Sponsored Content
United to better serve customers

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 28/11/2019 (2109 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

In April 2019, Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life came together to build a stronger brand and better serve customers.

“We have a long history and deep roots in Winnipeg as Great-West Life, and we believe the power of caring has made us who we are today,” says Jeff Macoun, President and Chief Operating Officer, Canada, Canada Life. “We invest in people who are going to help grow the new Canada Life as a valuable service to our customers, a trusted brand to Canadians and as a respected part of our community.”

This singular focus may be why the company was named one of Manitoba’s Top Employers for the third year running. From supporting the next generation of professionals through internships and training opportunities, providing employees with valuable financial, physical and mental wellness benefits, and creating space for its people to make a positive impact on diversity and inclusion in the organization through employee resource groups, Canada Life is fostering a culture of growth, community and success.

Its relatively new Diversity Leadership Council (DLC) comprises a diverse group of senior leaders across its various lines of business and corporate functions who work to embed diversity and inclusion efforts in all of the company’s business and organizational priorities.

The DLC currently focuses on five key areas: Women in Leadership, Indigenous Peoples, Young Professionals, LGBTQ2+ and Persons with Disabilities. Each year the areas of focus will be reviewed and additional groups may be added based on employee interest and business need.

Innovation and technology are also front of mind. “We’ve been challenging ourselves to be more agile,” Macoun says. “Whether we’re hiring talent for our new digital labs, seeking specialists in the financial sector or filling the myriad of positions in our many departments, a customer-service, innovation, growth and collaboration mindset is key.”

“As part of this approach, we launched digital labs — employee working groups from different business areas to tackle special, time-sensitive projects. With digital labs, we can test solutions with advisors and customers and incorporate feedback as we go. It’s an innovative way to embrace collaboration, remove hierarchy and deliver solutions faster.”

With the advent of digital technology, the range of career options at Canada Life continues to grow — everything from information technology, financial management, accounting, actuarial sciences, sales and marketing, law and human resources, to corporate communications, media relations, public affairs, social media and other creative types, to cafeteria workers, janitorial services, landscapers, nursing and other professions. Employees have the chance to grow their careers through training and development programs that also bolster workplace retention.

For those just starting out, Canada Life works with post-secondary schools in the province to provide internships for new graduates. It also believes that ongoing education is an opportunity for people to look beyond their current position. Each one of their employees has access to $2,000 per year towards ongoing education outside of the organization. To supplement that, there were 16,000 hours of in-house sessions offered to employees the past year.

Canada Life offers a comprehensive, flexible benefits plan for its employees that provides optional levels of coverage. The Winnipeg campus includes an on-site fitness facility available to employees 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for a nominal fee and every full time employee has a $400 wellness account. Employees also participate in both sports and arts programming and are encouraged to volunteer at various charitable events. Last year its employees raised about $2.2 million for charity.