Saskatchewan's Top Employers (2017)

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2017

SASKATCHEWAN’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2017

SASKATCHEWAN'S TOP EMPLOYERS 2017 Magazine Anthony Meehan, PUBLISHER

Karen Le,

VICE-PRESIDENT

Editorial Team:

Richard Yerema, MANAGING EDITOR

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Amy Wong,

SENIOR ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVE

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© 2017 Mediacorp Canada Inc. All rights reserved. SASKATCHEWAN'S TOP EMPLOYERS is a trade mark of Mediacorp Canada Inc.

SASKATCHEWAN RESEARCH COUNCIL

12th Annual Edition

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p Employees of Saskatchewan Research Council in their renovated head office.

INTRODUCTION

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Saskatchewan’s Top Employers include some of the most progressive workplaces in Canada

hile Saskatchewan proudly proclaims “Land of the Living Skies” on its licence plates, the province is known for much more. It’s the cradle of social democracy, where North America’s first single-payer universal healthcare plan was introduced back in 1961. It’s home to life-changing banking innovation, where Saskatchewan’s credit unions developed the first automated teller machine in 1977, followed by the debit card. It’s the world’s largest producer of potash, the world’s largest exporter of mustard seed and the birthplace of more active NHL players per capita than any other province. And as any Saskatchewanian will tell you, it’s where the Saskatchewan Roughriders live.

Saskatchewan is also home to Saskatchewan’s Top Employers for 2017, whose workplaces are among the most progressive and inclusive in Canada. Popular initiatives include alternative work options to help employees balance their work and personal lives, retirement planning assistance, flexible health benefits and wellness spending accounts. Many go above and beyond when it

comes to family-friendly subsidies. For instance, Saskatchewan Polytechnic, a post-secondary institute in Saskatoon, provides exactly the same parental leave top-up payments to new dads and adoptive parents – to 100 per cent of salary for 17 weeks – as it does for maternity top-up to new mothers. Lisa Klassen, HR Analyst at Saskatchewan Polytechnic, says the institute is very democratic in its policies and gives everyone the same benefits when it comes to new parenthood.

Saskatchewan Polytechnic is also committed to encouraging its employees to further their knowledge and skills in areas related to their work as well as to continue their development through part-time continuing education. The institute allows longer-serving employees to apply for selffunded paid and unpaid leaves of absence up to one year in duration – popular in the academic world. Klassen says that many of the staff are active in their own industry, so may take time out for their career and then come back to teach, benefiting both the individual professor and their students.

Ranch Ehrlo Society, a non-profit charitable organization in Regina that operates residential, clin-

SASKATCHEWAN’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2017

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INTRODUCTION

Continued

their retirement portfolios.

“We speak with a great deal of pride that the employees own about 13 per cent of West Wind Aviation,” says Baranieski. “The organization has always looked for and found ways of attracting and retaining talent.”

Dewald confirms that it’s a good tool for recruitment, along with the organization’s year-end profit-sharing bonuses to staff. West Wind advertises both the opportunity to become an owner and profit-sharing incentives in its job postings.

“When we have a great year financially, we share in the profits by distributing a bonus to every individual, as long as they’ve worked with the organization for more than three months,” says Dewald.

“It’s pro-rated based on years of service and your salary so not everyone is getting the same amount.

But it shows that we want to give back to our employees and reward them for work well done.” n –Diane Jermyn

ISM CANADA

ical, community and educational programs across the province, is another example with exceptional benefits. The Society’s enhanced vacation times, ranging from three to six weeks, allow employees who have families more time to spend with them, plus all full-time staff have three family days so they can attend special events or nurse a sick dependent when needed. Therese Cook, Manager of Employee Benefits and Wellness, points out that the agency also offers generous educational assistance for employees in the process of obtaining degrees. That includes tuition reimbursement for two classes per fiscal year as well as an option for educational leave financial assistance, either shortor-long-term paid time off, for eligible employees to complete their degrees.

Perhaps the most equitable gesture any company can make is inviting employees to become owners.

In Saskatoon, West Wind Aviation Limited Part-

nership cultivates an ownership culture through a share purchase plan, offered to all employees every February. Sadie Dewald, HR Supervisor at West Wind Aviation, who’s purchasing her first shares this year, says it helps staff feel more invested in the organization and customers.

“When you’re a part owner, you put in that extra effort and, in turn, that extra effort leads to better customer service and better operations, which enhances our organization as a whole,” says Dewald.

“You’re more conscious that the decisions you make during the day may directly affect the share price.”

Dennis Baranieski, Vice President Business Development and Customer Relations, has been an owner since he first joined West Wind Aviation 25 years ago and continues to buy shares at every offering. Having watched West Wind Aviation grow and prosper over the years, he notes that what was initially a modest investment for many has now grown to be a significant component of

p Executives from ISM Canada performing at a fundraiser for the medical needs of an employee's child.

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ISC

SASKATCHEWAN’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2017

p Employees at the head office of ISC in Regina.

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SASKATCHEWAN’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2017

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2017 WINNERS

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Credit Union, Yorkton; 150 fulltime employees. Offers employees discounted financial products and services, including low-interest mortgage rates for home purchases.

CRESTLINE COACH LTD., Motor Vehicle Manufacturing, Saskatoon; 180 full-time employees. Offers generous new employee referral bonuses, from $300 to $1,500 depending on the position.

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ROUP MEDICAL SERVICES / GMS INSURANCE INC., Direct Health and Medical Insurance Carriers, Regina; 109 fulltime employees. Provides a health spending account for additional health expenses, from $250 to $1,000 per year for longer-serving employees.

H options for those nearing retirement, and health benefits that extend to retirees with no age limit.

CLEARTECH INDUSTRIES INC., Chemical and Equipment Distribution, Saskatoon; 145 full-time

CCESS COMMUNICATIONS CO-OPERATIVE LTD., Cable and Telecommunications, Regina; 215 full-time employees. Recognizes previous work experience when setting vacation entitlement for experienced candidates and provides three personal days off to aid employee work-life balance. z

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AMECO CORPORATION, Uranium Mining, Saskatoon; 3,040 full-time employees. Offers planning assistance and phased-in work

A welder at Saskatoonbased Crestline Coach Ltd. working on a new ambulance.

employees. Shares the wealth with a profit-sharing plan and encourages long-term savings through a defined contribution pension.

CORNERSTONE CREDIT UNION FINANCIAL GROUP LIMITED,

EALTH SHARED SERVICES SASKATCHEWAN, Healthcare Support Services, Regina; 125 full-time employees. Hosts a unique opportunity to provide direct feedback to senior leadership by randomly selecting a group of employees every month to enjoy lunch with the CEO.

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NNOVATION CREDIT UNION, Credit Unions, Swift Current; 326 full-time employees.

Supports employees with discounted financial services,

CRESTLINE COACH LTD.

o determine the winners of this year’s Saskatchewan’s Top Employers list, the editors at the Canada’s Top 100 Employer project evaluated each employer’s operations and human resources practices using the same eight criteria as the national competition: (1) physical workplace; (2) work atmosphere and social; (3) health, financial and family benefits; (4) vacation and time off; (5) employee communications; (6) performance management; (7) training and skills development; and (b) community involvement. These criteria have been consistent since the launch of the Saskatchewan’s Top Employers competition 12 years ago.

Employers are compared with other organizations in their field to determine which ones offer the most progressive and forward-thinking programs. Detailed reasons for selection, explaining why each of the winners was chosen, are published on the competition homepage at: www.CanadasTop100.com/sk Any employer with its head office or principal place of business in Saskatchewan may apply for the competition. Further information for prospective applicants can be found on page 23. n

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SASKATCHEWAN’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2017

2017 WINNERS

Continued

retirement planning services and a defined contribution pension plan.

ISC, Property Title and Settlement Sevices, Regina; 254 full-time employees. Contributes 1.5% of its net income annually to a community investment program that supports charitable, cultural and community initiatives across the province.

ISM CANADA, Custom Computer Programming Services, Regina; 796 full-time employees. Employees receive discounted memberships at the University of Regina's fitness centre and can sign up for monthly "coffee-break massages" at their desks.

+S POTASH CANADA GP, Fertilizer Manufacturing, Saskatoon; 290 full-time employees. Provides full tuition subsidies (to 100%) for jobrelated and general interest courses and offers paid internship and apprenticeship programs.

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OODY'S EQUIPMENT LP, Farm and Garden Machinery Distribution, Saskatoon; 161 full-time employees. Offers employees referral bonuses when they successfully recruit a friend to the company (from $250 to $500).

MOSAIC COMPANY, THE, Fertilizer Manufacturing, Regina; 2,263 full-time employees. Employees helped design their new head office

in downtown Regina, featuring living interior walls, telecommuter workstations and a top-floor lounge with rooftop patio.

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ARKLAND COLLEGE, Post Secondary Schools, College, Yorkton; 99 fulltime employees. Parents with young kids can access an onsite daycare centre with 35 spaces that also offers emergency daycare services for short-term care.

PRINCE ALBERT PARKLAND HEALTH REGION, Healthcare Support Services, Prince Albert; 1,514 full-time employees. Employees can adjust their health coverage through a flexible health plan that includes a health spending account for additional expenses.

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ANCH EHRLO SOCIETY, Individual and Family Services, Regina; 604 full-time employees.

New employees get at least three weeks of paid vacation; previous work experience is considered when setting vacation for experienced personnel.

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ASKATCHEWAN BLUE CROSS, Health and Medical Insurance, Saskatoon; 174 full-time employees.

Employees enjoy free membership in an onsite fitness facility that offers instructor-led classes such as yoga, piloxing and barre fitness.

SASKATCHEWAN CROP INSURANCE CORPORATION / SCIC, Direct Property and Casualty

RANCH EHRLO SOCIETY

q A counsellor at the Ranch Ehrlo Society, which offers residential programs to young people experiencing social, psychological, behavioural and cognitive difficulties.

SASKATCHEWAN’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2017

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2017 WINNERS

Continued

Insurance Carriers, Melville; 362 fulltime employees. Helps employees grow with career planning services, in-house training and tuition subsidies; offers summer and paid internship opportunities for students.

SASKATCHEWAN GAMING CORPORATION, Gambling Industries, Regina; 454 full-time employees. Provides maternity and parental leave top-up payments for employees with young children as well as a generous scholarship

program for kids heading to college or university.

unpaid leaves of absence for up to one year in duration.

SASKATCHEWAN GOVERNMENT INSURANCE / SGI, Direct Property and Casualty Insurance Carriers, Regina; 1,882 full-time employees.

Strongly supports ongoing training and development, spending over $1,300 per employee on training last year.

SASKATCHEWAN RESEARCH COUNCIL / SRC, Research and Development Activities, Saskatoon; 344 full-time employees. Supports work-life balance with up to 15 paid personal days off in addition to paid vacation time and alternative work options.

SASKATCHEWAN POLYTECHNIC, Post Secondary Schools, College, Saskatoon; 1,469 full-time employees.

With up to seven weeks of paid vacation, longer-serving employees can also apply for self-funded and

SASKATCHEWAN WORKERS' COMPENSATION BOARD, Administration of Human Resource Programs, Regina; 443 full-time employees. Encourages health and wellness through programs such

as nutrition, smoking cessation and exercise classes organized by a Healthy Lifestyles Committee.

SASKATOON POLICE SERVICE, Police Service, Saskatoon; 654 full-time employees. Offers free memberships to an onsite fitness facility with state-of-theart equipment and a variety of instructor-led classes.

SASKATOON, CITY OF, Municipal Government, Saskatoon; 3,166 fulltime employees. New moms receive maternity leave top-up payments for up to 15 weeks, can extend to an unpaid leave of absence and can

SASKATCHEWAN BLUE CROSS

q Checking in with the group sales team at Saskatchewan Blue Cross, which offers health insurance coverage through more than 350 brokers across Saskatchewan.

SASKATCHEWAN’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2017

9 Teachers at Saskatchewan Polytechnic provide opportunities for hands-on training to their classes, including this Veterinary Technology student.

SASKATCHEWAN POLYTECHNIC

z An employee at K+S Potash Canada

K+S POTASH CANADA

z z SASKPOWER

SaskPower helps cultivate highpotential employees with formal mentoring and career planning services.

SASKATCHEWAN’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2017

SASKATCHEWAN RESEARCH COUNCIL

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p Employees at Saskatchewan Research Council taking part in the SRC's Aboriginal Mentorship Program.

SASKATCHEWAN’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2017

2017 WINNERS

Continued

take advantage of alternative work options on return.

SASKPOWER, Hydroelectric Power Generation, Regina; 3,331 full-time employees. Offers young people summer employment opportunities, co-op and paid internships, and apprenticeship and mentoring programs.

SASKTEL, Telecommunications, Regina; 3,102 full-time employees.

Employees enjoy free access seven days a week to an onsite fitness facility that partners and children of employees can use on weekends and holidays.

SOLVERA SOLUTIONS, Custom Computer Programming Services, Regina; 137 full-time employees.

Head office is located in a renovated

11 century building that features office, condo and high-end retail units as well as a rooftop deck and barbecue.

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NIVERSITY OF REGINA, Post Secondary Schools, University, Regina; 1,200 full-time employees. Offers employees and family members subsidized memberships to on-campus fitness facilities that feature everything from swim-

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ming to rock climbing.

EST WIND AVIATION LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation, Saskatoon; 242 full-time employees. Works directly with the Prince Albert Grand Council's program to provide work placements for Indigenous Canadians entering the workforce. n

UNIVERSITY OF REGINA

q Staff at the University of Regina lending a green thumb at the university's on-site vegetable garden.

SASKATCHEWAN’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2017

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Access Communications thrives on its family circle

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f you’re a home-grown little guy competing against telecommunications giants, you need some help to succeed.

Carole Sauer says that’s where Access Communications Co-operative Limited’s extended family circle comes in.

“We treat everyone like we’re all one big family – our staff, our customers and our partners in the community are all part of the Access family,” she says. “We’re smaller, but we’re able to be competitive with the resources we have because we have extremely dedicated staff.”

ACCESS COMMUNICATIONS COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING EMPLOYEE AT THE NEW MOSAIC STADIUM

Our staff, our customers and our partners in the community are all part of the Access family.

Carole Sauer Manager Human Resources and Safety

Sauer, Manager, Human Resources and Safety, says the family circle approach makes customers and employees feel they’re on the same team. And employees can count on long-term support.

“One of our core values along with our customer service is to stay employee-focused,” she says.

“That’s for their entire employment cycle, from hire to retire.”

Access Communications is a Saskatchewan-owned non-profit co-operative providing communications and entertainment services to 230 communities. It produces over 2,300 hours of programming annually. Anyone can pitch a show idea to Access7, the co-operative’s community channel. When they do, the first person they see is Andee Mourlas – likely with a big smile on his face.

“I’m the first face of Access7 for people coming in to discuss show ideas and I love it,” says Mourlas, Community Programming Administrative Assistant. “I’m definitely

about the happy vibe.”

This happy vibe is helped by a comprehensive package of benefits, including tuition subsidies, three weeks of starting vacation for new employees and extended health coverage.

But for the self-described hi-tech aficionado, the clincher is the GIFT program that helps employees purchase technological equipment with interest-free payroll deductions.

“I’m a huge technology buff – I love computers,” he says. “With the GIFT program, I can basically pay off my computer and I don’t even notice it.”

MyAccess.ca/Careers Amazing People | Great Benefits | Training & Growth Opportunities | Community Involvement

Employees also have a huge say in how the co-operative is run. There are no managers at department planning sessions – employees work with facilitators.

Volunteerism is deeply embedded in the family circle culture. Mourlas loves volunteering for TV Bingo, the biggest fundraiser for the Access Communications Children’s Fund, which helps children and youth in need and at risk across Saskatchewan.

“You get to speak with the people who are calling in and they’re so excited that they won,” he says. “It really makes you feel good that you’re contributing to it.”

That level of excitement and commitment shines through to the customers. “What we hear from customers is our customer service is second to none,” says Sauer. “Our culture and people are fundamental to our success.”

215

full-time staff in Canada

35

years, longest-serving employee

57%

of executive team are women

1,600

charities & non-profit groups helped last year

SASKATCHEWAN’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2017

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Innovation Credit Union banks on a digital future

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nnovation Credit Union is setting its sights high.

Like other credit unions in Saskatchewan, it is provincially regulated. However, as outlined in its Innovation 2020 proposal, Innovation Credit Union wants to become federally regulated by the end of this decade.

The application process will be time consuming. Even so, CEO Daniel Johnson says, “the benefits outweigh the costs of expanding the geographic and financial base.

Becoming a federal credit union, in fact, is crucial to ensuring Innovation’s long-term sustainability and success.”

The financial services sector is changing rapidly and people are inspired to be part of an organization that is growing, evolving and adapting to meet those changes head-on.

Daniel Johnson CEO

There are no plans to open branches throughout Canada, so the expansion will be digital.

That will benefit people primarily in Saskatchewan, both in terms of job opportunities and the

BRAD APPEL, CHIEF RISK OFFICER OF INNOVATION CREDIT UNION, TAKING PART IN THEIR ‘RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS’ PROGRAM

development of groundbreaking new products and technologies.

“We’re planning for future generations,” says Johnson, who is confident the application will be approved. “The financial services sector is changing rapidly and people are inspired to be part of an organization that is growing, evolving and adapting to meet those changes head-on.”

Credit unions are self-help cooperatives whose members have a democratic say in their priorities and polices. “We have an innovative, entrepreneurial culture and our employees are very engaged with the membership,” says

Johnson. “Our employees are also members, so we’re all heading in the same direction.”

Innovation offers competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits package, including a defined benefit pension plan. The Swift Current-based credit union also places a high priority on continuous learning.

“We invest up to $1 million a year in the long-term professional development of our employees,” says Amanda Thoen, Talent Development Specialist. “That’s a very hefty budget and demonstrates our dedication to training.”

Innovation’s seven-member

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human resources team works out of various locations among the organization’s 22 advice centres. Thoen herself is in North Battleford, where she occasionally works from home. She cites flexibility as another advantage of working for the credit union.

Still it is the cooperative ideal of giving back to the community where Innovation really stands out. The credit union and its employees support over 300 charitable and community organizations every year, both through fundraising and volunteering their time and talents. That totalled over 13,000 volunteer hours last year, a number Thoen describes as “phenomenal”.

Hence, it’s no surprise when she adds, “I love what I do so it doesn’t feel like work to me.”

328

full-time staff in Canada

42.4

years, average age of all employees

42

years, longest-serving employee

3

weeks, starting vacation allowance

It pays to be a member.

SASKATCHEWAN’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2017

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ISC registers well with its people

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he Century Family Farm Award presented by Regina-based ISC every spring never fails to stir some tears.

The event typically brings together more than 200 farming families from across the province to officially recognize their deep connection to the land stretching back 100 years or more.

The sometimes emotional event is a natural fit for ISC and its employees, who develop and manage land registries and other records – primarily for various levels of government.

And it’s one of many ways ISC gives back to the communities it serves.

The publicly traded company was spun off by the Province of Saskatchewan four years ago.

It’s a very friendly, family-like organization. But it’s a very professional organization, as well.

Having that balance makes you happy to come to work each day.

Megan Ogren Business Systems Support Specialist

“These awards recognize not only the roots of our business,” notes Kathy Hillman-Weir, Q.C., ISC’s

ISC’S OPERATING PHILOSOPHY IS CHARACTERIZED BY A FOCUS ON PEOPLE

Vice-President of Corporate Affairs & General Counsel, “but the people who are the pioneers of our province and who have fostered the community of hardy and resilient people who make up the core of our business.”

Because its people are its greatest asset, she adds, ISC works hard to offer a healthy, supportive environment that embraces diversity and encourages physical, emotional and mental well-being.

ISC supports new moms and dads (including adoptive parents) with maternity- and parental-leave top-up payments to 95 per cent of

salary for 17 weeks. And when they return to work, it offers a variety of options to balance their work and home lives. ISC also helps employees plan for the future with retirement planning assistance and a defined contribution pension plan.

Hillman-Weir says the company looks for employees who personify its brand pillars, including “an enterprising outlook, a dedicated, enthusiastic spirit, and a commitment to creating great experiences for clients and customers.”

Business Systems Support Specialist Megan Ogren joined ISC as a high school summer student when it

was still a government agency. Since its transition in 2013, she has pursued post-secondary studies parttime at Saskatchewan Polytechnic, with more than half of the cost covered by ISC. “There are a lot of opportunities to always learn more and expand your knowledge,” she explains.

As a part-time student, Ogren says she appreciates the priority the company places on flexibility and worklife balance. ISC’s peer recognition program, its twice-yearly employee work and development plans, and the accessibility of senior management also combine to keep employees motivated and directed, she adds.

“It’s a very friendly, family-like organization,” she explains. “But it’s a very professional organization, as well. Having that balance makes you happy to come to work each day.”

240

full-time staff in Canada

58%

of managers are women

52

charities supported last year

3,900

families recognized with the ISC Century Family Farm Award

SASKATCHEWAN’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2017

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K+S Potash Canada employees have a pioneer spirit

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hen Maryann Deutscher arrived at K+S Potash Canada (KSPC) in 2012, she was employee No. 22 in a company that now counts more than 375 permanent employees and 80+ term employees for commissioning and start-up.

As a Senior Manager of human resources and a potash industry veteran, Deutscher was involved in much of that hiring for the new Legacy Project potash mine and production facility, the first greenfield potash mine to be built in Saskatchewan in more than 40 years.

“It was literally a field in the middle of the prairie,” says Deutscher.

“Our 375 employees are pioneers because a pioneer takes the prairie and builds it into something.”

It’s fun and challenging, and definitely a big learning curve. I enjoy working with a big team where everyone helps each other and works together.

Luc Poissant Supervisor, Multi-Discipline Trade Groups

For Luc Poissant, an industrial mechanic and machinist who joined KSPC a year ago, the chance to commission a plant from the

K+S POTASH CANADA EMPLOYEE LUC POISSANT AT THE LEGACY PROJECT

ground up was a “once in a lifetime opportunity.” His team works in the wet end area of the plant, making sure there is a safe and approved product up to company standards. The products are then handed over by the contractor and maintained by KSPC for the future.

“It’s fun and challenging, and definitely a big learning curve,” says Poissant, who, after six months with KSPC, successfully applied for a Supervisor position in charge of multi-discipline trade groups. “I enjoy working with a big team

where everyone helps each other and works together. It’s a great work atmosphere.”

Deutscher adds that it wasn’t just at the Legacy site that things were built from the ground up. The human resources team also started from scratch. “There was no payroll system, no benefit program, nothing.”

Whether they are administrators, engineers, mechanics or operators, everyone pulls together, showing, “initiative, dedication and a sense of pride,” Deutscher says. “That kind

collaboration is pretty unique. I think it comes from building things together. It’s an intense experience.”

Yet according to Poissant, he’s been able to maintain a work-life balance thanks to carefully designed shifts and a generous vacation policy. “I get to come home every night and see my family.”

He can also take advantage of what are known as “Plus Days” when the unexpected happens – such as a child getting sick – or if you just need a day to take care of a few things.

As she thinks back on everything that’s been accomplished, Deutscher says: “To be able to hire the amount of people we’ve had to hire, our employees have been our strongest ambassadors, telling others that K+S Potash Canada is a different mining company to work for.”

375

full-time permanent employees in Canada

145

jobs available last year

38.6

years, average age of all employees

3

weeks starting vacation allowance, plus 5 personal days

We’re building a Legacy.

Read the full editorial Reasons for Selection for each of this year’s Saskatchewan’s Top Employers winners, plus the 2017 winners of our national and special-interest competitions.

Our redesigned website now features thousands of beautiful images and stories on this year’s winners, presented in an easy-to-navigate format that’s accessible on any device, including mobile. Discover valuable editorial information on what it’s like to work at any of the employers you see in this magazine.

Discover the new online home of the Saskatchewan’s Top Employers competition:

www.CanadasTop100.com/sk

SASKATCHEWAN’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2017

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Mosaic digs out opportunity for talented employees

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enior Engineer Grant Shaver started at The Mosaic Company as a co-op student while studying Industrial Systems Engineering at the University of Regina. His first permanent position was in Mosaic’s Research and Development group. Since then he’s worked on projects across all the company’s potash sites, including leading development of the Process Engineering team at Mosaic’s Belle Plaine mine.

“Our team looked after everything from underground mining right through to shipment in rail cars and all of the complexities between those two points,” says Shaver, adding that his many and varied work assignments have “always been interesting and challenging.”

Our team looked after everything from underground mining right through to shipment in rail cars and all of the complexities between those two points.

Grant Shaver Senior Engineer

He’s worked on projects at two different types of mines – solution and conventional. And he’s been a

MOSAIC EMPLOYEE CONTEST WINNER, CHAD HOLDERNESS (RIGHT), AND HIS THREE GUESTS AT THE FINAL GAME KICK-OFF AT HISTORIC MOSAIC STADIUM

part of several different crossfunctional teams, not to mention completing his MBA with company support.

Shaver’s career path is not just happy coincidence. According to Bruce Bodine, Senior Vice President - Potash, ensuring that high-performing employees are given opportunities to take on new assignments is a priority for Mosaic, whose global headquarters are located in Plymouth, Minnesota.

Before coming to Canada from Plymouth last year, Bodine led Mosaic’s supply chain team. Prior

to that, he spent more than a decade working in the phosphate business in Florida.

“The company’s been very good to me,” Bodine says. His professional moves have given him a sense of “cultural differences, opportunities and best practices from one location to another.”

Now, as one of the executive sponsors of a company-wide engagement survey slated for June, Bodine is visiting Mosaic’s Saskatchewan facilities, holding coffee and conversation sessions with employees to answer questions and hear about opportunities and

challenges facing the business.

In a province where potash is a key part of the economy, Mosaic also makes it a priority to invest back in the communities where employees live and work, including a major partnership with the Roughriders football team. Last spring, the company held an open house for 700 employees and guests at historic Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field.

“Many of our employees are tremendous fans and care very deeply about the team,” says Bodine. There were events for families, a behind-the-scenes tour including the locker room, and a chance to spend time on the field and meet some players.

The event was such a success that it will be repeated this spring at the brand new Mosaic Stadium.

2,263

full-time staff in Canada

292

jobs available last year

282

charities helped last year

780

staff volunteer hours last year

SASKATCHEWAN’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2017

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Clients are neighbours at Saskatchewan Blue Cross

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hen Michael Carss graduated from the University of Saskatchewan nearly a decade ago, he went looking for an ideal employer rather than an ideal job. “I wanted to join a reputable company that was committed to the community and offered me a chance to grow,” recalls Carss.

It didn’t take him long to focus on Saskatchewan Blue Cross.

“This is a place that really cares about their employees and the province it serves,” he says.

This is a place that really cares about their employees and the province it serves.

Michael Carss Employee Benefits Specialist

Carss started in a sales-support position, was promoted twice and now is an Employee Benefits Specialist. When Carss needed advice or a mentor, he felt free to walk into any executive’s office, including the CEO’s. When he needed a specialist insurance licence to advance to the next level, the company paid for the training and licensing.

THE WELLNESS COMMITTEE AT SASKATCHEWAN BLUE CROSS ENCOURAGES STAFF TO USE THE ON-SITE FITNESS FACILITY DURING BREAKS

Noting that others from his graduating class have changed employers several times to further their professional development, Carss says: “This is a great place for starting and building a career.

There is endless opportunity.”

And should people leave, President and CEO Arnie Arnott sees that as an opportunity. “We want them to become our next best customer,” he says.

However, lots stay. Arnott is proud that the Saskatoon-based insurer’s workforce is comprised

of baby boomers, millennials and Generation Xers, with some employees on the job for four decades. “To retain people, we have to recognize and accommodate their needs,” he says.

To that end, the company offers a shortened workweek, flexible work schedules and a recently expanded downtown office building that features an open-concept design and a fitness centre with free membership for all employees. “Since we are dedicated to improving the well-being

and health of Saskatchewan residents, the best place to start is with your own team,” Arnott says. “It is who we are.”

The company also offers annual bonuses tied to both individual and corporate performance, tuition support of up to $2,000 annually, and a $300 wellness benefit that can be used for a wide range of equipment and activities from hockey registration to cooking classes.

Corporate community support is demonstrated by total donations of more than $1 million annually to a variety of charities.

The company also matches all employee United Way contributions. “With only one million people in the province, we serve our neighbours,” says Arnott.

“We better get it right.”

183

full-time staff in Canada

29

jobs available last year

40

years, longest-serving employee

62%

of managers are female

Because we care.

T R U E B L U E D I F F E R E N C E®

SASKATCHEWAN’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2017

19

At Saskatchewan WCB, customer service is their priority

I

n a typical day, the Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) receives hundreds of calls, emails and reports from Saskatchewan people who have been injured on the job.

“We do serious work here,” says Peter Federko, CEO of the WCB. “We exist to serve our customers, particularly when their lives have been disrupted by an injury. Our employees at every level play a critical role in assisting customers when they are so vulnerable. It is challenging work, but we strive to maintain a culture that supports our employees while continuing to find ways to improve service to our customers: Saskatchewan’s workers and employers.”

Our employees at every level play a critical role in assisting customers when they are so vulnerable.

Peter D. Federko CEO

With two locations in Saskatchewan – Regina and Saskatoon – the WCB provides workplace insurance to Saskatchewan employers and benefits to Saskatche-

EMPLOYEES AT SASKATCHEWAN WCB TAKE PART IN CONTINUOUS PROCESS IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS TO ENHANCE CUSTOMER SERVICE

wan workers who are injured on the job.

Deb Roberts, a Claims Quality Assurance Evaluator and Trainer, has had a 35-year career at the WCB. She began as a dictatypist, moving into the claims area, working in Board Services, assisting with Appeals, before taking on her current role. She appreciates how her career at the WCB has allowed her to broaden her experience.

“It’s great to be able to share what I’ve learned,” she says. To qualify as a trainer, Roberts earned an adult-education certi-

ficate and a human-resources certificate by taking night classes at the University of Regina, which the WCB paid for through its training and professional development program.

The WCB is focused on continuous process improvement as a means of better serving customers. Federko explains, “Equipping staff like Deb through professional development and through support on the job is how we enable good problem-solvers. Our management team and Executive group encourages everyone at WCB to provide new ideas: ‘How

can we make this easier for our customer?’”

Employees at WCB are able to balance work and life with flex hours and earned days off. By working an extra 17 minutes a day, unionized staff gain an earned day off every two weeks, typically a Friday or a Monday.

“We strive to have a really healthy culture,” says Federko. “Our staff surveys show that our people are dedicated to our customers and engaged in the work they do.”

Roberts agrees: “The executive team is very accessible. They listen to our ideas and encourage us. When I train new people, I tell them we have the training manuals, but they have fresh eyes. We are always open to new ideas.”

463

full-time staff in Canada

63

jobs available last year

69%

of employees are women

55%

of managers are women

SASKATCHEWAN’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2017

20

The City of Saskatoon taps its employees for ideas

I

n 2009, Saskatoon, the “City of Bridges”, was at a crossroads. It was growing – fast.

And Catherine Gryba, General Manager, Corporate Performance, says the City administration was having a hard time keeping up.

“The expectations of the public were changing in a way that the skills and abilities of our old, sleepy-town Saskatoon government and our employees just weren’t meeting,” she says. “So we started our journey of becoming more results-oriented, more goaloriented, responsive and adaptive.”

TRACEY BESSEY, AN APPRENTICE POWERLINE TECHNICIAN WITH THE CITY OF SASKATOON, KEEPING THE STREET LIGHTS SHINING BRIGHT

Our collective efforts are producing savings for the taxpayers. The impact our employees are having is very real.

Catherine Gryba General Manager, Corporate Performance

To get there, they adopted a “continuous improvement” approach where the key to success was tapping the expertise of the City’s 3,000-plus employees. Now, employees regularly work with managers to determine what Saskatoon’s 265,300 residents want from a service and find ways to deliver it more efficiently. Their ideas

aren’t just heard, they’re acted on.

“That’s true employee engagement, when employees provide input and they’re part of figuring out what the solutions are,” she says. “That’s started to permeate across the organization.”

Continuous improvement also applies to supporting employees with programs and benefits that include flexible work hours, subsidized access to fitness facilities and generous parental leave.

And for Janaya WintonykPilot, the City’s tuition support program did much more than open new doors.

“It opened the world,” says Wintonyk-Pilot, an administrative assistant in the Building Standards Department.

“It was the best opportunity I could have ever been given.”

Not only did the City subsidize Wintonyk-Pilot’s tuition and books, it allowed her to change hours so she could work days while going to business school at night to earn her Administrative Assistant Diploma.

That flexibility and support allows Wintonyk-Pilot to keep a healthy work-life balance and gives her a chance to give back as a peer

advisor for the City’s Employee and Family Assistance Program.

“I get to learn what our employees are going through and I connect with the counsellors so that when somebody comes to me, I’m that bridge to get them to counselling. It’s amazing,” she says.

Not only has the City’s journey transformed the lives of employees like Wintonyk-Pilot and improved services to Saskatoon’s citizens, it’s improved the bottom line.

“By doing things differently, we’ve saved over $310 million,” says Gryba. “Our collective efforts are producing savings for the taxpayers. The impact our employees are having is very real.

That’s the beautiful thing about working for municipal government – you can see the impact of your work immediately and our employees are part of that.”

3,166

full-time staff in Canada

520

jobs available last year

42

years, longest-serving employee

3

weeks, starting vacation allowance

Build a Career…Shape a City Our employees seize opportunities to continuously improve, generate new ideas and meet the changing needs of our community. We work together to build a better city and better quality of life for all our citizens.

Join Us: saskatoon.ca/careers Business • Engineering • Recreation & Sport • IT • Law • Skilled Trades • Horticulture • Marketing • Customer Service • Zoology & Social Sciences

SASKATCHEWAN’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2017

21

Saskatoon Police Service mirrors its community

S

taff Sergeant Cameron McBride of the Saskatoon Police Service has a calm demeanor and a methodical approach to his work. Those qualities made him a perfect candidate for the Service’s explosive disposal unit.

In 2003, he went on a five-week training program at the Canadian Police College in Ottawa to become certified as an explosive disposal technician.

McBride, 47, never had to dismantle a bomb on the job – “We train hard for things we hope we never have to do,” he says – but he did need to carry out post-blast investigations, including one harrowing case where an accidental explosion severely injured a young person.

It’s a positive thing for the police service and for the community to have so many of our sworn officers reflecting the culture of the community in which they serve.

Mark Chatterbok Deputy Chief of Operations

In 20 years with the Service, McBride says he has had “many small careers within the big career.”

He started on patrol, then moved

EMPLOYEES IN THE FORENSICS UNIT OF THE SASKATOON POLICE SERVICE

into traffic, followed by seven years as a crime scene investigator. Since May 2016, when he was promoted to Staff Sergeant, he has worked in the training section, where he tests the 474 sworn officers for their annual re-certification in proper use of their weapons and defensive tactics.

Although McBride was hired by the Service when he graduated from the University of Saskatchewan with a B.A. in psychology, relatively few recruits had a university education in those days. Now, however,

the Service looks for applicants with post-secondary degrees, says Mark Chatterbok, Deputy Chief of Operations.

Once selected, recruits are sent for 20 weeks to the Saskatchewan Police College in Regina, where they receive classroom instruction in areas such as criminal law, officer safety, self-defence, report writing and cross-cultural training. “They then return to the Service for 24 weeks of field training under the guidance of one or more experienced officers,” says Chatterbok.

Officers are not only better educated than when McBride started out, they also have more diversity.

Since 2002, when the Saskatoon Police Service approved its initial Employment Equity Plan, the number of female members has increased from 80 to 185, visible minorities from seven to 26, indigenous members from 30 to 62, and persons with disabilities from 12 to 27. In 2016, more than 53 per cent of employees were equitygroup members.

Chatterbok says, “It’s a positive thing for the police service and for the community to have so many of our sworn officers reflecting the culture of the community in which they serve – not only having them within the organization but actually seeing them out in the community wearing the uniform.”

654

full-time staff in Canada

48

jobs available last year

1,398

job applications received last year

2,500

staff volunteer hours last year

SASKATCHEWAN’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2017

22

Feeling the buzz at the University of Regina

A

s an archivist with the University of Regina, Crista Bradley has a unique perspective. She’s responsible for preserving and protecting original materials that trace the university’s roots back to the founding of Regina College in 1911. She also helps faculty and students conducting historical research to access relevant documents in the Archives & Special Collections.

Bradley, recently returned from a two-day workshop on the rapidly advancing field of electronic records preservation, looks to the future as well. She assists everyone from administrative staff to department heads in managing their records, primarily digital documents, for posterity or safe disposal.

A university should reflect the society we want to live in, not the society we actually live in.

Dr. Vianne Timmons President and Vice-Chancellor

The nature of her work means Bradley, like many others on campus, interacts with a wide cross-section of the university’s population of students, staff and

UNIVERSITY OF REGINA PRESIDENT AND VICE-CHANCELLOR, DR. VIANNE TIMMONS (CENTER), RECENTLY RE-APPOINTED TO A 3RD TERM

faculty. The encounters are invigorating. “People really care about this place,” says Bradley.

“There’s such an energy you can practically feel the buzz.”

From its modest beginnings, the school grew and evolved and in 1974 became a degreegranting university. Today, it has 10 faculties with programs leading to bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees. With more than 14,500 full- and part-time students, it is also home to more than 400 faculty, including seven Canada Research Chairs.

Situated in Wascana Park, the University of Regina and

its three federated colleges are housed in one of the largest urban parks in North America.

Wide-ranging amenities include the medical services, theatres, restaurants and fitness facilities, all open to university employees as well as students.

“We’re big enough to be comprehensive and small enough to wrap your arms around,” says Dr. Vianne Timmons, President and Vice-Chancellor, who also notes the diversity on campus where employees and students come from 102 countries. Another source of pride for Timmons is the university’s growing

Proud to be recognized as a TOP EMPLOYER in SASKATCHEWAN for the 6th year in a row. peyak aski kikawinaw Together We Are Stronger

reputation for teaching excellence and groundbreaking research.

“We do noble work here,” says Timmons. “A university should reflect the society we want to live in, not the society we actually live in.”

One way the university is working toward that bright future is the career development of staff and faculty. Bradley participated in one such initiative aimed at developing the next generation of leaders, URLeading. Even after the program ended, Bradley says she has made long-lasting connections where the staff and faculty who participated with her continue to meet monthly.

“This is a mix of people who otherwise wouldn’t connect,” she says, “but building community is at the heart of this university.”

1,530

full-time staff in Canada

716

jobs available last year

11,880

job applications received last year

26

weeks, maternity & parental top-up pay

Tell us your story If you are an exceptional employer with progressive human resources programs and initiatives, we invite you to submit an application for next year’s edition of Saskatchewan’s Top Employers. Now entering its 18th year, our national project is Canada’s longest-running

7

and best-known editorial competition for employers.

For information on next year’s application process, please visit:

CanadasTop100.com/2018 Applications for our 2018 competition will be released early in the New Year and must be submitted in May.

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