IBM Canada Ltd. Voted Canada's Most Attractive Employer

Knocks three-time winner, WestJet Airlines to second place

TORONTO, April 23, 2015 /CNW Telbec/ - The votes have been tallied and IBM Canada Ltd. has been named Canada's Most Attractive Employer, taking home this year's coveted Randstad Award. Randstad Canada, the country's leading staffing, recruitment and HR services company, awarded IBM with the sought after title of Canada's Most Attractive Employer at the Randstad Award ceremony held at the Glenn Gould Studio in Toronto. The world's largest IT and consulting services company was selected as part of an independent survey of 9,516 workers and job seekers between the ages of 18 – 65. One hundred and fifty-two of Canada's largest companies were ranked, and IBM was voted number one in salary & employee benefits, career progression opportunities, training and long-term security.

Taking into account Canada's fluctuating economy and growing skills gap, the importance of a strong employer brand that resonates with job seekers' values and expectations has never been more crucial to attracting the right talent.

"Many of today's younger workers have grown up in a high-tech era where the first and fastest to market are rewarded. As the results show, IBM has struck a chord with Canadian job seekers and has clearly communicated the benefits of working with them," says Tom Turpin, President, Randstad Canada.  "With a long track record of innovation in developing technology solutions, IBM has also created a progressive and inclusive workplace where all employees can realize their full potential through education, diverse mentoring and networking opportunities, flexible work options, and accommodation in the workplace. IBM truly exemplifies how important it is to develop and nurture a powerful brand while aligning it to the aspirations of today's workers and the realities of the market."

"Throughout our 100-plus year history as a technology company, IBM's most important innovation has remained the 'IBMer'. We see employee engagement as key to both the success of IBM's brand and our ability to remain essential to our clients," says Dino Trevisani, president of IBM Canada. "We value and respect diversity, and as we continue to reinvent ourselves, we recognize the importance of staying true to our core values and culture of inclusion."

Based on polls conducted by ICMA Group between September and December 2014, the top five companies voted the most attractive to work for in Canada are: IBM Canada Ltd., WestJet Airlines Ltd, Coca-Cola Refreshments Canada Company, Canadian Solar Inc. and Bombardier Inc.

Regional Winners: IBM Canada Ltd. topped the list in Bristish-Columbia, and in Ontario, Coca-Cola Refreshments Canada Company was selected as the most attractive employer. Quebec chose local company, Bombardier Inc. while Alberta and New-Brunswick chose WestJet Airlines Ltd. In Manitoba, Canadian Solar Inc. was selected as the most attractive employer.

In addition to identifying which company Canadians would most want to work for, the survey also revealed what potential employees deem important attributes when choosing an employer.

Money attracts, work life balance retains: When choosing an employer, competitive salary & employee benefits (70%) tops the list as the most important factor for Canadian workers. Canadians also value long-term job security (53%), a pleasant working atmosphere (50%), good work-life balance (44%), interesting job content (38%), a convenient location (35%) and career progression opportunities (34%) as key things they consider when looking for a job.

When asked what factors would make them stay with their current employer, Canadians identified good work-life balance (46%), competitive salary (40%), flexible working arrangements (34%) and feeling recognized (26%).

Most desirable sectors: The Transport & Logistics sector (43%) is the most desirable of all sectors, followed by High Tech Manufacturing (42%), Motor Vehicle & Parts (40%), Food Trade & FMCG (39%), Finance (39%), Energy (38%), Services (38%), Raw Materials (37%), and Engineering & Construction (34%).

How Canadians Use Social Media To find Employment: Of the 40% of Canadians who use social media to search for jobs, Facebook (60%) is the most popular social media site that Canadians use, followed by LinkedIn (51%), Google+ (30%), Twitter (20%) and Instagram (8%).

The Randstad Award study is conducted each year to both help identify the most attractive companies in Canada, and to provide important insights for employers on the trends and priorities affecting Canadian job seekers and workers.

This marks the fifth year that the Randstad Award for employer branding has been awarded in Canada, in addition to more than twenty other countries internationally. First launched in Belgium in 2000, the Award has become a coveted industry accolade worldwide. The announcement was made last night at an exclusive gala at The Glenn Gould Studio, where senior executives from many of Canada's biggest companies were in attendance.

About the Randstad Award: The Randstad Award program is based on a robust research platform that gives unique insight into the key drivers of talent attraction within Canada and across the world.

Randstad has been working with globally respected research company, ICMA International, for over 10 years. In 2000, Randstad and ICMA launched the first Randstad Award program in Belgium to measure 50 employer brands. Based on its success, Randstad had expanded the research program into 23 countries around the world, covering 75% of the global economy. Visit http://www.randstadaward.ca

Randstad Award Methodology: The Randstad Award survey is based on the perceived attractiveness of companies in a specific market. The 150 largest employers per country are selected, each with at least 1,000 employees. The number of respondents on average per market is 9,500. This is a representative sample to measure attractiveness of the 150 companies. Samples are based on national demographics (age, region, gender, education level) with a slight bias towards respondents aged under 40, potential workers being the target audience of the survey. Each sample is comprised of students, employed and unemployed workforce aged between 18 and 65 years old and is a representative sample based on age, region and gender.

About Randstad Canada: Randstad Canada is the Canadian leader for staffing, recruitment and HR Services. As the only fully integrated staffing company in the country, we understand the recruitment needs and demands of employers and job seekers across all levels and industries. Through our insightful knowledge of local markets, employment trends and global network of recruitment experts, we are shaping the Canadian world of work. Visit randstad.ca

SOURCE Randstad Canada

Related Links

http://www.randstad.ca