Visa Canada promotes a culture of caring and giving

Queenie Chan can name many positive aspects of working at Visa Canada, but she points to one less tangible characteristic that really stands out: a work culture that promotes open and free communication.

Chan has seen it in the way executives create safe and transparent spaces for meaningful two-way communication at Visa Canada, the Toronto-based affiliate of the digital payments giant, which facilitates global commerce and money movement across more than 200 countries. Frank discussions are encouraged at settings, including one-on-ones with people managers, team huddles, all-staff meetings, global town halls and opportunities to have breakfast with the Visa Canada president.

That openness, she says, has positive ripple effects throughout the organization. It improves the ability of employees to find fulfilment in their current jobs and helps them move around to other positions – in Canada or throughout Visa’s global network – when they are seeking a new challenge.

“It’s about folks being able to speak up, being very open and honest, sharing all the things they want to talk about,” says Chan, director of client services. “It’s the trust that they have in us as employees, and just the kindness that we promote here. You walk in and you feel like it’s your second home.”

Chan says Visa puts a lot of effort into helping to ensure employees have the educational, training and mentorship assistance they need to learn, adapt and grow at their jobs. “We want folks to take advantage of that in their career path,” she says.

Chan herself has been able to take on multiple roles over a two-decade career at Visa Canada. When she expressed interest in growing into a people manager role, for instance, Chan’s own managers were very receptive to the idea and gave her every opportunity to succeed.

Community outreach is another big part of work life at Visa Canada. Over the past two years, for instance, Visa employees ran an initiative called the Digital Empowerment Program where they worked together with non-profit organizations and settlement agencies to donate laptops and offer digital financial literacy training to new immigrants and refugees in Canada. Through the program, employees helped participants learn to access different online services and assisted them in touching up their resumes.

Lillian Davenport, head of people, says Visa Canada puts a strong emphasis on giving back to the community – a focus that is reinforced by the employees themselves.

“Visa really does live the importance of giving back to the community,” Davenport says. “It never feels contrived. It doesn’t feel as though people are forced to volunteer. They really enjoy giving it back, and they really enjoy connecting with their colleagues.”

Another aspect of Visa Canada that has struck a chord with Davenport, who joined the organization about two and a half years ago, is the passion of the employee committees in the office that were organically created by the employees, for the employees, “to really make an impact on the employee culture.” The five committees influence all dimensions of the employee experience, from employee engagement and communication, to how employees socialize or give back to the community.

“We are a people-centric organization,” Davenport says. “All of the programs and initiatives that we put in place are really intended to enhance employees’ day-to-day experience.”

Chan has found satisfaction in becoming co-chair of the Inclusion and Diversity committee, which celebrates the different heritages of Visa Canada employees and helps ensure all employees feel like they belong.

“It’s the feeling of folks coming together and truly caring about each other,” Chan says. “It’s actually thinking about others and engaging others.”

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.