,300
LEADERS TRAINED IN MENTAL HEALTH
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