Chosen as one of Canada's Top 100 Employers, National Capital Region's Top Employers and Canada's Top Family-Friendly Employers for 2010:
By Richard Yerema and Rachel Caballero, Mediacorp Canada Inc. staff editors (Nov 2, 2009)
Some of the reasons why The Office of the Auditor General was selected as one of Canada's Top 100 Employers for 2010:
provides generous parental leave top-up payments for new mothers (to 93% of salary for 52 weeks) and new fathers (up to 93% of salary for 35 weeks)
offers a variety of alternative work arrangements, including flexible work hours, telecommuting and shortened workweeks
offers employees a flexible health benefits plan that includes family coverage and extends into retirement with no age limit
helps employees plan for retirement through a defined benefit pension plan with employer contributions to 8.4% of salary
gives employees three weeks of vacation after their first year on the job
offers an enlightened unpaid leave of absence program -- one employee recently spent one year of travelling and living aboard a sailboat
Employer Background
The Office of the Auditor General of Canada (OAG) conducts independent audits and examinations that provide objective information, advice and assurance to Parliament.
The OAG audits federal departments and agencies, performs annual financial audits of the Federal Government's accounting statements and of Crown corporations. In addition, the Office of the Auditor General audits the governments of Nunavut, Yukon and Northwest Territories. As part of its mandate, the OAG reports directly to the House of Commons four times each year and regularly testifies before parliamentary committees.
Beyond Canada's borders, the Office of the Auditor General also participates in a number of international activities, including the development of training programs for auditing organizations in developing nations as well as auditing the International Labour Organization, which is an agency of the United Nations. In addition to Ottawa, the OAG has offices in Halifax, Montréal, Edmonton and Vancouver.
Industry:Other General Government Support. Established: 1878. Major Canadian Hiring Locations: Vancouver BC, Edmonton AB, Ottawa ON, Montréal QC, Halifax NS. Full-Time Employees in Canada: 705. Full-Time at this location: 642. New jobs created in Canada last year: 33. Voluntary employee turnover last year: 11.8%. Longest serving employee: 36 years. Workforce engaged on a contract basis: 10%. Number of applications received at this location last year: 4,068. Percentage of employees who are women: 63%. Of managers: 48%. Percentage of employees who are visible minorities: 8%. Of managers: 3%. Average age of all employees: 41.
Rating: BPhysical Workplace
The Office of the Auditor General's physical workplace is rated as average. The head office is located in the CD Howe Building, which is only minutes away from Parliament Hill, the bustling Byward Market, the Sparks Street pedestrian mall as well as numerous city attractions, parks and cycling trails. The lower level of the building features a shopping mall with a full food court area. During the summer season, a rooftop terrace is also open for employees to enjoy. The building also features the very first 'green-roof' installed on a Federal Government building in downtown Ottawa. Inside, the head office features traditional office and open concept work areas as well as employee rest areas with comfortable seating on every floor; secure bicycle parking; car pool sign-up system; and reasonably priced underground parking for commuters.
Rating: B+Work Atmosphere & Communications
The Office of the Auditor General's work atmosphere is rated as very good. On the job, employees enjoy business casual dress; organized social events. Every year, an employee social committee helps to organize a variety of fun events including a holiday party during the Christmas season, salsa dancing lessons, summer golfing, a curling bonspiel, ciné-dîner evenings and a special "help with taxes" event during the tax season. Throughout the year, the Office of the Auditor General keeps employees up-to-date through its corporate intranet site.
Rating: B+Financial Benefits & Compensation
The Office of the Auditor General's financial benefits are rated as very good. To keep salaries competitive the company participates in outside salary surveys every 12 months. Individual salaries are reviewed every 12 months. In addition to competitive compensation, the Office of the Auditor General offers new employee referral bonuses (to $300 for some positions); year-end bonuses for all employees; defined benefit pension with employer contribution (up to 7.5% of salary); life & disability insurance; and year-end bonuses for some employees (up to $3,000).
Rating: AHealth & Family-Friendly Benefits
The Office of the Auditor General's health and family benefits are rated as above-average. The OAG's health benefits plan is managed by Sun Life Assurance. As part of the health plan, the employer pays 100% of the premiums. The health plan is a flexible plan with adjustable premiums and coverage levels. Employees who work 13 hours per week receive coverage. The waiting period for new employees is 30 days. Employees receive full family coverage on the health benefits plan. The health plan also includes retiree coverage with no age limit. The basic plan includes routine dental; restorative dental; orthodontics; eyecare ($275 every 2 years); traditional medicine coverage; alternative medicine coverage; massage therapy; medical equipment and supplies; employee assistance (EAP) plan; travel insurance. The Office of the Auditor General's family-friendly benefits include; maternity top-up payments (to 93% of salary for 52 weeks); parental leave top-up for new fathers (to 93% of salary for 35 weeks); parental leave top-up for adoptive parents (to 93% of salary for 35 weeks). Additional family-friendly benefits include: flexible working hours; telecommuting; shortened work week (fewer hours with less pay); compressed work week; phased-in retirement; self-funded leave of absence program.
Rating: BVacation & Personal Time-Off
The Office of the Auditor General's vacation and personal time-off are rated as average. New employees receive 3 weeks of vacation allowance after their first year. Vacation increases after 10 years on the job. Long-serving employees receive a maximum of 6 weeks of vacation each year. Employees can schedule 2 personal days off each year, as needed. Employees receive 15 paid sick days every year. The Office of the Auditor General considers previous work experience when setting annual vacation for new employees. Employees can also apply for an unpaid leave of absence. One employee recently took a one year leave of absence, with her spouse, to sail from Canada through to the Bahamas and ending in Florida. (Management employees start with 4 weeks of paid vacation.).
Rating: B+Employee Engagement
The Office of the Auditor General's employee engagement program is rated as very good. Employees receive individual performance reviews every 12 months. Managers receive training in how to conduct effective performance reviews. Performance feedback is also solicited from co-workers and other managers familiar with each employee's work. As part of the review process employees can provide confidential feedback on their manager's performance. The Office recognizes exceptional employee perfomance through pay increases (management personnel), a formal peer-nominated "Bravo!" awards program and the prestigious "Auditor General's Awards" that recognizes individual and group performance. The Office of the Auditor General hires an outside consultant to conduct confidential employee satisfaction and engagement surveys. (These surveys are held every 24 months).
Rating: B+Training & Skills Development
The Office of the Auditor General's training and skills development program is rated as very good. Employees receive tuition subsidies for courses related to their position. (The employer subsidizes up to 100% of tuition). In addition to tuition subsidies, the Office supports employees' career development through: subsidies for professional accreditations; in-house apprenticeship and skilled trades internships; in-house training programs; online training programs; formal mentoring program; career planning services; formal mangement training program; inter-governmental secondment program; and an extensive English and French language training program.
Rating: ACommunity Involvement
The Office of the Auditor General's community involvement program is rated as above-average. The OAG supports a variety of local and national charitable initiatives. Employees take part in the selection of charitable groups assisted each year. Employees also receive 1 paid day off to volunteer. As a public sector employer, the OAG participates in the Government of Canada's Workplace Charitable Campaign (GCWCC). Each year, the OAG provides one employee with the leadership opportunity to organize annual fundraising activities for the annual United Way campaign. In the past, fundraising activities have included the CN Tower stair climb, an "O-Bay" online auction and a bake sale. The OAG and its employees also support and participate in the Terry Fox Marathon, the CIBC Run for the Cure and the CNIB Crocus Sale.
As part of their overall sustainable development strategy, the Office's environmental committee (called the OAG Green Team) organizes regular events and information campaigns on the importance of minimizing the impact of office operations on the environment. To date, the OAG Green Team has successfully established a battery and toner recycling program, a new composting program, and a paper towel composting program. It is currently working on a project to develop secure bicycle parking for employees who ride to work.
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