Despite the stress of managing other people’s finances and the ever-increasing regulatory burden, there is a common refrain we hear from advisors: Working in financial services is the best career in the world.
The latest Best Employers studies from Aon Hewitt appears to support that enthusiasm. Of the top 50 employers, 16 were in some way connected to the financial services industry, including brokerages, insurance companies, pensions and banking. For many of them, it was not their first time on the list.
“Even though participation in the studies increased this year, a number of the organizations that appear on the 2011 Best Employers lists have achieved this status before,” said Neil Crawford, Aon Hewitt’s national Best Employers studies leader.
“These employers didn’t waiver in their commitment to sustaining and improving high employee engagement, even during tough economic times. They weathered the recession thanks in large part to a highly productive workforce focused on organizational success. The fact that these employers appear again on the 2011 lists indicates that their employees are still very committed to the organization, despite having more options available to them in a post-recession economy.”
Wellington West Holdings was the top ranked financial services company, placing ninth, and followed by Farm Credit Canada in tenth.
“We are thrilled to once again rank in the top 10 as a Best Employer in Canada and for the second time as a Best Employer in the GTA,” said Charlie Spiring, CEO and founder, Wellington West Holdings Inc. “Our open, collaborative culture and our smart, talented people are the keys to our success. We have assembled the finest team in the business; passionate and brilliant people who are absolutely our competitive advantage.”
Edward Jones ranked 12th, marking the brokerage’s ninth appearance on the list.
“We are honoured that our associates have again recognized Edward Jones as one of the best employers in Canada,” says Gary Reamey, principal, Edward Jones Canada. “Our core goal of helping clients meet their long-term financial objectives is achieved through our culture of partnership and our mandate to value and respect associates and their contributions.”
Scotiabank Group ranked 23rd on the list, making it the top-ranked bank, followed by TD Bank Financial Group in 26th and Canadian Western Bank in 27th.
“Scotiabank clearly understands the benefits that come from having high employee engagement, including increased customer satisfaction,” said Crawford. “Creating a positive work experience for its employees helps to ensure that Scotiabank’s customers receive the best service.”
Participants in the Best Employers studies are required to complete three surveys: the employee opinion survey, the leadership team survey and the human resources survey. The results of the employee opinion survey make up the vast majority of a participant’s score used to determine its ranking in the study.
Participation in the study is voluntary. This year 121 employers took part.
Read more on BenefitsCanada.com.
(10/28/10)