By Jen Wetherow

The Great Place to Work^® Institute (GPTW) has just released the 2007 list of “Best Workplaces in Canada” and 12 of the top 50 organizations are headquartered in British Columbia. The list, published in Canadian Business magazine, offers national recognition of those workplaces that have built inspiring cultures.

It’s not surprising then that BC workplaces have scored so well this year.  According to workplace expert Dr. Graham Lowe, a partner in GPTW Canada, “BC businesses are confronting the most competitive labour market in a generation. So growing numbers of employers are seeking ways to attract, retain and inspire employees by creating truly great workplaces.”

So what’s the difference between a mediocre workplace and a great one? Based on 20 years of research by GPTW on the characteristics of great workplaces, it all comes down to trust – the foundation for quality jobs and performance excellence.

Senior managers are becoming increasingly aware of the business benefits flowing from high trust. Organizations on GPTW best workplaces lists in Canada and 29 other countries report an increased ability to attract and retain quality candidates in combination with reduced absenteeism and lower health care costs. For companies in the private sector this adds up to a strong bottom line.  Independent research by the Russell Investment Group concludes that publicly traded companies on Fortune’s list of “100 Best Companies to Work For” are outperforming standard market indices by a factor of 2 to 3.

Every organization has the potential to become a great place to work, regardless of size, union status, or industry. And the good news is that high-trust relationships require behaviours that can be learned and embedded into your culture.  It doesn’t require expensive HR programs.

While there is no one right way to become a great place to work, there are five dimensions that are commonly found in the Best Workplaces; these include credibility, respect, fairness, pride, and camaraderie.  The first three dimensions form the foundation of trust and describe the relationship an employee has with his or her supervisor.  Pride (describing an employee’s perception of his or her job) and camaraderie (the relationship that exists between coworkers) are supported and further strengthened by that basic sense of trust.

GPTW research on great workplaces has identified innovative people practices that build trust, pride and camaraderie. Many of these practices may at first appear deceptively simple. Yet, upon closer inspection, they reveal the true character and philosophy of an organization. These practices are not meant to be cut-and-paste solutions; rather, they are meant to spark discussion about the creative ways that trust can be strengthened in your own organization.

Credibility

*     Communication: do you have a two-way dialogue between employees and management that is both informative and accessible?

 *     Competence: are people and resources effectively coordinated?

*     Integrity: do managers at all levels walk the talk? Do organizational actions match the stated mission, vision, and values?

Best People Practice^©: Urban Systems is an engineering, planning and landscape architecture firm that fosters credibility with a program called Conversations about Culture. Each year, one organizational philosophy or value is highlighted for ongoing discussion and learning throughout the year. Each business location develops its own unique strategies to respond to the theme.

Respect

*      Support: do employees have the resources, support and feedback they need to succeed in their jobs?

*     Collaboration: does management seek and respond to employees’ ideas?

*      Caring: is there a health work-life balance that allows employees to succeed in both areas?

Best People Practice^©: Vancity, Canada’s largest credit union, offers employees 12 ‘care days’ per year which can be used for illness or family emergencies. This way, the employee does not have to pretend to be sick to care for a family member in need. In many cases, the employee may only require a half day off, which is difficult to do when you are “sick”.

Fairness

*      Equity: are rewards and recognition shared fairly across the organization?

*      Impartiality: how do you ensure that favoritism or biases do not influence hiring and promotion practices?

*      Justice: can employees get a fair hearing if they have a complaint or problem? Are they free from discrimination based on personal characteristics like age or gender?

Best People Practice^©: Earning first place on the 2007 list of the Best Workplaces is Back in Motion, a rehabilitation and disability management company in Surrey, BC. Management has an open-book policy and is committed to sharing all financial information with employees. That’s how employees know that, over the last few years, BiM has shared 30 – 50% of distributed profits with the team. That’s also how they know that the base pay of the highest paid director is less than twice that of the average staff member.

Pride

*      Pride in job: do employees understand how their work contributes to successful outcomes at the organizational level?

*     Pride in team: Are there systems in place to encourage cooperation and tem-work among employees?

*      Pride in organization: do employees feel proud of the organization’s reputation in the community?

Best People Practice^©: Deloitte & Touche LLP is one of Canada’s leading professional services firms and has several offices in the province of BC. They encourage corporate pride with an annual program called Impact Day. Essentially, it’s a paid day off work that allows employees to volunteer in their community as a cohesive unit. Last year, 80% of their employees participated in this event.

Camaraderie

*     Individuality: do employees feel free to be themselves? Do they know and care about each other’s lives?

*      Hospitality: is your organization a fun and welcoming place where people are encouraged to show their sense of humour?

*      Community: is there a strong sense of community among coworkers? Do people look out for each other?

Best People Practice^©: Kingfisher Oceanside Resort and Spa, situated on Vancouver Island, nurtures a real ‘family’ feeling through their Angelfish Fund designed to assist staff members (or their immediate family) during times of need. The fund is supported by staff contributions, all of which hare all matched by the company. It is a voluntary program and absolutely confidential – both donors and recipients remain anonymous.