Loblaw Companies Limited

Loblaw's physical workplace is rated as exceptional. Loblaw's modern suburban head office consists of two building modules that are connected by five-storey glass atrium that serves as a gathering place for informal gatherings. Outside, the head office even has an extensive herb garden that supplies the state-of-the-art President's Choice Insider's Test Kitchen, where new food products are created year-round. In addition to the test kitchen, the building features an onsite fitness facility (with subsidized memberships to an onsite GoodLife fitness centre that features co-ed and women-only areas, treadmills, stationary bikes, starirmasters, rowing machines, wieghts, instructor-led classes, personal trainer services, sauna, shower facilities); outdoor beach volleyball court, basketball court and a skating rink in the winter months; medical centre; employee lounge (with comfortable seating and television); temporary "touch down" workstations for visiting employees; television production studio (for the creation of internal broadcasts); dry cleaning kiosk; PC banking ATM; convenience store; prescription pick-up service; video rental machine ($1.99 movies); religious observance room; concierge services available; onsite cafeteria (with subsidized, special diet and healthy menu items, including President's Choice Blue Menu items); latte bar; outdoor patio with barbeque; discounts at nearby restaurants; secure bicycle parking; free parking; car pool sign-up system.

Loblaw's work atmosphere is rated as exceptional. On-the-job employees enjoy business casual dress; casual dress Fridays; employee sports teams; organized social events. During the year, and across the company, employees gather for a variety of fun social events, including holiday parties during the Christmas season, a large children's Christmas party in Toronto (with 2,500 guests and 900 children) with activities and even a visit from Santa, summer barbeque to celebrate Canada Day, and new product launch events where employees get to sample and preview new creations from the President's kitchen. With thousands of employees working nationwide in a variety of settings (e.g. stores, distribution centres and traditional offices), Loblaw makes special efforts to keep everyone in the loop. Loblaw publishes a bi-monthly newsletter and hosts regular town hall-style meetings, in addition to managing an in-house production studio and business television network (accessed by all locations via satellite). Employees are also invited to email any questions directly to the Chairman, using the "Ask Galen" link on the company intranet (emails are answered by him in about one week). The company also keeps employees up-to-date and gathers feedback through a company newsletter; corporate intranet site; email suggestion box.

Loblaw'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 ensuring its pay levels are competitive, the company also offers new employee referral bonuses (to $2,000 for some positions); year-end bonuses for all employees; share-purchase plan for all employees; defined contribution pension plan with employer contribution (up to 2% of salary); matching RSP contributions; life & disability insurance; profit-sharing plan for management personnel; low-interest home loans; discounts (to 40%) at restaurants, stores and services across Canada.

Loblaw's health and family benefits are rated as very good. Loblaw's health benefits plan is managed by Blue Cross. As part of the health plan, the employer pays 80% of the premiums. The waiting period for new employees is 30 days. Employees receive full family coverage on the health benefits plan. The basic plan includes routine dental; restorative dental; orthodontics; eyecare ($150 every 2 years); traditional medicine coverage; alternative medicine coverage; massage therapy; medical equipment and supplies; homecare; employee assistance (EAP) plan; travel insurance. Loblaw's family-friendly benefits include; maternity top-up payments (to 75% of salary for 17 weeks); parental leave top-up for new fathers (to 75% of salary for 10 weeks); parental leave top-up for adoptive parents (to 75% of salary for 10 weeks). Additional family-friendly benefits include; post-secondary academic scholarships to children of employees; flexible working hours; telecommuting; reduced summer hours program; compressed work week.

Loblaw's vacation and personal time-off are rated as below-average. New employees receive 2 weeks of vacation allowance after their first year. Vacation increases after 5 years on the job. Long-serving employees receive a maximum of 7 weeks of vacation each year. Employees receive 4 paid sick days every year. Loblaw considers previous work experience when setting annual vacation for new employees. Employees can also apply for an unpaid leave of absence. (Depending on the position, some new employees start at 3 weeks paid vacation).

Loblaw'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. Loblaw rewards exceptional job performance with cash bonuses, additional paid days off and through public recognition awards. Loblaw sponsors its own in-house employee satisfaction survey. (Surveys are conducted every 6 months); Loblaw hires an outside consultant to conduct confidential employee satisfaction and engagement surveys. (These surveys are held every 6 months).

Loblaw's training and skills development program is rated as above-average. Employees receive tuition subsidies for courses related to their position. (The employer provides up to $1,200 in subsidies). Employees may also receive tuition subsidies for courses unrelated to their current position. (The employer provides up to $1,200 in tuition subsidies for non-related courses). In addition to tuition subsidies, Loblaw supports employee career development with subsidies for professional accreditations; in-house training programs; online training programs; online employee skills inventory; formal mentoring program; career planning services; financial bonuses for certain course completions (to $1,300). To recruit new graduates, Loblaw offers a unqiue "Grad @ Loblaw" new employee development program. Through this program, new grads are hired with full pay and benefits from the start and can go in to streams such as store management, supply chain, merchandising, marketing, finance, IT and human resources. With nearly 100 new graduates hired each year, the enlightened program is truly unique from traditional unpaid internship programs .

Loblaw's community involvement program is rated as exceptional. Loblaw supports a variety of local and national charitable and community initiatives. Employees take part in the selection of charitable groups assisted each year. In 2008, Loblaw raised more than $9.5 million for families with disabled children through the President's Choice Children's Charity, which is also one of the country's largest corporate charities. To ensure that every cent of money donated goes directly to charity recipients, Loblaw covers all of the charity's administrative and operational costs in their entirety. In addition, the company has donated over $800,000 to local community agencies through their "Store Community Investment" program and recently partnered with Food Banks Canada, becoming one of the first national grocers to participate in a food drive campaign at the national level. Loblaw also encourages its employees to volunteer in their communities by providing a $500 donation to those initiatives where employees volunteer for more than 40 hours per year.