Enbridge sustains careers with learning and support

For 13 years, Caitlin Oakley has found that no matter what position she holds at Enbridge Inc., she’s never alone – she’s always plugged into a super-charged professional energy grid of experience and training that helps lead her to continued success.

“Enbridge believes in me and keeps giving me these wonderful opportunities – it’s rewarding to have multiple careers at the same company,” says Oakley.

“What really helps is the relationships with your peers because they have a lot of experience and they’re always willing to provide you with guidance, share their knowledge and help you succeed.”

Enbridge is a diversified energy company with headquarters in Calgary. Its 13,400-plus employees serve the globe by providing it with energy safely and reliably. The company moves a large share of North America’s oil and natural gas and is committed to reducing the emissions intensity from its operations.

Oakley has learned that safety is a core company value, one critical to her position as supervisor, cross bore safety and records re-survey. She and her team make sure the company’s energy delivery lines don’t run afoul of sewer infrastructure. They respond to emergency calls from homeowners and have a proactive program to look for potential conflicts before problems arise.

Enbridge’s comprehensive commitment to safety in the field is mirrored by how it takes care of its employees. Melissa Moye, chief human resources and inclusion officer, says that as a result of experiences gained during the pandemic, the company has more support in place than ever.

“We repositioned our approach to holistic employee well-being, which we now define as mental, physical, social and financial, and we have increased our benefits and programs to support that,” she says.

“We want people to feel safe and that when they come into work in the office or wherever they’re working in our operations, they are heard, validated and valued, and can contribute, learn and grow every day.”

As part of that learning, employees are empowered to try different work experiences through Enbridge’s multiple training and education programs. The company has a skills and training library containing over 12,000 learning resources.

Flexibility is another cornerstone of Enbridge’s approach to maintaining work-life balance. Hybrid work models allow many employees to work remotely or from home, spending less time in the office. Oakley enjoys her personal paid days off, where employees in Canada can schedule up to 12 days a year to take care of personal business or just relax without cutting into vacation time.

The results are a corporate culture where employees feel connected to the community as well as the company, says Moye.

“Our industry flows through every part of global society and the economy, so we bring that perspective to our business in the communities, but also internally in our company culture,” she says.

“We want to equally energize our people to that Enbridge mindset around what it takes to contribute, how we learn from each other and have fun while we’re doing it.”

It’s the kind of work environment Oakley is glad to have plugged into.

“Enbridge makes sure it’s not only an enjoyable work experience, you can also grow in a healthy way because you’ve got all the support for benefits and whatever else you need,” she says.

“Enbridge cares. The people, managers, leaders and the employees all care. That’s all I can really ask for from an employer.”

This article appeared in the magazine announcing this year's Canada's Top 100 Employers winners, published November 15, 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.

A sense of mission lights up employees at Enbridge

Lorraine Oswald takes her job as a senior safety advisor at Enbridge Inc. very seriously. But that doesn’t stop her from sharing in the lighter moments with her fellow employees at the office.

“It’s an incredibly social atmosphere and there’s always a lot of laughter, as well as all the serious sides,” says Oswald.

“Some of the best laughs I have ever had were at work with my co-workers. It’s an open environment and there’s lots of fun to be had.”

Enbridge is a diversified energy company with headquarters in Calgary. Its 13,400-plus employees centres, where there’s an emphasis on ergonomics. serve the globe by providing it with energy safely and reliably. The company moves a large share of North America’s oil and natural gas and is committed to reducing the emissions intensity from its operations.

Oswald plays an important role in Enbridge’s safety-first company culture. For 17 years, she experienced how the company operated up close, visiting operations and offices across North America. Along the way, she built many relationships with employees and clients. Recently, she transitioned into a role where she works with employees in the company’s pipeline and gas distribution

“If I’ve moved the meter on the knowledge of safety for a team, or I can educate you to avoid discomfort and pain with ergonomics, I feel like I’ve succeeded at the end of the day,” she says.

“If I’m contributing to one of the company’s core values, I call that success – that’s what makes me happy to come to work.”

To keep herself at the top of her field, Oswald has put Enbridge’s educational supports to good use. The courses she took at the University of Alberta after work were paid for by the company’s tuition subsidies program. Enbridge also has over 12,000 learning resources in its skills and training library.

Melissa Moye, senior vice president and chief human resources and inclusion officer, says those are just two examples of Enbridge’s comprehensive approach to employee wellness and career development.

“We’ve operated on the four core values of safety, integrity, respect and inclusion and this year we’ve added a fifth dimension of high performance,” says Moyes.

“These are the values that guide us in how we treat and interact with each other, as well as the communities we operate in. It’s how we energize our people so they can contribute to the greater society, learn from each other and have fun while doing it.”

Especially close to Oswald’s heart is Enbridge’s commitment to supporting the communities it operates in. She’s been on every United Way campaign committee since she joined the company and appreciated it when Enbridge even seconded her to work there for a short time. Whether she’s organizing a fundraising golf tournament or volunteering at Edmonton’s Food Bank, she knows she has her employer’s support.

“I think it’s critical that a company be involved in the community and giving back because there is so much need out there,” she says.

“I’ve personally seen the impact a large company like Enbridge can make, so I feel blessed because I work for a company that believes in giving back.”

Moye says a sense of satisfaction in being part of a larger mission is what keeps Enbridge employees engaged and plugged in, whether they’re at work or doing good where they live.

“We are fortunate to have a large workforce that has a high sense of pride in our business and in our industry,” she says.

“And when your starting point is already so high in what we do and deliver for the communities, then we can only go up from there.”

This article appeared in the magazine announcing this year's Alberta’s Top Employers winners, published January 28, 2025 in the Calgary Herald and Edmonton Journal. This article was prepared with the financial support of the employer, which reviewed but did not write its contents.

Diversity reflects a global village at Enbridge

When Rose Dolabella first arrived in Edmonton 18 years ago, it was a chilly December and a marked contrast to her tropical homeland of Brazil. But in almost no time at all, she was given a warm welcome in her new professional home at Enbridge Inc.

“I had my first interview during the Christmas week and then I got the job in January, which was a great way to start the new year,” she says. “And I have never thought about leaving since.”

Enbridge is a diversified energy company with headquarters in Calgary. Its 13,400-plus employees serve the globe by providing it with energy safely and reliably. The company moves a large share of North America’s oil and natural gas and is committed to reducing the emissions intensity from its operations.

Dolabella says she’s always been made to feel welcome at Enbridge, from the party her fellow employees threw for her birthday just a week after starting work, to the present in her role as senior advisor legal operations. She engages with a wide variety of employees and executives to find ways of using technology to deliver better legal services.

“I’ve always felt that I belong to the organization, and the fact that I have leaders and co-workers who are also immigrants really gives me the space to feel like it’s okay to be myself,” Dolabella says.

“I feel comfortable and welcome and that makes me more productive because there is so much friendship in my work environment.”

Enbridge’s commitment to embracing the diversity of its employees reflects the way it deals with the complexities of its operations, says Melissa Moyes, chief human resources and inclusion officer. It results in both company and staff being energized.

“We’re here to help people in their everyday lives by providing a varied portfolio of energy and choices and that’s reflected internally in our culture,” says Moyes.

“We look at individual needs that focus on development and growth so that everyone can make contributions to Enbridge. It’s a balance of how we win as one, and how we win as a collective team.”

Dolabella says Enbridge’s commitment to diversity and inclusion has created a global village where everyone is connected via nine employee resource groups (ERGs) with dozens of chapters. These employee-led groups bring people together in the workplace based on shared characteristics or life experiences. They’re part of a broad communications network the company has established to respond to employee feedback.

“We have lots of formal and informal ways of engaging with our listening strategy, whether it’s engagement surveys or a pulse in the moment,” says Moyes.

“Our people know they’re listened to and we strive to respond and do some things differently and better for the continued progression of our culture.”

Dolabella says Enbridge has created a culture where she as a woman and an immigrant feels free to talk about work issues that matter to her and her fellow employees. For her, it’s not an onerous, meeting-driven process – it’s more like a festival.

“Inviting people to the party of diversity and inclusion is like inviting everyone to dance. You can do your dance here in whatever style you like, whatever steps you please because diversity is about bringing people together and creating a safe space, even for those too shy at first to go out onto the dance floor,” says Dolabella.

“It gives you a feeling of belonging because we’re all about creating opportunities for employees to feel welcomed.”

This article appeared in the magazine announcing this year's Canada’s Best Diversity Employers winners, published February 25, 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.