Chosen as one of Canada's Top 100 Employers, Alberta's Top Employers and Financial Post's Ten Best Companies to Work For for 2010:
By Richard Yerema and Rachel Caballero, Mediacorp Canada Inc. staff editors (Nov 2, 2009)
Some of the reasons why Enbridge was selected as one of Canada's Top 100 Employers for 2010:
offers employees four separate health benefits plans, ranging from no coverage to complete coverage
as part of their flexible health benefits plan, employees can receive the cash equivalent of the health benefits they don't use
also helps employees save for retirement with a defined contribution pension plan and matching group RSP contributions
offers new employees three weeks of vacation to start, plus a dozen paid personal days off (depending on location)
Employer Background
Enbridge Inc. provides natural gas distribution, pipelines and energy-related services across North America.
Established in 1949, the publicly-traded company operates through two separate divisions. Through its pipelines division, the company operates the world's longest crude oil and liquids pipeline, delivering over two million barrels per day and serving customers in Canada and the United States. Enbridge also has major interests in the Alliance and Vector natural gas transmission systems that serve customers in British Columbia, Alberta and parts of the US Midwest. Through Enbridge Offshore Pipelines Systems, the company transports approximately half of the Gulf of Mexico offshore natural gas production to facilities on the mainland. And, through Houston, Texas-based Enbridge Energy Partners, L.P., the company gathers and processes natural gas in the US Gulf Coast and Mid-Continent regions, as well as owns and operates crude oil pipelines and terminals in the United States. Enbridge's gas distribution division operates Canada's largest gas utility, which has served Toronto-area customers for over 150 years. Today, the utility delivers gas to over 1.9 million customers in Ontario, Québec, New Brunswick and New York state.
Industry:Natural Gas Distribution. Stock Symbol: ENB-T. Established: 1949. Major Canadian Hiring Locations: Calgary AB, Edmonton AB, Toronto ON. Revenues: $16,100 million. Full-Time Employees in Canada: 3,981. Full-Time at this location: 519. Full-Time Worldwide: 6,025. Part-Time employees in Canada: 62. New jobs created in Canada last year: 236. Voluntary employee turnover last year: 7.4%. Longest serving employee: 43 years. Workforce engaged on a contract basis: 18%. Number of applications received at this location last year: 1,777. Percentage of employees who are women: 36%. Of managers: 26%. Average age of all employees: 40.
Rating: B+Physical Workplace
Enbridge's physical workplace is rated as very good. Across the company, Enbridge employees work in a variety of settings, from small field offices to the company's Calgary head office. The downtown head office occupies nine floors of a modern office tower that is connected to the city's enclosed walkway system, providing employees with convenient access to numerous restaurants, shops and services. The head office features an employee lounge (with television); coffee stations on every floor with free coffee, tea and filtered water; nap room; religious observance room; concierge services available; secure bicycle parking; shower facilities for bicycle commuters; nearby public transit; car pool sign-up system; and subsidized car parking. (Employees at the Toronto office enjoy free access to an onsite fitness facility that is open 24 hours each day, 7 days a week).
Rating: AWork Atmosphere & Communications
Enbridge's work atmosphere is rated as above-average. Employees enjoy an onsite concierge services; business casual dress; casual dress Fridays; can listen to music while working; employee sports teams; organized social events. The company-subsidized social committee has operated for over 30 years and organizes a variety of events throughout the year, including a summer family day, a Calgary Stampede breakfast and parade celebration, and a Christmas party (with a separate event for employees' children). Employee teams also participate in a number of charitable events every year, including the Calgary Corporate Challenge, the annual CIBC Run for the Cure, National Volunteer Week, MS Bike Tour and the United Way Day of Caring. Enbridge solicits feedback throughout the year and keeps employees up-to-date through a company newsletter; corporate intranet site; email suggestion box.
Rating: AFinancial Benefits & Compensation
Enbridge's financial benefits are rated as above-average. 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, Enbridge provides signing bonuses for some employees; new employee referral bonuses (to $3,000 for some positions); year-end bonuses for all employees; share-purchase plan for all employees; defined contribution pension plan with employer contribution (up to 9% of salary); matching RSP contributions (up to 2.5% of salary); life & disability insurance; retirement planning assistance.
Rating: AHealth & Family-Friendly Benefits
Enbridge's health and family benefits are rated as above-average. The company's health benefits plan is flexible, meaning that employees can tailor individual plans to their personal circumstances. As part of the flexible plan, employees may elect to receive unused coverage as a lump-sum (taxable) payment or transfer it to a healthcare spending account (tax free) to be used for medical expenses not covered by the plan. Employees can select from four levels of healthcare coverage, ranging from no coverage (great when your spouse has family coverage) to complete coverage (the company pays 95% of the premiums). Enbridge's health benefits plan is managed by Sun Life. As part of the health plan, the employer pays 95% of the premiums. The health plan is a flexible plan with adjustable premiums and coverage levels. Employees who work 14 hours per week receive coverage. There is no waiting period before coverage begins. 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 ($200 every 2 years); traditional medicine coverage; alternative medicine coverage; massage therapy; medical equipment and supplies; homecare; employee assistance (EAP) plan; travel insurance; healthclub subsidy ($350 each year). Enbridge's family-friendly benefits include; maternity top-up payments (to 100% of salary for 6 weeks); pre-arranged emergency short-term daycare. (The emergency daycare subsidy includes $50 per day for up to 5 days each year.) Additional family-friendly benefits include; compassionate top-up payment (to 100% of salary for 1 week) while caring for a family member; flexible working hours; telecommuting; shortened work week (fewer hours with less pay); compressed work week; earned days off (EDO) program.
Rating: B+Vacation & Personal Time-Off
Enbridge's vacation and personal time-off are rated as very good. 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 12 personal days off each year, as needed. Enbridge considers previous work experience when setting annual vacation for new employees. Employees can also apply for an unpaid leave of absence. (Depending on their location, employees can schedule one personal day off each month.).
Rating: B+Employee Engagement
Enbridge's employee engagement program is rated as very good. Employees receive individual performance reviews every 6 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. In recognition of exceptional work performance, Enbridge managers receive a pool of money to recognize exceptional individual performance. The funds are used for a variety of tailored rewards, including gift certificates, restaurant dinners, movie passes, theatre tickets and spa treatments (employee suggestions are welcome). Enbridge hires an outside consultant to conduct confidential employee satisfaction and engagement surveys. (These surveys are held every 12 months).
Rating: A+Training & Skills Development
Enbridge's training and skills development program is rated as exceptional. Employees receive tuition subsidies for courses related to their position. (The employer subsidizes up to 100% of tuition). Employees may also receive tuition subsidies for courses unrelated to their current position. (The employer subsidizes up to 100% of non-related tuition). Enbridge also provides subsidies for professional accreditations; in-house training programs; online training programs; formal mentoring program; career planning services; new employee orientation program; formal mangement training program; and an undergraduate mentoring with the University of Calgary. The company operates a state-of-the-art training facility (The Enbridge Learning Forum), which can easily accommodate over 200 employees for training classes. Enbridge also has an admirable Aboriginal employment policy that was developed in consultation with First Nations communities across Canada. As part of this initiative, the company operates special recruitment, internship and training programs that encourage Aboriginal Canadians to join and advance within the company. Enbridge employs an Aboriginal Relations Manager and two supporting Advisors who promote cultural awareness within the company and help ensure open communications with First Nations communities where the company operates. The company also works closely with community programs that help new Canadians find work related to their qualifications. Through this initiative, Enbridge is helping to provide meaningful employment to qualified individuals with credentials from foreign institutions.
Rating: A+Community Involvement
Enbridge's community involvement program is rated as exceptional. Enbridge actively supports a variety of local and national charitable initiatives. Employees take part in the selection of charitable groups assisted each year. Employees receive paid time off to volunteer with their favourite charitable organizations. Last year, employees donated over 9,500 hours volunteering with charitable projects. Approximately 419 charitable and community organizations were supported last year. Enbridge and its employees volunteer and provide support to numerous organizations every year, including Habitat for Humanity, Families in Transition, the Winter Warmth Fund, the Untied Way, and the Inuit and Dene Games, to name a few. The company invested $5.8 million to charitable and non-profit organizations across Canada, securing the prestigious designation as an "Imagine Canada Caring Company" for its contribution of one percent of its pre-tax Canadian profits. Enbridge also encourages its employees to volunteer in their communities through a generous employee volunteer program. Through this program, the company donates $500 to charitable organizations where employees volunteer at least 40 hours a year.
This Employer Review has been viewed 21,768 times.