Greater Edmonton Foundation Housing for Seniors

Becoming a Top Best Small and Medium Employer is a very detailed and competitive process.  This national awards program recognizes top employers with between 50 and 400 employees. This study mirrors the renowned Best Employer in Canada initiative run by partner, Hewitt Associates; however, caters to smaller businesses. 

The rankings are primarily determined using the results from Employee Opinion Surveys.  Here, 21 key engagement drivers are detailed and analyzed.  The evaluation process also includes the assessment of organization practices and perspectives from the leadership team.  This year, more than 200 companies across Canada registered to participate in the study.

What is Engagement?
Engagement is a measurable state of emotional and intellectual involvement and commitment of the workforce to organizational success.

What is an Engaged Employee?
An engaged employee is one who willingly self-describes him/herself as exhibiting three key sets of behaviours.

Best Employers – those with highly engaged employees – have people on board who, according to the measurements taken:

1. Speak positively about the organization to co-workers, potential employees and customers. We call this the say element.

2. Have an intense desire to be part of the organization. We call this the stay element.

3. Exert extra effort and are dedicated to doing the very best job possible to contribute to the organization’s business success. We call this the strive element.

About the Survey
The BSME survey evolved out of more than 30 years of organizational survey experience.

GEF’s 2010 Engagement Score
Overall Engagement Score 79%
GEF’s overall engagement score increased by 3% from 2009 and beat the average of 70%

Stay Element 73%
GEF’s stay element, where it would take a lot to make an employee leave the Foundation, increased by 6% and surpassed the average of 68%

Drivers:
Career Opportunities 72%
Jumped an incredible 16% and beat the average of 57%

Employee Health & Well-Being 86%
Up 3% from the previous year and passed the average by 9%

Learning & Development 84%
Increased from 75% in 2009 and was more than the average at 71%

Organizational Reputation 77%
Increased from 64% and was above the average of 67%

Employee Recognition 68%
Up by 12% and was 13% more than the average

Resources to do a good job 85%
Rose 7% and beat the average by 22%

Senior Leadership 87%
Remained strong with a 3% gain and surpassed the average of 73%The full story will be published in Profit Magazine on sale April 14, 2010.