At RBC, employees can open multiple career doors

After 15 years with Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), Abid Iqbal is happy to be back where he started his career – this time in a leadership role.

As director of home and auto insurance at the RBC Insurance Advice Centre in Mississauga, Ont., he’s eager to make sure employees enjoy the same opportunities to learn, grow and advance their careers that he’s had since starting there as an advisor in 2008.

“I know how hard our advisors work,” Iqbal says. “To provide clients with the information and solutions that are right for them when they call in, you need to know and understand the products and have great customer service and listening skills to quickly apply that knowledge to each client’s particular situation.

“It’s a role that taught me so much in areas such as decision-making, time management and how to build meaningful relationships. They’re all skills you can use in any line of work and in your personal life as well.”

The learning continued as he progressed through three different roles, honing interpersonal skills and acquiring additional subject matter expertise with each step. Iqbal then switched channels to field sales, supporting RBC Insurance branches as a sales effectiveness advisor for two years before being promoted to regional director.

Iqbal, who returned to the Advice Centre in 2021, says that while he always worked hard and was eager to learn, the common thread throughout his career is how he’s been surrounded by so many good people who willingly provided him with the feedback he needed, as well as plenty of encouragement and support.

“I’ve always had great leaders who helped set me up for success,” he says.

Similarly, when Gopal Bansal, vice president, talent acquisition, says people can have a variety of careers and meaningful experiences at RBC, he’s walked the talk. Since joining RBC in 2014, he’s held several roles in communications and human resources across Caribbean banking, insurance and capital markets.

That’s because RBC’s size, global reach and diversity of businesses, from traditional and commercial banking to the cutting edge of high-tech innovation or knowledge work in areas like finance, risk or law, means it can offer a vast array of career opportunities. And employees don’t have to stick to just one career path, says Bansal. RBC’s commitment to life-long learning and development means people have the opportunity to train for the job they want, not just the one they have.

Bansal also encourages anyone hesitant to take a step off the linear path they’re on to take a fresh look at the skill set they’ve already acquired. The re-examination will likely show them that they have more transferable skills than they originally thought.

“It opens so many more doors when you’re willing to move horizontally or diagonally and not just vertically,” he says. “Being curious and pursuing diverse interests can lead to a more fulfilling professional experience. Working in different roles helps develop new skills and demonstrates the ability and willingness to take on a variety of challenges, which ultimately opens up new opportunities.”

The benefits extend beyond the individual, Bansal adds. “New roles and challenges lead to new perspectives which leads to bold, innovative ways of thinking,” he says. “In a rapidly changing world, an adaptable workforce means RBC is well-positioned for the future.”

Or as Iqbal puts it, “RBC is a place to grow.”

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.

RBC employees help communities and learn new skills

As an enthusiastic cyclist, Jack Yao likes to ride his bike as often as time and weather permit. As branch manager, Whitchurch-Stouffville, with the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), he logs many of those kilometres raising funds for various charities in his community.

And that’s just for starters. Yao regularly contributes his time and talents to support a diverse range of not-for-profit and charitable organizations. He also rallies his branch employees to take part individually, and as a group, in a variety of fundraisers and local community events.

“Everyone appreciates opportunities to demonstrate our values,” Yao says. “At the same time, our volunteers leave these engagements with a greater sense of the impact RBC makes in the community.”

Jennifer Leach, vice president, operations and engagement, sustainability and impact, says participating in meaningful volunteer activities is a significant way employees can engage with RBC’s Purpose, to help clients thrive and communities prosper.

“Our greatest asset is our employees, and we know that when we harness their collective power, we can strengthen the well-being of the communities where we live and work,” she says. “Our Purpose instills a sense of collective pride across the organization. It is at the heart of everything we do.”

Indeed, RBC has a long history of providing multiple opportunities for employees to support their communities in ways that fulfil their unique passions and suit their individual needs and preferences.

One initiative, the RBC Social Impact Leadership Program (SILP), takes a particularly robust approach to making a positive impact. While most RBC volunteer programs are led by a central team, SILP is the result of a unique partnership between the human resources and sustainability and impact groups. With the support of the Taproot Foundation, teams work together to match the best candidates from across the bank to volunteer with community partners in need of specific skillsets.

Since SILP launched in 2018, over 550 employees have volunteered more than 36,000 hours while assisting 79 community partners in four countries. The numbers, however, don’t tell the whole story.

The community partners, who often have limited resources to support their objectives, benefit from the expertise of the RBC volunteers, Leach says. At the same time, participating in SILP helps RBCers grow personally and professionally as they apply complex problem-solving and critical thinking skills to solve challenges in areas that are new to them.

“When I speak to participants, whether they are RBC employees or community partners, it’s clear that SILP is an experience like no other,” Leach says. “But perhaps the best part is that this mutually beneficial collaboration results in solutions that have lasting impact for our communities where we live and work.”

Being selected for SILP in 2024 was undeniably a memorable experience for Yao. The community partner was Dartmouth General Hospital in Nova Scotia, which wanted to improve the patient experience, especially in its emergency department.

For three months, Yao met regularly via teleconference with RBC employee volunteers in different businesses and locations and with volunteers with the Dartmouth General Hospital Foundation.

Yao says they meshed well as a team as they worked to understand the hospital’s challenges and propose solutions. He appreciated the opportunity to build relationships with individuals in the bank he would not otherwise have met.

“I’m so glad that I took part,” Yao says. “I believe the experience will help me in my day-to-day work and in my future career. But for me, the biggest takeaway is knowing we’ve helped the hospital in a meaningful way.”

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.

RBC helps students expand their career horizons

Onome Gbinije says that before she joined Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), she was only interested in attending business school. But thanks to two RBC early talent programs that provide professional development opportunities and work experience, she discovered her passion for finance.

“I was born in Canada but raised in Nigeria where vast discrepancies in wealth made me want to understand the connections between the economy and financial markets,” Gbinije says.

“I thought I wanted to go into accounting because it offered a structured career path but RBC opened my eyes to a multitude of opportunities I never knew existed.”

Gbinije is now an analyst in equity finance trading with RBC Capital Markets in Toronto. It’s a full-time position where she’s part of the central funding group that helps clients with securities lending, borrowing and financing.

Her career aspirations started expanding in 2021 when she was studying commerce at the University of Toronto and was accepted into the RBC Capital Markets Women’s Advisory Program.

The program is open to outstanding female undergraduates in Canada, the UK and US who are interested in exploring careers in finance. Students receive an in-depth introduction to investment banking and global markets through a multi-month curriculum that includes practical workshops and mentorship.

Participants go on to interview for roles in RBC Capital Markets’ varied business lines, such as investment and corporate banking and global markets and research. Gbinije interned in corporate banking and then applied for a second program, the RBC Capital Markets Pathways Diversity Award Program.

The Pathways Diversity Award Program is open to full-time undergraduates who identify as Black and/or Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit, Métis), and are eager to pursue a career in capital markets.

While the programs differ in focus and format, there are key similarities. Both ensure interns interact with senior leaders and are matched with mentors whose candid insights and support can help sharpen skillsets, deepen industry understanding and expand networks.

Each year, RBC supports thousands of students from different educational backgrounds in exploring various career paths within the bank. Through summer jobs and co-op placements, as well as internships, they gain practical work experience and learn about RBC’s extensive career opportunities.

Lindsay Patrick, head, strategy, marketing and sustainability, says the two RBC Capital Markets internships are key elements of its goal to recruit, train and advance diverse talent.

“Building on RBC’s core values of diversity and inclusion ensures our team reflects the global clients we serve,” she says. “It also creates a vibrant and engaged culture where our employees feel welcome to contribute their unique perspectives.”

To that end, Patrick works with human resources colleagues to ensure employees have the guidance and training they need to succeed. Her role as leader, she adds, has changed over the years.

“Employees want to be coached and supported,” says Patrick, who likes to serve as a mentor.

She says it’s particularly satisfying when someone she mentored stops by to share news of their latest career success. “Many people think banking is a numbers business,” Patrick says, “but I think banking is a people business.”

“RBC empowers young professionals to discover numerous career options,” Gbinije says. “Being given that sort of responsibility so early on really motivates you to keep learning and making progress in your career.”

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.

RBC has a comprehensive approach to inclusion

Jodi Wright has stayed with Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) since she joined in 2008 for a few simple reasons.

“I’ve been given lots of opportunities and felt supported at every step,” she says. “Every job I’ve had then became my favourite.”

Wright’s current favourite is senior director, client strategy, where she leads a team responsible for developing enterprise-wide strategic direction for RBC’s youth and young adult client segment.

Before that, she’d advanced through seven positions in differing RBC divisions. The variety enabled Wright to grow her skillset and knowledge.

In 2022, Wright was selected to participate in a leadership program alongside colleagues from various businesses across RBC’s global locations who had also been identified as likely to benefit from the eight-month professional development opportunity.

The program is true to RBC’s long-standing commitment to creating inclusive and fair opportunities with a wide range of programs that provide support and resources not only at RBC, but in both the broader workforce and in communities, too.

“Inclusion is not just a word at RBC,” Wright says. “It’s something we lean into and live every day.”

Alex Noether says it’s that deep-rooted, values-based culture that inspired him to become RBC’s vice president of global inclusion in early 2024.

While there will always be more to be done, he says, he’s impressed with initiatives already in place.

“There’s a deep understanding that people aren’t static, that we have to evolve along with them,” Noether says.

RBC provides a wide variety of support to employees which aims to support physical and emotional well-being at all life stages. Flexible employee benefits include a suite of offerings ranging from access to mental health practitioners and virtual care to personal leaves for life’s challenges. RBC continues to evolve its support and held its first global employee event recognizing World Menopause Day in late 2024 featuring leaders in women’s health care.

RBC also provides support with financial advice and business resources for female clients and entrepreneurs to help them achieve their goals and create growth opportunities. The bank has provided more than $18 billion in authorized credit since 2022.

Noether sees greater impact beyond business transactions.

“The impact of an inclusive approach to lending goes beyond individual clients,” says Noether. “We know success inspires more success. It’s important for everyone to see many examples of women being successful as entrepreneurs. It inspires other women and girls to pursue their business dreams, and it certainly inspires our RBC team, because at the end of the day, our clients’ success is our success.”

In the community, RBC assists a variety of women’s organizations. The RBC Foundation, for example, provides funding to In Good Company, a collaborative project where four leading organizations — Canadian Women’s Foundation, Catalyst Canada, Plan International Canada, and YWCA Canada — strive to improve employment opportunities related to gender diversity.

More than a third of RBC’s workforce belong to employee resource groups (ERGs) centred on common identities, characteristics, interests or a desire to practice allyship.

Wright belongs to the Advancement of Women in Leadership ERG, where she’s co-chair of the Working Moms Committee. A married mother of two, she helped found the committee several years ago when she saw opportunities to drive more connection and support for full-time working mothers.

“I’ve always found RBC has a deep respect for and a real human understanding of women’s needs, while acknowledging room for improvement, and so we constantly seek feedback to progress,” she says.

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.