Well-being engages employees at First Credit Union

Caitlin Bryant recently had a tragic family loss and her vice-president’s comments from First Credit Union spoke volumes regarding how seriously the co-operative takes employee well-being.

“She gently came up to me and said, ‘Take good care of your heart today,’” Bryant says quietly.

To Bryant, social impact manager in the Powell River headquarters, that moment demonstrates First Credit Union’s focus on employees’ all-around health.

“It means my VP and my direct supervisor actually care about me as a person,” Bryant says. “All the money in the world wouldn’t keep me here if I didn’t feel my co-workers and my direct supervisor didn’t care about me as a person.”

First Credit Union has eight branches serving mostly rural or remote communities along the eastern shore of Vancouver Island and nearby islands, along with Powell River. Each year the member-owned credit union invests 10 per cent of its profits back into those areas. Directing these funds is a big part of Bryant’s role.

“Those funds include donations or sponsorships to either member non-profits, or events, community groups and even scholarships to our members,” Bryant says.

First Credit Union also offers more than a comprehensive medical plan. It offers a seat at the table.

“When we talk about well-being people often think just health and wellness benefit plans. But for me well-being of employees is more than those things,” says Linda Bowyer, president and CEO. “Well-being is about an employee feeling engaged in their workplace and feeling supported.

“They want to feel they have a purpose and that they matter and you get that through giving them the opportunity to participate in decisions. They represent member needs to the organization,” she adds.

First Credit Union recognized the hard work of employees this year with an additional day off. The organization also added $1,000 for mental health wellness separate from the benefit plan.

“We’re always looking at the market in terms of benefits and making sure we’re ahead of the market,” Bowyer says. “These are examples of what we definitely wanted to do for our employees.”

Bowyer explains: “We’re trying to lead in terms of how best to support our employees. It’s been particularly important in post-pandemic time because it’s just so different. The work environment blurred lines between work and home.”

First Credit Union offers remote work, the hybrid option of working part-time at home and in the office, or full-time in the office.

“So we try to tailor and customize the situation. We want to ensure people own what works for them in order to thrive,” Bowyer explains. “It’s not a kind of one-size-fits-all approach.”

Bryant is grateful for a hybrid work schedule with specific days off for family commitments.

“I’m really lucky to have a condensed work week. So I have flex days every other week,” she says.

First Credit Union also provides two family days a year that can be used at an employee’s discretion, and wellness leave that can be used for a variety of health care and well-being needs. Each employee also receives $250 a year to use as they wish, for anything related to their wellness whether it be yoga pants, groceries or membership at a gym.

“Managers can acknowledge exemplary work by a team member by adding an extra $50 or $100 to that fund,” Bryant adds. “It’s just amazing.”

This article appeared in the magazine announcing this year's BC’s Top Employers winners, published February 14, 2023 in the Vancouver Sun. This article was prepared with the financial support of the employer, which reviewed but did not write its contents.