Pollard Banknote: a close-knit culture amid growth

Pedro Melo has been working at Pollard Banknote Limited for eight years, but he’s considered a newcomer compared to many of his colleagues, who are members of the 25-year club at the Winnipeg-based manufacturer of lottery and charitable gaming products.

“There are more than 200 members in that club, and we expect another 40 to join in 2025,” says Melo, executive vice-president of information technology and digital at Pollard. “I think that’s a sign of how well we treat our employees, and the sense of belonging that people feel here. It’s a close-knit group.”

Melo is proud of the way the company has been able to maintain that feeling through rapid growth that has meant tripling the number of tech employees over the past six years.

“We started as a secure printing company more than 100 years ago, and today we’re a global leader in technology and print innovation,” he says. “That evolution attracts talent and creates opportunities for employees to grow their careers. And with technology ever changing, we’re focusing on training our staff.”

That includes a professional development program that offers a range of training opportunities. “We have career coaching for individuals who show promise and need support to progress in their careers,” Melo says. “We’re keen to provide advancement opportunities, and there are many individuals who started in an entry-level position and now have a larger role.”

Tess Vincent, lead artist creative services, is one of them. “When I joined eight years ago, I was given the full bandwidth to grow,” she says. “I came in as a senior designer, and when I communicated to my boss that I was interested in a leadership position, they accommodated me, getting me the training I needed, and now I supervise a team of artists.”

Those kinds of opportunities are available to everyone at Pollard, she says. “If you’re interested in working in a different department, they’ll make sure you have the time and training to learn everything required to do the job properly. They want to set everyone up for success.”

Vincent also appreciates the company’s supportive, family-like culture. “When I came here, I was looking for stability, and the great thing is that there’s also a creative environment where everyone is collaborative and friendly,” she says. “I think some of it has to do with the fact that it’s a family-owned business. There’s a real sense of community, and we do a lot of fun things that bring everyone together.”

Pollard also offers employees perks like a generous benefits plan, an on-site gym and cafeteria, free parking, continuing education reimbursement and flexible work schedules.

“We’ve realized that to attract the best talent we have to be quite accommodating and flexible in the way we allow employees to work and contribute,” Melo says. "When people are in the office, there's always something engaging happening, providing opportunities to connect and socialize with their colleagues.”

Employees also have opportunities for face-to-face time with the company’s co-CEOs, John and Doug Pollard. “You’ll find them sitting in the lunchroom, having a chat with the manufacturing employees, and they know most of them by name,” says Melo. “It’s quite remarkable. Even with staff across the globe, it still feels very much like a family.”

This article appeared in the magazine announcing the winners of this year's Manitoba's Top Employers competition, published March 11, 2025 in the Winnipeg Free Press. This article was prepared with the financial support of the employer, who did not write or review the content.