Each organization’s workforce is made up of talented people, unique in their own right, and each valuing very similar things about their employer’s culture, and employment experience. The trick is for organizations to understand what those values are for employees and external talent and ultimately for the communities within which they operate. Once they understand this, they need to build both strategy and employer promises based on these shared and unique values (EVP). When organizations live by this strategy, employees will rally alongside leaders, and act as advocates to ensure brand success.
Case in Point
The Beer Store has been recognized as a top employer in Canada for three years running by the Annual Randstad Awards. Many Ontarians know that the Beer Store has locations across the Province, in urban and rural communities. They employ more than 6,500 people and are one of Ontario’s largest retail employers, in both large and small communities. What’s interesting about them is that a large proportion of their workforce is made up of individuals in specific groups that, statistically speaking, can have higher rates of underemployment—students, working mothers and recent graduates.
Despite any media battles or provincial change, the Beer Store remains a top employer in Canada for a few reasons.
#1 – Huge Focus on Corporate Social Responsibility
Organizations that strategically integrate a focus on social responsibility into their business have a better chance at attracting top talent and making an impact on the communities with which they operate. The Beer Store is one of those organizations. Specific initiatives include:
- Bag it Back Program, which collects almost 80% of bottles sold, or more than 1 billion bottles.
- Bottle Drive – Raising more than $1.7 million in 2014 to support Leukemia and Lymphoma research through bottle drives in Ontario. To date the total amount raised is close to $10 million.
- Many communities conduct their own personal fundraising by running their own bottle drives with the Beer Store. Local hockey teams, unions, scouts, hospitals, university clubs, rotary clubs and many other special groups in our local communities raise valued funds for their organizations annually with these bottle drives.
#2 – Attract and Retain Top Talent
Students, working mothers, and recent graduates make up a significant percentage of the Ontario workforce, yet do not receive the same opportunities as others. Tapping into these groups provides huge competitive advantage for the Beer Store as they truly do have a diverse workforce that they have been tremendously successful in developing and retaining over the years. There is a strong connection between the degree to which an organization integrates personal development, and diversity into their workplace and the strength of their employer brand.
#3 – Corporate Longevity and Stability
While many major retailers such as Target and Future Shop close up shop and leave Canada, or worry about restructuring and cost-containment, the Beer Store continues its focus on building a world-class organization. Their talent values stability, and transformation and the fact that they continue to evolve with their employee’s advocacy is hugely advantageous.
The reality is these three things may not seem like the newest or shiniest strategies on the table, but they are indeed what many job seekers and employees view as critical to being a best employer. Even with the looming changes in Ontario, the Beer Store will continue to evolve in an exciting way. They are completely dialed in as to what their employees, job seekers and communities value and appreciate in an employer—focus on social responsibility, organizational diversity and corporate stability. For these reasons, the Beer Store is, without a doubt, a top retail employer in Canada.