Outward looking and building better workplaces: 'Nova Scotia's Top Employers' for 2018 are announced

HALIFAX, NS, Jan. 20, 2018 /CNW/ - For over a decade, the Nova Scotia's Top Employers competition has recognized remarkable workplaces with industry-leading benefits and forward-thinking HR policies. Today, employers in the province are responding to demographic challenges and entering new markets by investing in their employees and ensuring that their workplaces are open and welcoming to newcomers. The most successful initiatives were recognized today by Mediacorp Canada Inc., publishers of the annual Canada's Top 100 Employers project, in the 2018 list of Nova Scotia's Top Employers.

"Demographic factors will continue to make it challenging for employers in Nova Scotia to fill available positions," says Anthony Meehan, Publisher at Mediacorp Canada Inc.  "Employers are responding by improving benefits and working conditions, which is excellent news for Nova Scotians.  Last year, the province also attracted 4,000 newcomers, which is helping the economy grow and look beyond traditional markets.  A decade ago, for example, only 1% of the province's exports went to China ? but in 2017 that proportion was over 10%."

"The province continues to diversify its economic base and plan for the future," adds Richard Yerema, Managing Editor of the Canada's Top 100 Employers project. "This year's winners are invested in developing their current workforce to maintain their success ? and ensuring opportunities are available for the next generation."

Now in its 12^th year, Nova Scotia's Top Employers is a special designation that recognizes employers in Nova Scotia that lead their industries in offering exceptional places to work. Employers were evaluated by the editors at Canada's Top 100 Employers using the same criteria as the national competition: (1) Physical Workplace; (2) Work Atmosphere & Social; (3) Health, Financial & Family Benefits; (4) Vacation & Time Off; (5) Employee Communications; (6) Performance Management; (7) Training & Skills Development; and (8) Community Involvement. Employers are compared to other organizations in their field to determine which offer the most progressive and forward-thinking programs. The annual competition is open to any employer with its head office in Nova Scotia; employers of any size may apply, whether private or public sector.

Some of the initiatives the editors noted include:

• With expanded operations in the Southern USA and Caribbean, Halifax-based Emera Inc. attracts top talent with a range of initiatives, including a defined contribution pension plan, fitness subsidies, a mental health strategy and an employee/family assistance program.
  
  
• Bedford-based Clearwater Seafoods LP employs a team of chefs to develop new packaged food products for markets around the world and encourages career development for all staff through tuition subsidies for training courses and bonuses for professional accreditations.
  
  
• Engineering firm CBCL Limited of Halifax helps female employees balance their work and family commitments by offering paid maternity leave top-up (to 80% of salary for 16 weeks) and the option to extend this into a leave of absence.
  
  
• Bedford-based Health Nova Scotia recognizes employees' work experience when setting vacation allowance, offering four weeks' vacation to new employees which increases to six weeks for long-serving employees.
  
  
• Killam Apartment REIT of Halifax encourages its employees to give back to the community with paid time-off to volunteer on projects that provide housing for families in need.
  
  
• Medical software developer ResMed Halifax Inc. encourages employees to share in the company's international success with a share purchase plan and generous referral bonuses (to $5,000) if they recruit new employees.

Founded in 1992, Mediacorp Canada Inc. is the nation's largest publisher of employment periodicals. Since 1999, the Toronto-based publisher has managed the Canada's Top 100 Employers project, which includes 18 regional and special-interest editorial competitions that reach over 13 million Canadians annually through a variety of magazine and newspaper partners. Mediacorp also operates Eluta.ca, the largest Canadian job search engine, which includes editorial reviews from the Canada's Top 100 Employers project and is now used by almost 7 million users in Canada each year. Together with Willis Towers Watson, Mediacorp also hosts the Top Employer Summit, Canada's largest conference for senior-level HR professionals.

The full list of Nova Scotia's Top Employers for 2018 is attached. This year's winners were announced today in a special feature in The Chronicle-Herald. Detailed reasons for selection, explaining why each winner was chosen, were released this morning and are accessible via the competition homepage.

Nova Scotia's Top Employers
2018 Winners

Admiral Insurance Services, Halifax
CBCL Limited, Halifax
Clearwater Seafoods LP, Bedford
Crombie REIT, New Glasgow
Emera Inc., Halifax
Health Association Nova Scotia, Bedford
High Liner Foods Incorporated, Lunenburg
IWK Health Centre, Halifax
Jazz Aviation LP, Dartmouth
Killam Apartment REIT, Halifax
Northwood Group of Companies, Halifax
NTT DATA Canada, Inc., Halifax
ResMed Halifax Inc., Halifax
Ultra Electronics Maritime Systems Inc., Dartmouth
Workers' Compensation Board of Nova Scotia, Halifax

SOURCE Mediacorp Canada Inc.