Collaboration and respect are Fidelity cornerstones

In 2018, Riddhi Hathi was a new college graduate looking for opportunities in computer systems technology. Aware that Fidelity Canada was a well-known name in financial services, with headquarters in Toronto and regional offices across the country, she reviewed the company’s website – and liked what she found. “It said don’t follow the crowd, and take intelligent risks,” she says. “I knew this was a company I wanted to work for.”

Fidelity Canada businesses are privately owned, primarily featuring a wide range of mutual funds and exchange-traded funds for financial advisors and investors. Hathi joined as an information technology support analyst, was soon promoted to a desktop services technician and is now a network administrator. “Every day offers a chance to learn, and exceptional work is always celebrated,” she says.

Learning and development are ingrained in Fidelity’s culture. “We provide training to everyone, from co-op students to our senior management team,” says Diana Godfrey, senior vice president of human resources and corporate affairs. “We strive to create engaging experiences inside Fidelity that inspire employees to build their careers here.”

Hathi also liked what she read on Fidelity’s website about its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. She’s a member of the Women’s Leadership Group, one of five employee resource groups, and it has supported her professional growth and development. “When I network, it helps with my soft skills, like being an active listener and improving my communication,” she says.

Though Hathi works in a traditionally male-heavy field, she notes that there are inspiring women in many roles across Fidelity, and the larger team is very diverse and inclusive. “You’re hired based on your credentials and skills, and I’m always fully supported,” she says. “Everyone is treated fairly and feels part of the progress of the organization.”

That support comes in the form of management’s guidance and confidence in Hathi to help her navigate challenges, and leadership trusting her to step into larger roles. She has also attended career-development workshops and earned new certifications for her administrator position.

Fidelity’s values – integrity and trust – are the foundation of their culture. “Our goal is to ensure that we support and are connected to the communities where we live and operate,” says Godfrey. “We’re blessed that we work in one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world, and that’s reflected in our workforce.”

The employee resource groups – Black and Latin; Asian; Different Abilities; Women’s Leadership; and LGBTQ2S+ – help Fidelity better understand those communities. “When it comes to DEI, we do what’s right for us, our communities and our clients,” says Godfrey. “We are an organization that is charting our own course in this area, and it’s working.”

Fidelity’s hybrid work model, called “dynamic working,” is also resonating with employees and their need for flexibility and work-life balance. While Hathi enjoys working at home a couple of days a week, she gets “socially recharged” when she’s at the office. Open concept workspaces allow for optimal collaboration.

As part of Fidelity's subsidized cafe, the free on-site barista is one of the employees’ favourite office amenities. “I love my cappuccino in the morning, and a masala chai tea when I need a break from caffeine,” says Hathi. “I enjoy connecting with my colleagues in our new corporate cafe to learn more about them on a personal level.”

Collaboration is something everyone strives for at Fidelity. “I’ve never heard anyone say that someone works ‘for’ them,” says Hathi. “Instead, they say that someone works ‘with’ them. People are always ready to help and are so humble.”

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.

Mentors, wellness and flexibility fuel teams at Fidelity

After Cora Hilgert earned an undergraduate degree in Germany in 2012, she applied for an internship at Fidelity’s office in Frankfurt. She didn’t get it, so she used the opportunity to continue her education, enrolling in a master’s program in international business. Five years later, Hilgert would have a full-circle moment with an opportunity to join Fidelity Canada in Toronto as a project management coordinator.

Just under one year after joining the firm, Hilgert’s manager recommended her for her first promotion, and today she is the manager of product operations at Fidelity Clearing Canada (FCC). Fidelity Canada businesses are privately owned, consisting of Fidelity Investments Canada, which offers mutual funds and exchange-traded funds for financial advisors and investors, and FCC, which provides brokerage firms and portfolio managers trade execution, clearing, custody and back-office services.

“My second role, as a project manager, and my current role, as a manager of product operations, were both new to FCC, and I was able to make them my own, which has been really exciting,” says Hilgert. “And I have been fully supported along the way.”

In 2022, Hilgert was encouraged to speak at a conference, presenting to a large audience. An exciting yet new experience for her, she asked for training to improve her skills and learn presentation best practices, which she received through formal training. “I felt prepared because I received coaching, and I still continue to apply what I learned.”

Hilgert is also part of Fidelity’s formal mentorship program, MentorMatch, which she says has been foundational to her success. “My mentor helps me understand how the organization works, which then helps me move my goals, and my team’s goals, forward, all while maintaining my personal life,” she says. “That’s really important to me.”

Employee well-being is a corporate cornerstone. “At Fidelity, wellness encompasses so many things, from offering exceptional traditional benefits to providing access to innovative services in mental, financial and physical health,” says Diana Godfrey, senior vice president of human resources and corporate affairs. “We recognize that one size doesn’t fit all, so we engage benefits experts and make enhancements available to all of our employees.”

These services include investment education resources, fitness reimbursement, a generous RRSP plan and much more, with a focus on delivering what matters to employees and their families. “It’s about meeting the changing needs of our employees,” says Godfrey. “When they speak up, we listen.”

Fidelity’s culture of listening is what led the firm to make hybrid working a permanent fixture, which allows Hilgert to work from home several days a week. “We all have personal appointments during the day from time to time, so that takes a lot of stress out of my workday,” she says.

When Hilgert does work in the office, she takes afternoon breaks by getting a free coffee from the on-site barista, which is part of Fidelity’s new subsidized cafe. “They know my order!” she says. “I usually run into my colleagues, which is a great opportunity to catch up.”

Fidelity also strives to look beyond the bottom line and within communities where the business operates and employees live. “Our charitable giving strategy is directed by our employees,” says Godfrey. “It’s much more than corporate giving – our employees identify causes that are important to them and get involved in a multitude of ways.”

In 2023, Hilgert was approached to join Fidelity’s charitable giving committee. “Corporate goals are important, but it’s also important to see the bigger picture and the organization as a corporate citizen,” she states. “Taking some time out of my workday to make an impact in my community is incredibly rewarding.”

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.

Fidelity Canada offers a long-term, rewarding career

In 2021, after Selina Pescara finished a four-month student co-op term at Fidelity Canada in the advisor sales division, she knew she wanted to work there full-time after earning her commerce degree from the University of Windsor. “I had never envisioned a career in sales, but once I got here, I absolutely loved it,” she says.

A privately owned company, Fidelity Canada provides a wide range of mutual funds, ETFs, sustainable investing products, digital assets strategies, high net-worth and private wealth programs, and more.

Following a second co-op term in 2022, Pescara was offered a permanent position as a business development representative, then promoted to a senior business development associate in 2024. “It was clear from my first co-op that I wanted to return,” she says.

Student placements are often a starting point for long-term, rewarding careers. “We’ve hired people as co-op students who are now at senior levels in the organization,” says Dave Bushnell, senior vice president, advisor distribution. “We believe in promoting from within, and our co-op program is designed for students to explore various career paths throughout the business to find what they are most passionate about.”

If an employee wants to take a course, certification or accreditation, such as the Canadian Securities Course, Chartered Financial Analyst program or an MBA, Fidelity will help cover the costs and accommodate paid time off.

“When I’m speaking with students, I remind them that their role here is mutually beneficial, for their own career advancement and the immense contributions they bring to the organization over the years,” says Bushnell. “Through this experience, young professionals can learn what they love and don’t love to do, and all of that experience is invaluable.”

Employees are mentored at all levels, including senior leaders like Bushnell, who joined Fidelity in 2005 as an inside sales representative. “We’re advocates for team building and forming cross-departmental working groups to promote idea generation, remove silos and foster interdisciplinary collaboration,” he says. “Everyone has a voice here, and most importantly, they’re encouraged to have one – this sentiment is upheld by a culture where everyone is meant to feel valued and comfortable sharing their ideas.”

Fidelity strives to provide an empowering working environment that embraces varying perspectives and backgrounds.

“Diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives are a natural part of the decision-making here and are part of the conversation from the onset of the hiring process,” says Bushnell. “Our ongoing commitments are reflected in the ways we work together, our employee resource groups and how we give back to our community.” One of the many ways Bushnell supports the community is through his role as the executive sponsor of Aspire, Fidelity’s Latino and Black employee resource group (ERG).

During Pescara’s first co-op term, she joined the Women’s Leadership Group ERG. “The mentorship I receive is one of the best parts,” she says. “I’m working with inspiring women in roles I’m working toward.”

Before starting her workday, Pescara picks up an Americano at the free on-site barista, where she chats with co-workers, some of whom she met during her co-op terms. People in the advisor sales department can also unwind at monthly movie get-togethers on Fridays. “You’ll probably make lifelong friendships here,” says Bushnell.

When Bushnell sees employees leaving the office together, it makes him proud of their team culture and camaraderie. “We have a hard-working workforce built from a diverse pool of talent,” he says. “Our young employees are an ambitious and friendly network of people who motivate and support one another.”

Pescara agrees. “We’re a tight-knit community with a great group of people,” she says.

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.