Dynacare prepares for the future of medical care

For histologist Jany Nlend, her time at Dynacare Inc. has proved a perfect fusion. “What brought me to health care in the first place is that I want to make a difference in people’s lives, and what we do at Dynacare can literally do that by making sure that they receive the best treatment in a timely manner,” says the senior medical laboratory technologist.

“What struck me right away about the company is the fact it invests in its people,” says Nlend. “Dynacare has been the place where I have thrived the most, because when you have passion and commitment, here the doors will open for you to help people and showcase your skills.”

Discussing what makes the Brampton, Ont.-based medical laboratory services company successful, CEO Vito Ciciretto says the “long and the short of it” is fostering a workplace culture that inspires meaningful work.

“We want our people to recognize and feel the role they play in the health and wellness of Canadians,” Ciciretto says. “And part of making sure Dynacare stays true to that mission is to provide, at the same time, an environment where everybody feels welcome and where they can grow and thrive.”

An important aspect of that, he continues, is a strong commitment to inclusion, diversity and belonging. “Diversity is an enriching asset, not an obligation or something that could hold the company back,” says the CEO. “Our three employee networks – women, LGBTQ+ and Black – feature very open dialogue and sharing personal stories. That’s a litmus test for me. If people feel comfortable sharing their own experiences, then all lines of communication are open and I think we’re on the right path as a company.”

Cameroon-born, Québec City-raised and fluently bilingual, Nlend has shared her immigrant story on a panel sponsored by the Black employee network – “growing up in a new country, new culture, new everything,” she says, “then finding this place where I can feel myself and unleash my full potential.”

Dynacare’s future leader program has taught her how to handle tough situations and support her team members through change, while always being supported by her own manager. “I’ve never felt like I was left alone to deal with any issues, something I had felt in other workplaces,” says Nlend. “We have such a big collaborative mindset here.”

That’s something Dynacare aims to extend to future health-care workers in a burgeoning field. Histology, the microscopic study of tissues and organs through sectioning and staining, is vital in cancer detection. “There will be an increasing demand from an aging population, and we have to be ready for that,” says Nlend.

“We work with various programs to engage high schoolers, often from underrepresented communities, in STEM careers,” Ciciretto says, referring to science, technology, engineering and mathematics. “We have them come to our lab for a day and bring them through various exercises, to spark an interest and make the connection for them that this is a career available to them.”

On the post-secondary side, Dynacare has co-op placements of students from medical laboratory technician programs who are fulfilling their credential requirements. “We’ll often return to the schools and recruit them right back into our labs,” says Ciciretto.

There is a co-op student in Nlend’s lab right now. “One of my roles is to show her around the lab, having her involved, having her get her hands on the samples, having her included in our daily huddles,” says Nlend, “so she can see the work culture here and, like me, think ‘I can see my place working here in the future.’”

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.