Top Employer: Hospital for Sick Children, The

Recognized as one of Canada's Top 100 Employers (2023), Canada's Top Family-Friendly Employers (2022) and Greater Toronto's Top Employers (2023):

Mediacorp Canada Inc. staff editors (Nov 17, 2022)

Here are some of the reasons why Hospital for Sick Children, The was selected as one of Canada's Top 100 Employers (2023), Canada's Top Family-Friendly Employers (2022) and Greater Toronto's Top Employers (2023):

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, wellness challenges, and a dedicated stretching program
SickKids fosters a culture of recognition through an on-the-spot platform that enables employees to recognize their peers, leaders or staff for demonstrating the organization's values -- and honours individuals and teams who contribute to the organization in exceptional ways through the President's Award
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

SickKids employees video conferencing with colleagues across Canada to share knowledge

Employer Background

Industry	Hospitals
Established in Canada	1875
Major Canadian hiring locations	Toronto ON
Full-time employees in Canada	6,129
Part-time employees in Canada	682
Workforce engaged on a contract basis	24.76%
Average age of employees in Canada	40.21 years
Longest serving employee	49.5 years

Work Environment Rating: A

Hybrid work	workplace flexibility policy for eligible employees (includes the deployment of needed technology and equipment to employees' homes)
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
Commuter amenities	walk to public transit, online carpool sign-up, subsidized parking, electric vehicle charging stations, secure/sheltered bicycle parking, nearby bike sharing station
Onsite workplace features	the SickKids campus consists of several 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, 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
Snacks available	Peer Support Tea Caddy provides free refreshments and snacks with peers conducting wellness check-ins with staff (hot chocolate, juices, teas, coffee, granola bars, chips, chocolates, and cookies)
Onsite cafeteria	healthy menus, special diet menus, take-home meals, (Terrace Café serves healthy options and Ontario-sourced food products)
Other food options at main location	food court area with numerous food options, 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 (yoga, high-intensity interval training, 15-minute stretch breaks), elliptical trainers, 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

Work Atmosphere & Communications Rating: B

Past social events	replaced its annual in-person celebration of excellence event, provided staff with an opportunity to register for a meal voucher at the Terrace Café or to receive a surprise gift bag (employees were also entered into a raffle draw for a chance to win additional prizes), complimentary holiday meals available to staff who are required to work on an observed religious holiday
Cultural aspects	dress-for-your-day policy, casual dress Fridays, music while working
Employee communications	intranet site, company newsletter, traditional/email suggestion box, internal social media
Other in-house communications	open forum town halls, ongoing executive "walkarounds" to bring senior leadership face-to-face with front-line and operational employees, Tea with Tee (the organization's executive lead and strategic advisor, equity, diversity and inclusion)

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
Long-term planning	retirement planning assistance, phased-in retirement work options
Additional financial benefits	year-end bonuses for some employees, 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
Eyecare	$300 every 2 years
Paid sick days	employees receive 5 days off each year
Health plan includes	traditional coverage (e.g. prescription drugs), semi-private hospital room, physiotherapy, medical travel insurance, medical equipment and supplies, massage therapy, podiatrist, osteopathy, chiropractor
Mental health practitioner benefit	up to $1,500 each year
Additional health and wellness initiatives	wellness committees and champions, dedicated mental health strategy, peer support program, in-house wellness programming (healthy eating webinars, mindful stretching program, mindfulness workshops), virtual fitness classes, healthy lifestyle challenges (step challenge, cooking competition)
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
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 4 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, 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
In-house survey period	in-house surveys are conducted every 24 months
Outside survey period	outside consultant surveys are held every 24 months

Training & Skills Development Rating: A

Career planning	in-house career planning services, online employee skills inventory
In-house training initiatives	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), career development, workshops and events for all research personnel through the Research Institute

Community Involvement Rating: A

Scope of charitable involvement	local, national, international
Employee charitable involvement	employees are involved in selection of charities
Some of the community organizations supported	United Way, Canadian Blood Services
Community highlight	SickKids' charitable focus includes children's health, research and education, and supporting the local community. In the past year, the organization supported humanitarian efforts in Ukraine and assisted in the transit of children with cancer to continue their treatment in Canada. The longstanding SickKids Foundation is a focal point for employee involvement and fundraising efforts.

Recognized as one of Canada's Top Employers for Young People (2023):

Mediacorp Canada Inc. staff editors (Jan 23, 2023)

Here are some of the reasons why Hospital for Sick Children, The was selected as one of Canada's Top Employers for Young People (2023):

SickKids collaborates with 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 20 students in each cohort and has hired outstanding new graduate nurses from the program since its launch in 2011
SickKids offers a preceptorship program, connecting experienced staff with novice health care practitioners and students as they learn to apply their practice (over 850 interprofessional staff participated in the program in 2021) -- interprofessional preceptors complete an introductory workshop and two advanced preceptor courses, with further 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
Undergraduate and medical students can also gain valuable skills through SickKids' summer research program, which includes a 15-week scientific and career development curriculum as well as opportunities for students to conduct research in a laboratory or clinical setting under the supervision of a SickKids scientist

SickKids employees star in 'The SKOOP,' a YouTube and closed-circuit TV channel produced in-hospital specifically to help children and youth cope with hospitalization

Highlights

Industry	Hospitals
Major Canadian hiring locations	Toronto ON
Full-time employees in Canada	6,129
Student opportunities	summer jobs, co-op opportunities, paid internships
In-house training programs	orientation program, in-house training, online training, in-house career planning services, online employee skills inventory, mentoring
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 a 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), SickKids Mentorship Academy to support the mentoring program and Mentor Boot Camp supports the skills required in a mentorship relationship, emerging leader program, Principal Investigator (PI) Prep School (provides research fellows with hands-on coaching to prepare for careers in academia including mock interviews, negotiation seminars, and a $10,000 seed grant to support independent research), career development programs, job search series (career seminars led by industry leaders)
Additional highlights	summer research program allows undergraduate and medical students to conduct research in a laboratory or clinical setting, participates in the New Graduate Guarantee (nurses), Career Night (an opportunity for students, postdoctoral fellows and research associates to meet and network with industry professionals), clinical extern program for final-year nursing students, graduate dietetic internship program (participants receive Professional Master's Diploma in Dietetics from Toronto Metropolitan University upon completion)
Vacation allowance	new employees receive 3 weeks of paid vacation after their first year on the job

Hospital for Sick Children, The

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