Prioritizing human connections in the workplace

Now more than ever, prospective employees are considering workplace culture when applying for jobs.

Note: The application for Alberta Top Employer 2023 was submitted by Rogers Insurance in spring 2022 before the merger with CapriCMW to become Acera Insurance was announced.

When I think about the past few years and how the world has shifted, I’m proud that a key priority at Rogers Insurance has always been to maintain our human connections.

At Rogers Insurance we believe that company culture needs to be nurtured and celebrated. In fact, we value the idea of fun in the workplace so much that “FUN IT” is one of Rogers Insurance’s core values.

While competitive wages and benefits are still reported as the top priorities that prospective employees consider when job hunting – it’s important to recognize that to really draw (and retain) staff, employers have to prioritize their peoples wellbeing. For us, this includes:

• Focusing on meaningful employee connections
• Promoting mental health and wellness
• Fostering a culture of transparency

We are committed to maintaining an outstanding workplace culture that creates valuable opportunities and support for both new and long-term employees. As one of Alberta’s Top Employers (this year marks our 15th recognition as Rogers Insurance), we strive to make our team feel valued and supported through a variety of initiatives.

Focusing on meaningful employee connections

People are not robots – they need to feel supported and connected to thrive both personally and professionally. The past year has been spent figuring out what a “new normal” looks like when it comes to a hybrid model of work and our workplace culture.

Our employee-run Fun Squad does a fantastic job of providing engaging activities for employees to connect and have fun throughout the year. This has included events like our legendary Halloween costume contests, a St. Patrick’s Day pizza party, a summer adventure challenge and an office pyjama day.

We also have our annual Kananaskis Christmas Party for our Alberta-based teams where we treat our employees and their families to two nights in Kananaskis to celebrate and recognize their hard work throughout the year. It’s an opportunity to bring people together to have fun and connect with all their colleagues.

What makes the Christmas party extra special is the Dream Program which awards four employees with up to $10,000 to fulfill a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

We want our employees to be engaged and happy – providing opportunities to have fun, make friends and truly get to know each other is what makes our workplace culture so special.

Promoting mental health and wellness

With burnout being reported on the rise globally, focusing on our team’s mental health and wellness has been a top priority as we continue to navigate the changes that were sparked by the COVID pandemic.

Work-life balance is something we value and everyone who starts a full-time position with our organization receives a minimum of three weeks vacation, plus flex days and their birthday off. We believe that employees should be able to do things like take a mental health day, go to a doctor’s appointment or attend a child’s school play without using up their vacation time.

Our Wellness Team also plans initiatives throughout the year that are focused on addressing mental health issues and providing employees with information about how connect with the services they need. We also offer an Employee Family Assistance Program to provide support to our employees and their families.

We offer fun in-person wellness incentives such as quiet rooms, a Peloton bike and e-scooters for our Calgary team. This allows our employees to step away from their desk and give themselves a mental break from their workday.

Fostering a Culture of Transparency

With the September 2022 announcement of our merger with CapriCMW to become Acera Insurance, we were confident in our team’s ability to manage the continuing transition process.

We’ve had a two-decade long relationship with CapriCMW, and our similar award-winning workplace cultures were a key part in deciding to merge companies to become Acera Insurance.

We have remained committed to transparency and keeping our team members updated on the transition and merger processes. This has included an anonymous question portal, an ask us email, updates on our employee intranet and webinars in which the senior leadership team provides information on the integration processes throughout the company and answer staff questions in-person.

We are continuing our uniquely employee-controlled model through the Acera Insurance Equity Purchase Program which provides our team with the opportunity to purchase equity within the company. We currently have over 350 employee shareholders who share in the company’s success that they helped build.

As we move towards being a united company under Acera Insurance, we remain committed to being an employer of choice within our industry and maintaining an outstanding workplace culture.

By prioritizing employee wellbeing and workplace culture, we are letting our people know that we care about them as human beings. We want our staff to feel supported, informed and that they can bring their best selves to work everyday.

 

Lindsay Scammell is the Vice President of Human Resources at Rogers Insurance. She is passionate about creating HR initiatives that contribute to a positive, productive and fun culture that benefits the organizations and encourages employees to be successful.