Recognized as one of Canada's Top 100 Employers (2021), Canada's Top Family-Friendly Employers (2021) and Greater Toronto's Top Employers (2021):
By Richard Yerema and Kristina Leung, Mediacorp Canada Inc. staff editors (Nov 12, 2020)
Here are some of the reasons why Hospital for Sick Children, The was selected as one of Canada's Top 100 Employers (2021), Canada's Top Family-Friendly Employers (2021) and Greater Toronto's Top Employers (2021):
- SickKids offers extensive wellness programming to encourage employees to make healthy choices for their physical, social and mental well-being -- initiatives include virtual fitness classes, annual biometric health screenings, healthy eating and cooking workshops, and a dedicated stretching program
- SickKids' unionized and non-union employees can plan for the future through the security of a defined benefit pension plan and can access retirement-related resources through an online pension centre
- Varying by employee group, SickKids offers maternity and parental leave top-ups for its new moms, dads and adoptive parents -- and also provides the option for employees to extend their parental leave into an unpaid leave of absence

SickKids employees raise gay and trans Pride flags, as part of the organization's 2020 Pride Month festivities
Employer Background
Industry | Hospitals |
Established in Canada | 1875 |
Major Canadian hiring locations | Toronto ON |
Full-time employees in Canada | 5,913 |
Part-time employees in Canada | 688 |
Workforce engaged on a contract basis | 24.04% |
Average age of employees in Canada | 40.3 years |
Longest serving employee | 47.5 years |
COVID-19
Pandemic response | increased internal communications, including regular CEO updates and the launch of an informational COVID-19 site, dedicated community outreach strategy to provide health care support, education and coaching to children, youth and families in various settings in the community, including homeless shelters, group homes, supportive housing and community support living, as well as disability-specific communities |
Physical Workplace Rating: A
Commuter amenities | online carpool sign-up, subsidized parking, electric vehicle charging stations, secure/sheltered bicycle parking, nearby bike sharing station |
Workplace features | the hospital's downtown campus consists of several interconnected buildings including the LEED Gold-certified Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, which features multiple atriums with floor-to-ceiling windows, televisions and lounge areas, additional workplace features include a garden terrace and patio, original artwork displayed in hallways and offices, rotating vendors selling crafts and unique goods, in-house library and an onsite Shoppers Drug Mart owned and operated by the hospital (with no dispensing fees for employees), telecommuter workstations, sit-stand workstations, private phone booth, nap room, religious observance room, self-serve lunchroom, outdoor patio, discounts at local restaurants |
Employee lounge amenities | comfortable seating, television |
Onsite cafeteria | healthy menus, special diet menus, take-home meals, (award-winning Terrace Cafe serves healthy options and Ontario-sourced food products) |
Other food options at main location | food court area with numerous food options, 24-hour Starbucks and Tim Hortons, a hospital-owned specialty food store that provides organic, gluten-free and allergen-free food options |
Onsite fitness facility | for employees only, subsidized membership, treadmills, stationary bikes, instructor-led classes (pilates, Tabata, spin, kickboxing, boot camp, yoga, high-intensity interval training), weights, shower facilities, onsite 2,400 square-foot Wellness Centre also includes a fitness studio, onsite massage therapy (at discounted rates), fitness assessments, personal training, cooking workshops, exercise coaching and nutrition seminars |
Other nearby amenities | Queen's Park, University of Toronto (St. George campus), Art Gallery of Ontario, Royal Ontario Museum, Chinatown and Kensington Market, CF Toronto Eaton Centre, Nathan Phillips Square, year-round farmers' market |
Work Atmosphere & Communications Rating: B+
Past social events | various departmental celebrations and social events throughout the year, annual long-service celebration, holiday dinners for employees who are scheduled to work on observed religious holidays (and offers vouchers for patients and their families over the holidays) |
Cultural aspects | dress-for-your-day policy, casual dress Fridays, music while working |
Employee communications | company newsletter, traditional/email suggestion box, internal social media |
Other in-house communications | town hall-style Open Forum to encourage employees to ask questions and hear directly from the leadership team, ongoing executive "Walkarounds" to generate engagement |
Financial Benefits & Compensation Rating: A
Financial benefits note | SickKids has multiple employee groups, financial benefits may vary by position |
Outside salary surveys | participates in outside salary surveys every 12 months |
Employee salary reviews | individual salaries are reviewed every 12 months |
Long-term savings | defined-benefit (DB) pension, defined-contribution (DC) pension |
Long-term planning | life & disability insurance |
Additional financial benefits | year-end bonuses for some employees, offers access to discounts through a partnership with Workperks and hosts an annual vendor fair to showcase savings and discounts |
Health & Family-Friendly Benefits Rating: A
Health plan note | SickKids has multiple employee groups, health plans may vary by position |
Health plan premium | as part of the health plan, the employer pays up to 75% of the premiums |
Minimum hours worked for coverage | 18 hours per week |
Waiting period for coverage | 90 days |
Family coverage option | yes |
Dental coverage | routine, restorative, orthodontics |
Paid sick days | employees receive 5 days off each year |
Health plan includes | traditional coverage (e.g. prescription drugs), employee assistance (EAP) plan, semi-private hospital room, physiotherapy, medical travel insurance, medical equipment and supplies, massage therapy, podiatrist, osteopathy, chiropractor, alternative coverage (e.g. acupuncture, naturopathy) |
Mental health practitioner benefit | up to $1,500 each year |
Wellness initiatives | wellness committee to help spearhead overarching strategy, includes mental health and peer support programs, wellness programming (cooking challenges, healthy eating seminars, wellness seminars on topics such as conflict management, time management), stretching program, mindfulness sessions, walking and running clubs and annual biometric health screenings |
Family-friendly benefits note | SickKids has multiple employee groups, family-friendly policies may vary by position |
In vitro fertilization (IVF) | $2,400 per lifetime |
Maternity top-up (mothers) | up to 84% of salary for 15 weeks |
Parental top-up (mothers) | up to 84% of salary for 10 weeks |
Parental top-up (fathers) | up to 84% of salary for 25 weeks |
Adoption top-up | up to 84% of salary for 25 weeks |
Additional family-friendly benefits | extended parental leave to unpaid leave |
Flexible work options | flexible work hours, 35-hour work week (with full pay), shortened work week (fewer hours with less pay), compressed work week, telecommuting |
Additional family-friendly information | depending on employee group, some employees receive maternity and parental leave top-up of 93% of salary for up to 26 weeks, and parental leave top-up (for fathers and adoptive parents) of 93% of salary for up to 11 weeks |
Vacation & Personal Time-Off Rating: B
Vacation note | SickKids has multiple employee groups, vacation policies may vary by position |
Vacation allowance | new employees receive 3 weeks of paid vacation after their first year on the job |
Vacation jump | vacation increases after 3 years of employment |
Maximum vacation allowance | employees move to a maximum of 7 weeks of vacation over their career |
Personal paid days off | employees can schedule 2 personal days off each year, as needed |
Unpaid leave maximum | 3 months |
Additional time-off information | depending on their grouping, employees receive 2 to 4 weeks of paid vacation to start |
Employee Engagement & Performance Rating: A
Employee performance reviews | employees receive individual performance reviews every 12 months |
Managers receive performance review training | yes |
360° feedback option | as part of the review process, performance feedback is also solicited from co-workers and other managers familiar with each employee's work |
Confidential employee feedback | employees can also provide confidential feedback on their manager's performance |
Exit interview | exit interview option is available for departing employees |
Performance recognition | online recognition platform, on-the-spot rewards, peer-to-peer recognition awards, long-service awards, the President's Award to honour individuals and teams who embody the organization's values, Good Catch Award for individuals who prevented staff or patient harm, annual Celebration of Excellence to recognize employees for their hard work |
In-house survey period | in-house surveys are conducted every 6 months |
Training & Skills Development Rating: A
Career planning | in-house career planning services |
In-house training initiatives | apprenticeship/skilled trades programs, mentoring, in-house training, online training, paid internships, subsidies for professional accreditation |
Related tuition subsidies | employer covers up to 50% of tuition per year |
Annual tuition maximum | employer pays up to $20,000 in tuition subsidies for job-related courses per year |
Unique training & development programs | specialized orientation and training programs for medical personnel, extensive leadership development training, the Learning Institute (has a mandate to support educational initiatives, offering a range of learning opportunities), offers career development seminars, workshops and events for all research personnel through the Research Institute, and as a teaching hospital, is home to the largest pediatric medical and surgical training program in Canada |
Community Involvement Rating: A
Scope of charitable involvement | local, national |
Employee charitable involvement | employees are involved in selection of charities |
Some of the community organizations supported | United Way, Canadian Blood Services, Manulife Kids Science, Herbie Fund (surgeons volunteer their time and expertise to treat children from around the world) and the SickKids Centre for Global Child Health and SickKids International (developing partnerships and training nursing personnel worldwide) |
Community highlight | SickKids' charitable focus includes children's health, research and education, and supporting the local community. The longstanding SickKids Foundation is a focal point for employee involvement and fundraising efforts, setting the ambitious goal of raising $15-million by 2022 with 100% employee involvement in fundraising activities. |
Recognized as one of Canada's Top Employers for Young People (2021):
By Kristina Leung, Stephanie Leung, and Jing Wang, Mediacorp Canada Inc. staff editors (Jan 18, 2021)
Here are some of the reasons why Hospital for Sick Children, The was selected as one of Canada's Top Employers for Young People (2021):
- SickKids collaborates with Toronto Public Health, University Health Network and Nipissing University for an accelerated second degree Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) Scholar Practitioner program, producing nurses who are "practice-ready" -- as a participating organization, SickKids employs approximately 15 students in each cohort and has hired outstanding new graduate nurses from the program since its launch in 2011
- SickKids organizes and hosts over 100 conferences each year, many of which support ongoing professional development in areas such as patient safety, child health care, complex diseases and research advances -- full- and part-time employees also have access to a Staff Continuing Professional Development Fund to pursue a degree, diploma or professional designation
- SickKids offers a preceptorship program, connecting experienced staff with novice health care practitioners and students as they learn to apply their practice (over 700 interprofessional staff participated in the program in 2019) -- interprofessional preceptors complete an introductory workshop and an advanced preceptor course, with advanced training for those who have been in a preceptor role for at least a year to address coaching, feedback, assessment and evaluation for more complex teaching-learning situations

Employees at SickKids meeting
Highlights
Industry | Hospitals |
Major Canadian hiring locations | Toronto ON |
Full-time employees in Canada | 5,913 |
Student opportunities | summer jobs, co-op opportunities, paid internships |
In-house training programs | in-house training, online training, in-house career planning services, mentoring, apprenticeship/skilled trades programs |
Related tuition subsidies | employer covers up to 50% of tuition per year |
Annual tuition maximum | employer pays up to $20,000 in tuition subsidies for job-related courses per year |
Unique training and development opportunities | Research Institute and its Research Training Centre supports undergraduate, graduate students and research fellows with a robust curriculum, offers a range of educational initiatives and learning opportunities through the Learning Institute (including the Simulation Program, which allows individuals and teams to practice routine procedures, recognize and treat rare conditions, and practice life-saving techniques in a real-time environment), Teaching Scholars Program (focuses on the essentials of adult learning to enhance the teaching skills of health-care professionals), Leading Voices (monthly 1-hour forum to learn from industry leaders on strategic and organizational issues), SickKids Mentorship Academy to support the mentoring program and Mentor Boot Camp supports the skills required in a mentorship relationship |
Additional highlights | summer research program that allows undergraduate and medical students to conduct research in a laboratory or clinical setting, summer clinical extern program for final-year nursing students, graduate dietetic internship program (participants receive Professional Master's Diploma in dietetics from Ryerson University upon completion), participates in the New Graduate Guarantee (nurses), Kids Science program (includes the Student Advancement Research (StAR) internship program for Black, Filipino and Indigenous high school students) |
Vacation allowance | new employees receive 3 weeks of paid vacation after their first year on the job |