2009 Your Workplace Awards Winners 

2010 Thrive Awards information available here.

A special awards presentation was held at the Your Workplace Conference 2009 at the Westin Hotel in Ottawa, Ontario on May 1st, 2009. The award winners were announced for two awards: The Power of Inclusion and the Top 10 Places Where Employees Thrive awards. Special audio-visual presentations of award winning companies were enjoyed by all in attendance, and are posted below.

Top 10 Places Where Employees Thrive Award

Your Workplace launched its first annual Top 10 Places Where Employees Thrive award. These awards are aimed at organizations that have created a dynamic and creative workplace by establishing a culture built on collaborative dialogue, trust, outcomes, tolerance, and teamwork.

BACKGROUND
In Your Workplace magazine, issue 10-5, Dr. Sandy Cotton wrote a column entitled, The 10 Principles for a Healthy Workplace. This article was the basis of the selection criteria for these awards. Organizations who were eligible to win created environments where workers feel their input and effort is valued and respected and where innovation and contribution to improving workplace culture are motivated by leadership and management with input from personnel at every level. Nominations had to be supported with six letters from personnel at various levels of the organization, explaining how the nominee creates a culture founded on Collaborative dialogue, Trust, Outcomes, Tolerance, and Teamwork. Additional employee feedback was elicited via an independent selection process initiated by Your Workplace.

Winners (in no particular order) are listed below:

Ceridian Canada (video)

With more than 40,000 customers in Canada, Ceridian’s HR services touch three million Canadians from coast to coast – regularly, timely, and accurately. Our full suite of HR solutions helps companies of all sizes to increase organizational and employee effectiveness and achieve workforce and workplace excellence. By delivering best-practice HR solutions based on over 40 years of experience, Ceridian provides customers the freedom to focus on their core business. Ceridian Canada is based in Markham, Ontario.

Employee Size: 1400 people across 11 branches in Canada

Habañero

Since 1996, the Vancouver, B.C. based Habañero Consulting Group is a leading Western Canadian IT consulting services and solutions firm and a member of the Microsoft Gold Certified Partner Excellence Program. Known for trusted business advice, original creative design, and proven technical expertise, Habañero helps companies maximize the business impact they receive from their investments in technology. Habañero works with clients throughout North America and specializes in websites and eCommerce, enterprise collaboration, and enterprise resource planning.

Employee Size: 57

Xerox Research Centre of Canada (XRCC) (video)

XRCC is Xerox’s materials research centre, located in Toronto, Ontario, enabling the flow of leading-edge imaging and consumable materials from research concepts to supplies solutions. Founded in 1974, XRCC leverages its core competencies in materials design, synthesis, characterization, evaluation and scale-up to deliver — with partners — environmentally sound materials and processes that support higher-quality and lower-cost color and monochrome products for both office and production market.

Employee Size: 10,000+

Nytric Ltd. (video)

Founded in Mississauga, Ontario in 1999, Nytric is a leading Innovation Consulting Firm that creates cutting edge technologies to turn innovative ideas into successful products. Nytric is unique in offering a business model that help clients to rapidly bring their products to market in the most technologically innovative, cost-effective manner. Nytric provides services to our clients from the concept stage through manufacturing, and the engineering team is rich in skills and experience.

Employee Size: 20

Ontario Hospital Association (OHA) (video)

Representing 159 public hospitals, the OHA advocates on behalf of members for a sustainable system that meets patient care needs; provides leadership through health system research and development, as well as education that serves to help shape the future of health care; and provides services to members that support integration and contribute to the overall quality and efficiency of the health care system. 

Employee Size: 200

I Love Rewards (video)

I Love Rewards is a web-based provider of employee rewards and recognition, sales incentive and service award programs that works with top employers in North America to recruit, retain and inspire employees. We believe that engaged, motivated employees drive the results most important to business success. I Love Rewards has been named one of the 50 Best Small and Medium Sized Companies to Work For in Canada , GTA’s Top Employers for 2007, 2008 and 2009 as well as one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers for 2007 and 2008.

Number of employees: 31

Limestone Community Education (video)

Based in Kingston, Ontario, Limestone Community Education is a company providing specialized community-based educational programs to diverse groups of the community. 

Employee Size: 62

Environics Communications Inc. (video)

Founded in 1994 and now with more than 90 staff in the United States and Canada, and an annual fee income of more than $13-million, Environics Communications Inc. is a full-service, management-owned public relations agency focusing primarily on the advanced technology, financial services, health sciences, association/non-profit, consumer, and sustainability and clean energy sectors. Ranked #2 on the list of the 75 Best Workplaces in Canada for 2008 and 2009, the firm has also won more than 125 awards for client work. Environics has a strong commitment to reducing environmental impact and in June 2008 became the first North American PR agency to be carbon neutral. The firm’s offices are located in Montréal, Toronto, Metro New York and Washington, D.C.

Employee Size: 90

Homewood Health Centre

Homewood Employee Health Centre believes that the skills and expertise of employees, along with their caring and compassionate attitudes, are fundamental to its success as an organization and to its ability to provide such innovative and specialized programs to patients. Many factors at home and at work affect health. As a responsible employer, Homewood works with staff to provide a safe, supportive and healthy work environment, recognizing that progress will be achieved when the promotion of health is a shared responsibility. 

Employee Size: 600

Amherstview Family Chiropractic & Massage

Chiropractic is a balanced, natural approach to health that respects our ability to heal and be healthy without drugs or surgery. Our goal is to eliminate apathy with respect to spinal hygiene and posture, resulting in productive and inspired living. Unlocking your spine unlocks your potential. 

Employee Size: 5

The 2009 Power of Inclusion Award

The Power of Inclusion Award was initiated by Your Workplace to recognize individuals, teams and organizations who have made efforts to create an inclusive workplace. The purpose of this award is to acknowledge innovative and lasting contributions to the betterment of the work experience for all, in the belief that the work world in Canada can be a better place for everyone. To win, the nominees must have demonstrated excellence in creating an inclusive workplace, exceeded normal expectations and made a significant contribution to the inclusive workplace community. Winner: Nytric Ltd.

Nytric Ltd. (video)

Founded in Mississauga, Ontario in 1999, Nytric is a leading Innovation Consulting Firm that creates cutting edge technologies to turn innovative ideas into successful products. Nytric is unique in offering a business model that help clients to rapidly bring their products to market in the most technologically innovative, cost-effective manner. Nytric provides services to our clients from the concept stage through manufacturing, and the engineering team is rich in skills and experience.

Employee Size: 20