Collaboration is embedded into every part of the organization, extending to the design of its offices. Pictured here is one of Colliers' new offices in Vancouver, B.C.Supplied
In the race for talent, Canada’s best companies are creating values-based cultures in which employees benefit from supportive work environments that offer opportunities for growth and rewarding career journeys. At Colliers, understanding and meeting the ever-changing needs of employees is paying off. The company has an enviable track record of attracting and retaining top talent across the country, earning it a spot on the 2024 list of Best Workplaces™ in Canada.
Brian Rosen, Colliers Canada president and chief executive officer, attributes the recognition to the company’s people and its unique business model. “Our enterprising leaders and diverse business platform give us the operational strength to act quickly, create change and move forward,” Rosen says.
Daniel Holmes, president of brokerage at Colliers Canada, says being part of a global organization, with a culture that values entrepreneurial thinking, helps the company recruit and retain the best of the best.
“We have a global brand, along with the resources and infrastructure of a global company, and that is very attractive,” Holmes says. “We also have a culture that offers people autonomy while being part of a team working toward a common vision. We help our people do extraordinary things.”
Tracing its roots back to British Columbia in 1898, Colliers recently marked its 125th anniversary and continues to uphold its position as one of Canada’s leading commercial real estate services firms. While the real estate industry, in general, has experienced some challenges and volatility over the past few years, the longevity and diversity of Colliers’ service lines, nationally and globally, make it possible for the company to weather the storms, and continue to grow and outperform its competitors.
In a recent episode of the firm’s podcast, Colliers Talks, “Colliers’ 125 Years: Taking Risks and Making Moves,” Rosen and Chris McLernon, global chief executive officer for real estate services, describe the company’s success over the decades and its entrepreneurial ethos, which involves taking risks and seeking opportunities. Colliers has implemented a flat hierarchy to encourage employees’ autonomy and enterprising spirit. This decentralized model allows Colliers to be agile, and puts decisions at the local, regional, and national levels, where employees are closer to clients and partners, and are better equipped to move quickly with little bureaucracy.
As employees become more selective about where they want to go to work every day, many companies are grappling to meet evolving expectations. Colliers has come up with the secret recipe to keep its professionals engaged, empowering them to make an impact.
The company offers a comprehensive suite of talent development opportunities to help its people fulfill their career goals from within. “Career confidence is important,” Rosen says. “It’s okay to take reasonable risks and fail sometimes. This is part of how we all grow.”
Colliers’ programming includes an eight-month Mentorship Program, an Acceleration Program to help new-to-industry Brokers succeed in the Commercial Real Estate industry, tailored programing to give leaders the knowledge and skills they need to be successful, and more.
At Colliers, leaders leverage a culture in which professionals are recognized for their work. “Ours is a dynamic industry, so it is important for our leaders to support their teams to constantly prioritize financial and time capital,” Rosen says.
It is also important for Colliers to continuously look ahead, monitoring changes in the business landscape and a growing interest among clients to work with organizations that model ethical business practices, invest in their employees, and empower them to be creative, collaborative, and innovative.
Collaboration is one of Colliers’ principal ingredients to creating a healthy and happy workplace culture. “The word on the street is that Colliers is a collaborative place to work. That’s when you know you have something special,” Holmes says.
Employees are encouraged to work across service lines and geographies to give the best service and deliver the most successful results for their clients. Teams across the business, including brokerage, property management, project management, workplace advisory, and more, work collaboratively to tackle challenges and identify opportunities for Colliers’ clients.
Collaboration is embedded into every part of the organization, extending to the design of its offices. In the company’s new Vancouver office, the footprint of offices is equal, with open concept floorplans, highlighting Colliers’ commitment to democratizing the workplace.
“Our approach responds to the needs of our team and the new offices are reflective of the reality of how they work,” Rosen says. “There are spaces for private meetings and others that are open, designed for collaboration. It’s not a one-size-fits-all.”
The changes have been well-received. “It’s a great feeling as a leader when employees respond with positive feedback. We have annual employee engagement surveys to garner our people’s feedback and we try to action as much as we can,” Rosen says.
Another priority for Colliers is building a diverse and inclusive workplace where its people can thrive and do their best work.
“We recognize that diversity, equity and inclusion is key to fostering a culture where differences are valued, people feel they belong and authenticity thrives,” says Becky Finley, global chief brand and people officer. “We set a global goal in 2021 to achieve 40 per cent female representation across our total workforce by 2025 and in management roles by 2030.” As of Jan. 2024, women account for almost 43 per cent of the firm’s Canadian workforce, with women holding 43 per cent of management roles as well.
Those who are in leadership roles are also invested. “Our leaders are our strongest shareholders with more than 30 per cent inside ownership, which means they have more skin in the game and act like owners,” Finley says.
Beyond achieving excellence within the company and delivering it to clients, connecting with and contributing to communities is also central to Colliers’ philosophy. Employees are encouraged to share their time and skills and raise funds for causes they care about. In 2022, the company launched Colliers Gives, a global volunteering program meant to unite local efforts. In its first year, employees around the world volunteered 5,819 days.
Finley says Colliers elevates inclusiveness by nurturing employee-led resource groups, offering mentorship programs designed to develop leadership skills and confidence among women and people from diverse demographics, as well as fostering external partnerships to learn best practices and better support underrepresented groups. Last year, close to 300 professionals across Colliers participated in mentorship programs.
“We recruit talent without bias, conducting engagement surveys to hear from our professionals on the issues that matter to them, and take the time to celebrate diversity,” Finley says.
While Colliers continues to be a global leader in the industry with a proven track record of success, it’s an accolade the firm never takes for granted. The company is committed to learning what matters most to its people, and taking action accordingly. In Colliers’ most recent engagement survey, it surpassed global external benchmarks, underscoring its dedication to fostering a workplace where teams feel engaged and valued and enabling the firm to move from strength to further strength.
Advertising feature produced by Globe Content Studio with Colliers. The Globe’s editorial department was not involved.