A caring culture empowers people at CAAT Pension Plan

Even before he was hired as a pension analyst at CAAT Pension Plan in 2020, Zain Khan concluded that the Toronto-based financial institution was an excellent place to work.

As part of his economics program at Western University, Khan was accepted to do two co-op terms at CAAT, the first in 2019, the second a year later. He was quickly struck by the organization’s friendly and inclusive culture where all employees were open to answer his questions and offer assistance.

“I found that everyone was so eager to help across different departments and teams,” says Zain, now a senior pension analyst. “That’s just the culture that thrives at CAAT.”

Established in 1967 to support the Ontario college system, CAAT now serves employers in 20 different industries across Canada, including the for-profit, non-profit and broader public sectors. CAAT’s growth has accelerated since 2019, giving Khan expanding opportunities to grow with the organization.

CAAT facilitates employees’ mobility in the organization by offering secondments, mentorship, and an extensive range of in-house and external training and educational choices. For instance, CAAT is helping Khan take the Pension Plan Administration Certificate (PPAC) program through Humber College. Among other initiatives, employees have access to CAAT Academy, an online learning and training portal that allows employees to up-skill and re-skill. “There’s honestly a pretty big emphasis on you constantly learning and developing your skills,” he says.

Khan is also impressed by the way the organization engages employees through community involvement and volunteerism, and by focusing on the physical, financial and mental well-being of its employees. As one of myriad examples, he mentions the meditation sessions held weekly that are open to everyone. “It’s just little things throughout the year that accumulate, and I think keep everyone really engaged.”

Julie Giraldi, chief human resources officer, says CAAT’s “culture really distinguishes us.” The organization does a lot to ensure that employees feel that they’re treated well and respectfully, she says. A recent survey shows that 90 per cent of CAATsters, as employees are known, feel that they are treated fairly and with respect.

“Culture is our secret sauce,” Giraldi says. “It’s one of celebrating, collaborating, having fun together, and really striving to ensure that everyone in the organization has a sense of belonging, that everyone feels that they can bring their whole professional self to work.”

Another way CAAT nurtures its culture is by ensuring the senior executive team is “very accessible.” For instance, town halls are followed by a lunch attended by the entire senior executive team. Giraldi and CEO Derek Dobson also hold regular meetings with small groups from different departments, giving them the opportunity to chat about the organization’s “strategic plan, the culture, and what we need to be doing more of, or less of.”

“We want people to be able to share their thoughts and ideas,” Giraldi says. “I fundamentally believe that people need to understand and be aligned to where we’re going.” Listening also ensures leaders are not missing something and the organization is “doing the right things.”

Khan, who is a member of CAAT’s employee engagement committee, concurs that managers are extremely attentive to employees’ needs and ideas, giving employees another way to feel empowered and connected.

“They will help you get to where you want to get,” Khan says of CAAT leaders. “They want you to grow within the organization.”

This article appeared in the magazine announcing this year's Greater Toronto’s Top Employers winners, published December 3, 2024 in The Globe and Mail. This article was prepared with the financial support of the employer, which reviewed but did not write its contents.