Like the national competition, the editors of Alberta's Top Employers annually release their picks for the best employers. The winners are chosen based on the same criteria as the national competition, including compensation and benefits, work and social atmosphere, the quality of the physical workplace, training and upward mobility.

Richard Yerema, executive editor at Canada's Top 100 Employers, points out that the post-pandemic jobs market is characterized by "revolutionary speeds of change" and that unprecedented demand, the ongoing labour shortages, and other factors "mean that much more skill is required in managing the workforce."

Conquering the North

Overall, a targeted approach to recruitment, focusing on inclusion and ensuring that mental health needs are met are some of the ways companies are attracting new blood. This challenge is made more acute in northern communities across Canada.

Case in point: the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo in Fort McMurray. "We have a 1,450-member full-time workforce and are seeking new recruits for a multitude of business areas, from water treatment to finances," says Kari Donnelly, director of human resources. "Attracting newcomers has always been a challenge in our neck of the woods."

Wood Buffalo is overcoming that challenge by establishing five coordinators who cover five different areas of the municipality's operations. "They are specialists with a keen understanding of what we require, and their expertise enables them to find the appropriate recruit," Donnelly explains.

Capping this is a strategy that many companies in remote communities across Canada are undertaking: marketing job opportunities as part of a unique rural lifestyle where outdoor activities abound.

As for retention, Wood Buffalo has undertaken an aggressive course of growing talent from within. "Our model is in the office instead of remote working, so it's critical we give our employees the ability of internal movement," Donnelly says.

A well-oiled machine prioritizes employees' well-being

Increasingly, new recruits expect benefits that support their mental health and family. "The demand for these two elements has become huge," Donnelly says. "We provide a lot of training focused on mental health and augment it with access to the Calm app and psychological first aid."

Inclusivity is equally important to recruitment strategies: a wide range of companies believe that their receptivity to different people, cultures and beliefs not only sets them apart from the competition but also makes for an energetic and productive workplace, and fosters trust.

This is most evident at WCB Alberta. The administrator of the Workers' Compensation Act has invested in improving employee well-being, providing health and wellness spending accounts (up to $3,000) and increasing paramedical coverage in the past year to enhance reimbursement for psychologist, physical therapy, massage therapy, chiropractor and acupuncture services.

At ATCO (a provider of integrated energy, housing, transportation and infrastructure solutions), flexibility is emphasized in nurturing its workforce. The company's Flex benefits program allows staff to choose from a variety of health and dental combinations while also accessing a health and lifestyle spending account to cover extra expenses. Flex Days provides them with a simple way to supplement vacation days when needed.

Trends to watch in 2023

Moving into the spring, the winners of the competition have identified several notable trends: a shift in demand for new skills in areas like tech and analytics; recruiting the right people and then giving them every opportunity to advance; and providing further flexibility so employees can fit their career to what is important in their lives.

Yerema says that while flexibility is a must for any type of employer, it should be part of a greater package of benefits: "Alberta has been doing better than a lot of other provinces in the last few years and companies realize that a wide variety of strategies are necessary to attract and retain the best talent."

As the work world continues to move further away from the dark days of the pandemic, the ingredients that have always enabled employers to stand out from the crowd are more important than ever. Good wages are one thing, but initiatives that make jobs meaningful and workplaces desirable are what really drives recruitment – and inspires loyalty.

– Robin Brunet

From the official magazine announcing Alberta's Top Employers (2023), co-published with the Calgary Herald and Edmonton Journal on January 31, 2023. Used with permission.