Skip to main content
Open this photo in gallery:

Supplied

Best Workplaces logo

Great Place To Work is the global authority on workplace culture. It’s a bold statement to call ourselves the global authority, but when we look at the scale at which we operate, in Canada and around the world, and the volume of employee voices that are captured, there is no doubt about it.

For more than 30 years, Great Place To Work has supported thousands of companies around the world to help them assess and improve levels of workplace trust. We know what it means to be an exceptional employer. Many will be surprised to hear it actually has very little to do with the perks and programs that you offer, but everything to do with the relationships that leaders are cultivating within the organization, and the connections that people have to their work and to those around them. Perks and programs only matter after a foundation of trust is established.

Open this photo in gallery:

How do companies earn a spot on the list of Best Workplaces in Canada? (Hint: Their employees put them there.)

As unemployment reaches a record low in Canada and the competition for talent steadily increases, it is not surprising that many organizations have embedded ‘employer of choice’ recognition into their talent strategy.

With 30 years of research to back us up, we know that trust is at the heart of great workplaces and this is more relevant today than ever.

Nancy Fonseca, Senior Vice President, Client Services at Great Place To Work Canada

However, not all employer recognition out there is created equal. There’s really only one voice that matters when it comes to being an employer of choice, and that’s the employee voice. Great Place to Work-Certified organizations and those recognized on our Best Workplaces lists are the gold standard, because this recognition is based on statistically reliable direct feedback data from the employees who work there.

Great Place To Work determines the list using our proprietary For All methodology.

Our Trust Index Employee Survey enables employees to share confidential quantitative and qualitative feedback about their organization’s culture. Collectively, this data clearly demonstrates the employee experience, and defines the levels of workplace trust through the dimensions of credibility, respect, fairness, pride and camaraderie. These metrics enable a clear and precise focus on areas that drive success across the organization. (Figure 2).

Each company also completes a Culture Questionnaire that provides greater insight into how and why the organization is great for all people. Responses are rigorously evaluated and cross-reviewed according to our research-driven criteria.

Our For All Algorithm measures the level of trust in the workplace and the differences across demographic groups and roles within each organization, helping assess both the quality and consistency of the employee experience. Statements are weighted according to their relevance in describing the most important aspects of an equitable workplace.

We require statistically significant survey results, review anomalies in responses, and financial performance. Data is also normalized to compare companies across sizes and industries.

The result is our list of Best Workplaces, which is not based on perks, programs or employer investment but the most telling criteria of all – the day-to-day experience of the employees who work there.

Our process is rigorous and has stood the test of time. With 30 years of research to back us up, we know that trust is at the heart of great workplaces, and this is more relevant today than ever.

So the next time you see an employee engagement study float by your desk, take a look at how many people were surveyed in the study – often times it’s a couple hundred, maybe a couple thousand. In Canada alone, we represent over 500,000 employee voices, and millions more from around the world every year. We are thrilled to share our findings and research with you.

Become an Employer of Choice
Start Here

Best Workplaces certified badge

Advertising feature produced by Randall Anthony Communications with Great Place To Work Canada. The Globe’s editorial department was not involved.

Interact with The Globe