Connecting With Our People
IT IS A PROVEN CONNECTION: WHEN SKILLED PEOPLE ARE HAPPY, HEALTHY AND ENGAGED IN THEIR WORK, THEY PERFORM BETTER, AND ENABLE A COMPANY TO BUILD STRONG RELATIONSHIPS WITH CUSTOMERS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS.
Our goal is to become the best place to work in Canada, with every employee contributing to and sharing in our success. That is why Canada Post has made cultural change and employee engagement a top priority.
There are many exciting and unique advantages to working at Canada Post. As one of the largest companies in Canada, with 72,000 employees, The Canada Post Group touches virtually every community. Its size and scope mean talented employees have opportunities for advancement, and employees may be able to change jobs or locations throughout their career — all without leaving the company. Canada Post employees support their local communities in many ways, as well as supporting such causes as the Canada Post Foundation for Mental Health and the United Way, and helping to answer more than one million letters to Santa each year.
The Canada Post segment offers an enviable total compensation package that includes competitive salaries, benefits, pension plans, and generous vacation and leave. A Work Options program offers opportunities for employees to take extended leave, giving them the freedom to pursue personal development opportunities.
We are pleased with our employee initiatives to date. However, we recognize that much needs to be done if we are to become the best place to work in Canada. We have one of the highest employee accident rates in Canada, and a high rate of absenteeism. Relations between unions and management have improved since the 1990s, though an “us-versus-them” attitude still lingers for some.
To track our progress, employees of the Canada Post segment tell us each year what they think about their jobs, their working environment and leadership through a confidential survey. The results help to set objectives and identify areas for improvement.
The 2008 survey results show improvement in most categories and we achieved our target for our Engagement Index. Our success was also validated by other organizations: Canada Post was named a Top 100 employer for the third year in a row by Mediacorp.
In 2008, our strategy supported respect and fairness in the workplace, strong dedication to health and safety, and a concerted effort to encourage more two-way communications.
Carrying out the strategy involved extensive face-to-face communication with front-line team leaders and employees. In 2008, the President and senior executives held 15 Regional Forums with 2,500 front-line team leaders across the country. For the first time, more than 500 employees represented by the Canadian Union of Postal Workers attended the Forums. Executives also held more than 600 meetings with small groups of employees to discuss business results and corporate goals. There was extensive communication with team leaders and employees to ensure that health and safety remains a top priority.
Excellent leadership was another key focus. We provided leadership training for our front-line team leaders, as they play a critical role in engaging their employees and achieving our business results.
Reflecting Canada’s Rich Diversity
Canada Post has a long tradition of supporting cultural diversity both in its workforce and in its workplace. In 2009, the company received the Gold Hallmark for Progressive Aboriginal Relations from the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCAB) and was also recognized as one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers by Mediacorp.
One way Canada Post delivers on diversity is through its alignment with World Skills, a community-based non-profit organization established by Local Agencies Serving Immigrants (LASI), a coalition of immigrant service agencies in Ottawa that helps new Canadians find meaningful employment. As the result of a joint recruitment initiative with World Skills, the Canada Post segment interviewed numerous candidates, resulting in 36 job offers.
Among our new hires through the program was Ephriam Francisco, pictured on the left, who moved to Canada from the Philippines and joined the company in June 2008 as a Rural and Suburban Mail Carrier.
Working Together Works: Employee Engagement
The Thornhill Delivery Centre, north of Toronto, is a large, two-shift station with more than 150 employees serving almost 57,000 addresses. Admail volumes are among the highest in the country. Despite this workload, Thornhill is known for its engaged employees. In 2008, Thornhill earned a Canada Post Best of Operations Award. The station’s positive, can-do attitude is supported by the leadership of zone manager Kevin Burtt, director of the Central Greater Toronto Area Stephanie Simpson, and Thornhill superintendent Randy Saunders. While these three credit the employees’ own work ethic and dedication for the station’s success, they also try to foster open communication, collaboration, and a sense of fun and camaraderie. Burtt says, “Supervisors have begun really listening to employees and their ideas, and are earning their respect.”
