From paid time off to healthcare benefits and flexible options, the best companies to work for go above and beyond on multiple fronts.
It’s official: when it comes to the benefits and pensions space, companies who practice what they provide get rewarded with loyalty.
According to 2024 data from Benefits and Pensions Monitor, just 11 percent of employees are actively looking for a job with a different employer. But if they were offered an opportunity that suited their preferences better, 42 percent of employees polled said they would change jobs.
It’s not just about the money. When asked how much value they place on various work perks, employees gave the highest ratings to vacation leave, dental and medical coverage, and flexible options – putting those perks ahead of retirement plan offerings.
“The smartest businesses are catering to those who want more than just money, those who value their RRSPs, pensions and benefits,” said Taylor Housdon, senior director at Hays, Hiring HR Professionals. “It’s coming down to how the business invests in your future as an individual and with your family, not just in terms of compensation.”
To find the best companies to work for in Canada’s benefits, pension, and institutional investment space, BPM issued a call for organizations to provide details on their offerings and practices.
Those who fell within the employee survey participation threshold and managed to achieve an employee satisfaction rating of at least 75 percent across 21 metrics made the cut as Top Employers for 2024.
For Troy Milnthorp, senior managing director of corporate fund services at the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation, his company’s internal benefits system – including professional development, comprehensive health plan, and generous paid time off – speaks more broadly to its people-first culture.
“What I’ve learned to appreciate after eight years at this organization, after working in the private sector, is that it’s more a family feel,” Milnthorp said. “Day-to-day, you see people taking care of each other, stepping up to help colleagues for various reasons.”
Since the pandemic, mental health and wellness has become a top-of-mind issue, and the top employers are taking notice. While employee assistance programs have become something of a fixture across the corporate world, organizations like The Benefits Trust go beyond their benefits suite in making their people feel taken care of.
“We discourage people from working nights and weekends,” said founder and president Rob Crowder. “We don’t put unruly deadlines on people or projects. It’s just saying, ‘Hey, this is what you do; it’s not who you are.’”
For its ranking of top employers, BPM is putting the spotlight on seven organizations:
- Alberta Teachers' Retirement Fund (ATRF)
- Davis Benefits & Pensions Ltd
- Ontario Teachers Insurance Plan
- Saskatchewan Healthcare Employees' Pension Plan
- Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation
- Sutton Special Risk
- The Benefits Trust
To find out more about the 2024 Top Employers in the Canadian Benefits and Pensions space, click here.
