Engaged Workers Make For "Best" Employers

“The average employee engagement score at this year’s 50 Best Employers is 76 per cent, 22 percentage points higher than the average at other participants in the study,” said Neil Crawford, leader of the Best Employers in Canada study. “These employees are highly productive and motivated. They are more likely do what is necessary to help their employer succeed.”

Methods for attaining that level of engagement vary but the common factor amongst all 50 Best Employers – the quality that put them on the list – is a highly engaged workforce, according to Hewitt. Workers at these “Best” employers are enthusiastic, motivated and ready to go “above and beyond” to help the organization succeed, according to the consultancy.

Tenth Anniversary

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Best Employers in Canada study. This year’s list includes 25 organizations from Ontario, eight from British Columbia, eight from Quebec, five from Alberta, three from Saskatchewan, and one from Manitoba. And while there has been some continuity in the list over the past decade (Hewitt notes that no single organization has been on the list every year, but two have been on it every year but one), 10 organizations on this year’s list have never appeared on the Best Employers in Canada list before.

Companies on this year’s list range in size from the minimum 400 employees up to 74,000 employees. They represent a vast assortment of businesses – everything from banks to fast-food restaurants to construction companies. In fact, the #1 and #2 companies are both in the construction industry.

One hundred and forty-five Canadian organizations registered to participate in the study, and results were based on survey responses from more than 115,000 Canadian employees, with additional input from over 1,200 leaders and human resources professionals.

align="center"> The 2009 50 Best Employers Canada list

Prior year's lists are available online at http://was7.hewitt.com/bestemployers/canada/pages/the_list_2009.htm