Great Place To Work, a company that recognizes the world’s best workplaces, announced its 2017 list of Canada’s Best Workplaces in Technology.
A few of the companies mentioned in the recently released list include Burnaby-based Traction On Demand, Waterloo-based Axonify, Toronto-based Wave, and Toronto-based BlueCat, which was sold to a US private equity company earlier this year for $400 million.
GPTW outlined key attributes that they found in the companies on this year’s list, including strong employee communication, caring for employees, and empowering employees to do good work.
“The digital revolution is redefining not only how we work, but who our competitors are. The ‘tech sector’ no longer exists. We are all tech firms.”
“Each of the organizations named on our Best Workplaces in Technology list has been successful in creating a high-trust culture that supports employees and empowers them bring their best to work, driving superior results for the whole organization,” the GPTW report reads. “Over 95 percent of employees at these winning organizations agree their workplace is great and 93% are willing to give extra to get the job done. And the proof is in the pudding – these same organizations collectively averaged 40 percent growth last year.”
GPTW compiles these lists based on feedback from more than 300,000 employees working in GPTW-certified organizations across Canada. Employees are asked to complete an anonymous Trust Index survey, which includes questions about transparency of communication, degree of collaboration, quality of benefits programs, opportunity for professional development, and support for work-life balance. For the organization to become GPTW certified, 70 percent of the feedback has to be positive.
Along with the list, GPTW also showcased a recent study conducted by Paris-based Capgemini Group that identified outdated company culture as the number one barrier to digital transformation. “Regardless of industry, the digital revolution is redefining not only how we work, but who our competitors are. Some experts are now musing that the ‘tech sector’ no longer exists,” GPTW said. “We are all tech firms, and companies that are slow to accept this new reality will find themselves in the crosshairs of disruptive startups or shareholders who will force the issue.”
This year’s list — and the ongoing work at GPTW — attempts to take a closer look at what’s working in tech companies in Canada and around the world, and how these strategies can encourage digital transformation in all organizations and all industries.
Photo via Axonify