Professional growth is fundamental at Canada Life

When Christian Robins left Canada Life Assurance Company in 2017 to explore new pathways, he missed working with the company almost immediately.

Thankfully, the door remained open, and in 2019 he rejoined the organization in the emerging artificial intelligence department.

“I missed the people, the friendships, the opportunities — that was enough to try and find an opportunity to come back,” says the product owner, AI business solutions.

Coming from a group sales management background, Robins had some of the big-picture skills the department was looking for and the company was ready to train him for the rest.

“They appreciated the work I had done previously and were happy to have someone come in with some industry knowledge,” he says. “It's been a collaboration.”

The experience crystallized how Canada Life — which takes care of one in three Canadians through insurance and financial services — also takes care of its employees.

“It’s important to invest in people’s careers from day one,” says Colleen Bailey Moffitt, executive vice president and chief human resources officer.

“What sets us apart is knowing that employees have different needs at each point in their career journey. When they can see the variety of opportunities and leverage them to grow their capabilities, they can perform at their best and reach their full potential.”

Employee growth is nurtured through a wide range of formal development programs and employee resource groups for young professionals, women in leadership and more.

Tuition reimbursement is also available to employees looking to pursue college and university courses or industry-recognized certifications.

For Robins, who was pursuing his MBA during his first tenure with Canada Life, tuition reimbursement spoke volumes about how the company cares for its employees. “I was very grateful to come into a brand new organization and see the trust they had in me by helping to cover some of the costs of my education,” he says.

Supporting employees is an obvious choice for a company fortunate enough to have many high-performing, talented employees begin their careers with Canada Life, Bailey Moffitt explains.

“We want to ensure our employees are empowered to continue their career journey here,” she says.

Employee growth isn’t only about what someone can accomplish within Canada Life, however. Employees are given one paid volunteer day to give back to the charity of their choice.

“Giving back is knowing you can have an impact inside and outside of work and encourages employees to discover what matters most to them,” says Bailey Moffitt.

Robins remembers swinging hammers with his team on a volunteer day together for Habitat for Humanity. “It was so much fun,” he recalls. “Not only were we building homes for those in need, but we had a chance to connect in a whole new way.”

Ensuring people have room to grow in their careers is fundamental to well-being, and is also completely individual, Bailey Moffitt explains.

“Career growth doesn’t have to be a linear, upward journey,” she says. “There are so many different opportunities within Canada Life to grow your career in a new direction.”

That has been the case for Robins, whose career has evolved with an employer that inspires confidence and collaboration but also makes room for the person behind the position.

“Canada Life understands that people are more than our roles,” he says. “The culture recognizes people’s unique needs beyond the office.”

This article appeared in the magazine announcing the winners of this year's Manitoba's Top Employers competition, published March 11, 2025 in the Winnipeg Free Press. This article was prepared with the financial support of the employer, who did not write or review the content.

Learning is a career-long pursuit at Canada Life

As a fresh mathematics graduate looking to move away from the sciences, Shaydel Purcell was nervous but excited to enter a transitional period of her life when she applied to the Emerging Leaders program with Canada Life Assurance Company.

“Moving from the close-knit math community to this huge organization could have been really jarring, but the transition was great because this company is so welcoming,” says Purcell, now an associate in the program.

The supportive environment put her at ease immediately, and she was able to focus on her professional development.

The two-year Emerging Leaders Program hires six graduates every year and provides them with leadership training through multiple departments across the five cities where this global financial services company has head offices in Canada.

“The biggest driver of the program is getting exposure in different areas,” Purcell explains. “They want to keep us in our comfort zone, but they also want to take us outside of it so that we can grow – that really matched what I wanted to do.”

Over the course of three, eight-month placements in different departments, mentorship comes from program leaders, but also from the co-workers who are invested in the associates’ growth and learning.

“Everybody that I come across genuinely wants the best for you,” says Purcell. “They want to see you succeed and they’re willing to help you get there.”

At the end of the two years, associates may be hired as full-time permanent employees, with the possibility to return to a department that resonated with them the most.

Emerging Leaders is one of many different employee development programs offered by the organization to support growth at any career stage. The company also offers actuarial programs and subsidies for professional accreditations, as well as tuition reimbursement and an extensive digital learning portal.

“Some of our very senior leaders have come up through those streams and have spent their careers with us,” explains Colleen Bailey Moffitt, executive vice president and chief human resources officer.

“We’re very committed to having people join us, learn and grow their careers,” she says.

Canada Life’s extensive professional development programs are just one piece of the bigger picture. Community and relationships are core to its culture, and employee groups such as Young Professionals also provide mentorship, learning and networking opportunities.

“We’re hiring people for careers, not jobs, so we want them to come in and grow with us,” Bailey Moffitt explains. “In the long run, we are aiming to build knowledge, capability, skill and a growth culture, which is pivotal to who we are as a company.”

Continuously progressing is key to the company’s success in serving the physical, mental and financial well-being of one in three Canadians.

“The learning never stops and that’s core to our culture,” says Bailey Moffitt. “To serve the needs of Canadians, we need to be better at what we do all the time. That takes innovation, knowledge and insights to be the best that we can be for our customers and our plan members.”

Beyond the professional opportunities, Purcell has been inspired by the community built around Canada Life, where she’s been able to participate in the Black and People of Colour employee resource group, walk in the Pride parade and even play on a recreational soccer team with Canada Life team members.

“I’m very cognizant and grateful for the position that I’m in,” says Purcell. “It’s already a great program, but when you look at the company as a whole, it packages it all together and feels like such a gift.”

This article appeared in the magazine announcing this year's Canada's Top Employers for Young People winners, published January 21, 2025 in The Globe and Mail. This article was prepared with the financial support of the employer, which reviewed but did not write its contents.