A commentary by the executive vice-president of human resources at British Columbia Investment Management Corp., which this year was recognized as one of sa国际传媒’s top employers, sa国际传媒’s top 100 employers and sa国际传媒’s family-friendly employers for the third consecutive year.
As we head into the Labour Day long weekend, I would like to ask my fellow business leaders around the province to consider an undeniable new reality: By leaving their jobs, or leaving the workforce all together, employees are telling us what they need.
I lead the human resources program at BCI — British Columbia Investment Management Corporation. You might not have heard of us, but you have probably been affected by what we do.
Our team of hundreds of highly skilled investors, technology specialists and other supporting professionals manage $211.1 billion to generate the investment income that supports sa国际传媒’s public sector pension plans, insurance funds and a host of government programs.
More than 715,000 pension plan beneficiaries and 2.5 million British Columbian workers depend on the investment returns we generate for our clients.
This work is challenging, and it takes a robust team of experts to get the job done. As everyone knows, the labour market is undergoing dramatic changes that were spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Great Resignation has affected businesses everywhere, and attracting and retaining employees now is infinitely harder than it has been in the past.
What we have learned, as an organization recognized as a top employer on both a provincial and national level, is this: If you want to attract and retain employees, you have to show you are truly listening to them.
As debate swirls around whether to return to in-person workplaces, remain remote or continue somewhere in-between, BCI has seen the incredible results our team produced over the past two years and have adopted a hybrid workplace model.
Some of our people can do their work most effectively in our offices, and some are better able to execute on their roles and obligations remotely. Most are somewhere in the middle, with in-person collaboration time on-site, as well as focused time at home or on the road.
This comes down to adopting a mindset of mutual trust: We hired employees because they were well-qualified, but also because we believe they are exceptional, and we trust them to get their work done, wherever they are.
Employees are whole people. When you support their health and wellness with flexible options that empower each to make choices that best suit their needs, everyone benefits.
In the same year that we expanded our physical and mental health programs for employees, and doubled-down on our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion, we delivered our best investment performance ever, despite the societal and financial upheaval created by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Finally, employees want to do well. I believe that any narrative around The Great Resignation that disparages workers is misguided.
I believe our employees want to advance in their careers. They want to connect with our purpose and know that the work we do together matters. They want to excel, grow and flourish in their chosen fields.
While those of us in human resources have felt the pressures of the shifting job market, I am confident that the people-centric approach BCI adopted has enabled us to remain above the current market rate for employee attrition.
This Labour Day, as you enjoy our beautiful province and hopefully take a well-deserved break from work, please take a moment to reframe your thinking about sa国际传媒’s highly skilled and, I believe, highly motivated workforce. They’re not just trying to tell us something — they’re trying to tell us everything.
