Capital One Canada invests in a culture of learning

Becoming an analyst wasn’t something Emily Rea envisioned when she joined Capital One Canada as a marketer six years ago, but it turned out to be just the right move for her.

Armed with an economics degree from McGill University, Rea was first attracted to the financial company because of its commitment to continuous learning and investment in helping people grow their careers from within. So when she decided to switch from marketing to analytics – not a common career change – her manager set her up with a data scientist who provided hands-on training.

“My entire leadership did not blink at it,” says Rea, now a senior business analyst. “They were completely open for me to go through a formal transition process where essentially I just did the job for a few months and proved that I could do it.

“I’ve been on a learning curve since making that change and moved on to an underwriting team last year. I never could have imagined myself doing this when I first started here as that seemed completely out of the realm of possibility.”

Asa Harrington, president, Capital One Canada, says the company’s people-first culture genuinely supports autonomy and ownership.

“We’re not rigid around role structures and often grow jobs to meet the skills of our associates,” says Harrington. “We pride ourselves on meeting our associates where their interests and needs are, building the systems to support their growth and development at every career stage and providing lots of flexibility.”

Rea says she’s never felt that her personal growth has been at odds with the company’s goals.

“I’ve had several experiences where I wanted to develop some skill or make a change, and the company has always helped find me the opportunities that I needed to grow, even when it would have been more convenient for me to stay in my role,” says Rea. “I really feel that when I come to work, I can seize the day and make the most of it exploring and building new skills.”

In addition to internal training, Capital One offers employees $5,000 a year for courses with any accredited educational institution in the world, including non-job-related activities, such as cooking or language classes. There’s also an Invest in Yourself Day, held on the last Friday of each month, where everyone enjoys a no-meetings day to focus on themselves.

Rea says she likes to use the time for personal improvement or wellness activities outside the context of her job. As a member of a pottery studio, she might go there for part of the day.

“We can prioritize what fuels us best, whether that be focusing on professional development, having a massage or going for a walk and listening to that podcast waiting on your playlist – our employees get to choose,” says Harrington. “The fact that we do it together is one of the ways in which our culture is united on the people-first front.”

Beyond learning and development, Capital One prioritizes mental health and well-being, with initiatives such as protected weekends and not sending emails after hours. As part of its benefits package, the company offers mental health counselling, up to $3,000 a year, for its 815 full-time employees, as well as their dependants.

“We believe our associates are best equipped to serve our mission when their own mental health and well-being is nurtured,” says Harrington. “The investments we make in our people and the incredible support we provide to help our teams unlock their full potential is all in service of helping Canadians succeed with their financial goals.”

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.

Capital One Canada helps its new hires find their passion

Thomas Enns says what attracted him to start his career at Capital One Canada was its people-first culture that prioritizes creative problem solving and learning – something the 23-year-old recent graduate of the University of Waterloo appreciated during the interview process and his two internships at the financial services company.

“I did several internships through Waterloo’s co-op program, but had never really found such a collection of creative thinkers anywhere else,” says Enns. “Capital One has a culture that’s very focused on ideas. I quickly realized these were people I could learn from, so that’s why I came back.”

Enns is currently working fulltime at Capital One as a business analyst while pursuing a part-time master's degree in analytics online at Georgia Tech, a benefit the company subsidizes. Capital One offers generous financial aid for professional accreditations and development, including a $5,000 annual allowance per associate for any work-related learning and development program with an accredited college or university.

"Capital One will spend money to help you pursue additional education and learning,” says Enns. “They’re hugely supportive of everyone’s growth and making sure you’re working on projects you find interesting. The managers are very good about taking your preferences into account and putting you where you think you’ll learn and develop the best.”

Becca Mintz, vice president, head of customer acquisitions, says Capital One is very conscious about creating programs and services that are attractive to people entering the workforce, whether that’s its early careers program that allows young employees to rotate through different jobs within the organization or providing educational assistance to foster learning.

“The formal structures and policies we have in place are really designed to allow young people to thrive,” says Mintz. “Our young associates are looking for the opportunity to try multiple paths and get a breadth of experience as they start to define the next chapter of their working lives.

“It’s truly only through doing a role that you learn what lights that fire in you, so the opportunity to try many things is beneficial,” she says. “We pride ourselves on meeting associates where their interests and needs intersect with ours. I think there’s magic in that. We want people to have a passion for what Capital One is doing, for our mission, which is helping Canadians succeed with credit.”

Besides on-the-job training and continuous learning, the company offers leadership development, such as its nine-month Capital One Leads program, as well as ongoing personal coaching and mentorship for all associates. For example, its buddy program for new graduates is designed to help with onboarding and to foster a sense of community.

“We want our new hires to come in and feel like they already have a group of friends they can grab lunch or a coffee with,” says Mintz. “Or to have someone they can trust to help with a problem they’re facing.”

Since joining Capital One last June, Enns has been both a buddy to an intern and had a buddy himself as a new hire.

“It’s helped me out a lot in terms of both managing my career progression and just learning all those little things I need to know on the job,” says Enns. “With so many young people coming in straight from universities, it’s a very positive environment and we have fun.

“We’re also encouraged to speak up, so I think the impact we have as young people on the culture is that Capital One becomes a faster, more dynamic kind of animal, open to change and understanding our changing customer needs to serve them better.”

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.