A-players are hard to come by, even in a recession. As stated in the August 5th blog, The most serious threat to employers in this recession may be its end, top talent will always have choices. Employees who are not well taken care of, will leave once the job market picks up and the war for talent begins.

Last week the 50 Best Employers in Canada were announced. Hewitt Associates and the Globe and Mail celebrated top employers who recognize the importance of focusing on their employees in order to cope with the economic downturn. This national ranking is unlike other workplace studies because it is based on employee questionnaires. It is the employees who decide whether their organization belongs on the Best Employers list.


“The 50 organizations that appear on the 2010 list of the Best Employers in Canada faced the same challenges confronting virtually all employers, yet managed to maintain high employee productivity and commitment to organizational success,” said Neil Crawford, national leader of the Hewitt study. “Now that the economy is starting to recover and the demand for talent is heating up again, these employers will be able to retain key people, thanks to their focus on sustaining and improving high employee engagement.”

The respondents from the Best Employers survey indicated that average employee engagement levels are higher than it was a year ago, 80% versus 76%.

So what is the secret ingredient from the Best Employers?

Surveyed respondents say:
• Employee Recognition
• Revamped approach to manage performance
• Career development
• Open communication


McDonalds Canada who has been in the winner’s circle for 11 consecutive years believes that connecting with customers is their primary focus, and the first group of customers they have to delight and surprise are their employees. Their secret ingredients are providing growth opportunities, nurturing talent and most importantly, rewarding achievement. 87% of employees responded that they would, without hesitation, recommend McDonalds Canada to a friend seeking employment.

Other winners included Marriott Hotels and Delta Hotels, clients of ours who have had great success using our online recognition platform. Delta Hotels moved up two spots since last year, and Marriott Hotels moved up ten spots. Congratulations to both forward-thinking employers who use various forms of recognition in their workplace to improve engagement, motivation and productivity.

To be considered as a Best Employer, your organization must have operated in Canada for at least three years, and have 400 or more permanent employees. For the full list of winners, please visit www.hewitt.com/bestemployerscanada