50 best employers in Canada

After five years of ranking Canada's best employers, there are still surprises. But the perennial strengths of great places to work also endure. You'll see familiar names on this year's list, including our first repeat winner, BC Biomedical Laboratories Ltd. (page 40). There are 12 newcomers as well, and we invited public-sector organizations to participate.

Our partner, again, is Hewitt Associates, North America's largest human resources consulting firm. We began in March, 2003, by sending out invitations to more than 2,500 organizations with at least 300 employees. Hewitt received completed surveys from 129 companies, up from 62 in 2000, our first ranking.

There were three parts to the survey. First, a detailed questionnaire was distributed to at least 200 employees, more in the case of larger organizations. That counted for 70% of each employer's score. The remaining 30% was based on a comprehensive human-resources practices survey and a leadership team survey for top executives. Hewitt then calculated how closely employees' and leaders' goals are aligned, and whether practices and programs reinforce the vision.

Commitment from the top is vital. But that has to be supported at all levels. "At best employers, leaders, managers and employees are on the same page," says Ted Emond, a Toronto-based consultant with Hewitt. As a case study, we profile insurance giant The Co-operators (page 42). In the company's third year in our survey, it enters the 50 Best at No. 45. We also present sub-rankings based on 10 of Hewitt's "drivers of employee engagement" (page 34).

And what are the rewards? The share prices of publicly traded best employers have increased by an average of 10.2% a year over the past 10 years, compared with 6.2% for the S&P/TSX Composite Index. But probably the biggest reward is the camaraderie that sustains these organizations through any challenge.

For more information, including instructions on how you can apply for the next survey, log on to http://www.hewitt.com/bestemployerscanada.

Hewitt Associates ranks employers in sub-categories it calls "drivers

of employee engagement." Each driver measures an attribute of a great place to work. Based on how strongly employees responded to the

following statements, here are the top finishers for 10 key drivers:

Best Senior Leadership

"I see strong evidence of effective leadership from the senior management team in Canada"

1 Flight Centre

2 BC Biomedical Laboratories

3 PCL Construction Group

4 Hoffman-La Roche (tied)

4 Rothmans, Benson & Hedges (tied)

4 EllisDon (tied)

Best Managers

"My manager (the person I report to) provides the support I need to succeed"

1 Flight Centre

2 Cintas Canada

3 BC Biomedical Laboratories

4 Hoffmann-La Roche

5 Wal-Mart Canada

Best Career Opportunities

"My future career opportunities here look good"

1 Flight Centre

2 Cintas Canada (tied)

2 EllisDon (tied)

2 Wal-Mart Canada (tied)

3 BC Biomedical Laboratories

Best Benefits

"My benefits meet my needs and my family's needs well"

1 JTI-Macdonald (tied)

1 Rothmans, Benson & Hedges (tied)

2 L'Union Canadienne (tied)

2 DaimlerChrysler Services (tied)

3 Merck Frosst (tied)

3 Mercedes-Benz Canada (tied)

Best Pay Practices

"My pay is appropriate for the role I have in this organization"

1 JTI-Macdonald

2 BC Biomedical Laboratories

3 Rothmans, Benson & Hedges

4 Flight Centre (tied)

4 Merck Frosst (tied)

Best Recognition

"I receive adequate recognition beyond compensation for my contributions and accomplishments"

1 Flight Centre

2 BC Biomedical Laboratories

3 L'Union Canadienne (tied)

3 Hoffmann-La Roche (tied)

4 Cintas Canada

Best Work-Life Balance

"The balance between my work and personal commitments is right for me"

1 L'Union Canadienne

2 BC Biomedical Laboratories (tied)

2 Cintas Canada (tied)

3 Wal-Mart Canada

4 Chubb Insurance

Best Physical Work Environment

"The physical work environment is appropriate for

the kind of work I do"

1 Hoffmann-La Roche (tied)

1 Edward Jones (tied)

1 Husky Injection Molding Systems (tied)

2 QLT (tied)

2 Flight Centre (tied)

Best Workplace Resources

"Our work processes allow me to be as productive as possible"

1 Flight Centre

2 BC Biomedical Laboratories

3 Maritime Travel

4 Rothmans, Benson & Hedges

5 Cintas Canada (tied)

5 EllisDon (tied)

Best Performance Reviews

"The performance review helps me focus my work effort to help this organization achieve its goals"

1 Flight Centre

2 Cintas Canada

3 Hoffmann-La Roche

4 Rothmans, Benson & Hedges

5 Microsoft Canada (tied)

5 Enterprise Rent-A-Car (tied)

1 1 BC Biomedical Laboratories Ltd. Surrey, B.C. Medical 10 years N.A. 399 0.5% 4 N.A. 99% 4.5% Individual health-spending accounts. Computer purchase plan

2 3 Flight Centre North America Vancouver Travel 10 years $245 486 20.6% 178 77% 100% 7.5% Internal advancement preferred. Profit sharing for management

3 7 Rothmans, Benson & Hedges Inc. Toronto Tobacco 5 years $575 788 1.6% 33 42% 100% 4.8% Reimbursement of gym memberships and daycare costs

4 - Cintas Canada Ltd. Mississauga, Ont. Industrial laundry 5 years N.A. 1,396 5.9% 3 10% 70% 5.7% Profit sharing. Birthdays off. Service awards every five years

5 - Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. Mississauga, Ont. Pharmaceuticals 3 years $316 388 9.5% 24 38% 89% 3.5% Extra days off on long weekends for head office staff

6 5 EllisDon Corp. London, Ont. Construction 14 years $955 730 4.1% 60 45% 95% 3.0% Employees who meet targets share 25% of operating earnings

7 12 PCL Construction Group Inc. Edmonton Construction 6 years $3,100 941 5.6% 43 85% 99% 3.5% Opportunities to work abroad. Career development programs

8 9 Chubb Insurance Co. of Canada Toronto Insurance 9 years $453 475 3.8% 65 10% 98% 5.5% Flex work arrangements. Top-up maternity benefits

9 10 Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc. Toronto Auto sales 1 year $1,166 742 3.2% N.A. N.A. 100% 3.5% Employee purchase discounts. Managers must respond to suggestions

10 - L'Union Canadienne Sillery, Que. Insurance 1 year $206 303 3.6% 9 N.A. 95% 4.0% Profit sharing. Discounts on auto and home insurance

11 - Microsoft Canada Co. Mississauga, Ont. Computer software 4 years $1,000 595 2.7% 40 97% N.A. N.A. Stock grants, fitness subsidies and 40 paid volunteer hours a year

12 4 Edward Jones Canada Mississauga, Ont. Investment dealer 10 years N.A. 1,255 12.1% 190 N.A. 93% 7.7% Bonus system, profit sharing and ownership opportunities

13 6 Crystal Decisions Corp. Vancouver Computer software 1 year $434 944 4.7% 75 100% N.A. N.A. Computer purchase plan. On-site gym. All employees own stock

14 - Wal-Mart Canada Corp. Mississauga, Ont. Retail 4 years N.A. 33,060 25.0% 5 46% 99% 4.0% Same flex benefits program for executives and hourly staff

15 17 JTI-Macdonald Corp. Toronto Tobacco 4 years N.A. 485 0.4% 40 5% 100% 4.0% On-site massage. Frequent special lunches. Early close on Halloween

16 14 Enterprise Rent-A-Car Markham, Ont. Auto rental 11 years N.A. 1,173 23.7% 100 N.A. N.A. N.A. Outlet managers run their own business and share in its profits

17 13 Golder Associates Ltd. Burnaby, B.C. Scientific and tech services 4 years $168 1,115 6.7% 48 53% 99% 6.4% 100% employee-owned. Leadership training program

18 - Merck Frosst Canada Ltd. Kirkland, Que. Pharmaceuticals 7 years $985 1,150 5.4% N.A. 80% 100% 3.0% Two daycare facilities. On-site yoga and Pilates. Flex benefits

19 - Creo Inc. Burnaby, B.C. Manufacturing 12 years $540 (U.S.) 1,200 4.0% 4 N.A. 97% N.A. Promotes from within. Mentoring programs. Staff can bring pets to work

20 - Maritime Travel Inc. Halifax Travel 25 years $19 280 5.0% 58 5% 100% 1.8% Profit sharing and travel-based performance incentives

21 20 Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc. Dorval, Que. Pharmaceuticals 1 year $427 677 4.9% 40 13% 96% 6.0% Annual merit pay. On-site dry-cleaning and take-home meals

22 15 Pfizer Global Pharmaceuticals Canada Kirkland, Que. Pharmaceuticals 4 years N.A. 1,066 7.8% 25 90% 97% 4.0% On-site fitness. Feng shui office design. Summer hours for seven months

23 47 Envision Financial Langley, B.C. Financial services 7 years $133 470 6.4% 45 N.A. 94% 3.0% Envision U corporate university. Staff concierge. Profit sharing

24 25 GlaxoSmithKline Inc. Mississauga, Ont. Pharmaceuticals 9 years N.A. 1,690 8.0% N.A. 9% N.A. N.A. Up to 13 weeks of paid parental or compassionate leave

25 19 Maritime Life Assurance Co. Halifax Insurance 8 years $2,439 2,116 4.7% 20 N.A. 97% 3.1% Flex hours. Bonuses based on customer satisfaction

26 34 Bennett Jones LLP Calgary Law 4 years N.A. 597 10.9% N.A. 19% 95% 3.0% Profit-based annual bonuses. Complete benefits for full- and part-timers

27 41 Dofasco Inc. Hamilton Steel 1 year $3,584 7,279 0.4% 28 5% N.A. N.A. Three on-site gyms. 40-hectare park. Canada's largest Christmas party

28 - HEPCOE Credit Union Ltd. Toronto Credit union 10 years $44 297 7.4% N.A. N.A. 98% 2.5% 2% of pretax profits given to charity. Emphasis on family atmosphere

29 27 QLT Inc. Vancouver Pharmaceuticals 2 years $173 326 6.1% 5 7% 99% 5.3% On-site gym and shiatsu. Performance-based stock options for all

30 - Whirlpool Canada Inc. Mississauga, Ont. Consumer products 1 year $871 368 5.4% 60 56% 95% 3.6% Flex benefits. Buy extra vacation or trade for cash or RRSP contribution

31 21 Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. Toronto Hotels 6 years N.A. 3,213 11.8% 8 1% 87% 3.0% Employee discounts at hotels worldwide. Annual wellness day

32 - Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd. Bolton, Ont. Manufacturing 51 years $816 1,238 3.9% 5 8% 86% 4.5% On-site fitness, daycare and holistic therapy. Environmental initiatives

33 31 ACNielsen Co. of Canada Markham, Ont. Market research 3 years N.A. 7.9% 40 3% 98% 4.1% On-site ACNielsen University with 50 courses. Alive and Well health plan

34 39 Keg Restaurants Ltd. Richmond, B.C. Restaurant 7 years N.A. 855 7.8% 35 N.A. 85% 3.7% Budgets over $1 million a year for rewards, recognition and celebrations

35 18 S.C. Johnson & Son, Ltd. Brantford, Ont. Consumer products 4 years N.A. 452 2.0% N.A. 10% 99% 2.4% Employee resort in Muskoka. On-site gym, chiropractor and massage

36 35 Eli Lilly Canada Inc. Toronto Pharmaceuticals 1 year N.A. 770 6.7% 65 70% 97% 4.2% $10,000 adoption assistance grant. Take-home meals

37 37 Nexen Inc. Calgary Oil and gas 3 years $1,658 1,519 3.8% N.A. 100% 93% 5.4% Lunch-and-learn and town-hall meetings. On-site gym

38 36 Shell Canada Ltd. Calgary Oil and gas 1 year $7,314 3,663 1.6% N.A. 25% 99% 3.0% On-site fitness or fitness subsidy. Flex time and flex benefits

39 - Ceridian Canada Ltd. Winnipeg Human resources 1 year $177 1,120 6.0% 55 13% 79% 4.0% Business-to-employee portal, a self-serve HR database. Flex benefits

40 23 AstraZeneca Canada Inc. Mississauga, Ont. Pharmaceuticals 1 year $893 1,447 5.7% 106 N.A. 92% N.A. Comprehensive wellness strategy. Incentive pay for all employees

41 - DaimlerChrysler Services Canada Inc. Windsor, Ont. Financial services 1 year N.A. 425 2.4% 40 0% N.A. N.A. Cheers! recognition program with points for e-catalogue. Flex benefits

42 - Carswell, a Division of Thomson Canada Ltd. Toronto Specialty publisher 8 years N.A. 569 5.0% 3 N.A. 95% 3.3% Flex work arrangements. On-site days for massage, yoga, lunch-and-learn

43 40 Unilever Canada Inc. Toronto Consumer products 1 year $1,597 719 6.5% 2 48% 90% 3.5% Flex benefits. Time off during the day for volunteer activities

44 50 Xerox Canada Inc. North York, Ont. Computers, office equipment 1 year $1,186 4,162 6.3% 40 100% 88% 2.9% Comprehensive benefits, including paramedical. Open-door policy

45 - The Co-operators Guelph, Ont. Insurance 2 years $1,110 2,140 4.2% N.A N.A. 82% 3.7% Commitment to hiring and development within. Focus on Wellness plan

46 - Ernst & Young LLP Toronto Management consulting 5 years $534 2,772 13.1% 58 N.A. N.A. N.A. Flex work arrangements. Maternity leave top-up. Adoption assistance

47 - SaskTel Regina Telecommunications 8 years $893 3,689 0.7% 33 N.A. 100% 3.0% Flex time and job sharing. Discounts on products and services

48 - BTI Canada Inc. Toronto Travel 4 years N.A. 924 18.9% 49 N.A. 91% 2.3% Subsidized familiarization trips. Recognition program with travel prizes

49 - R.C. Purdy Chocolates Ltd. Vancouver Retail 9 years N.A. 207 0.5% N.A. N.A. 100% N.A. 80% of managers are women. Compensation above industry average

50 - Farm Credit Canada Regina Financial services 6 years $572 864 5.4% 35 N.A. 44% 4.0% Leadership training. Financial and volunteer support for communities