Yellow Pages Group Co.

Yellow Pages' physical workplace is rated as above-average. Yellow Pages' suburban head office building offers great views of the St. Lawrence River and downtown Montréal, which is only a five minute drive away. Prior to moving to the current location, employee focus groups were established to provide feedback about the new head office location. Inside, the head office features an onsite fitness facility (with free memberships, stationary bikes, organized walking groups, shower facilities, instructor-led fitness classes such as spinning); employee lounge (with comfortable seating); onsite cafeteria (marche-style with healthy menu items and special diet menus); self-serve kitchen areas on every floor; outdoor eating area; discounted coffee and tea (with funds directed to the employee social committee); secure bicycle parking; transit subsidies; free parking; rest areas; meeting areas with comfortable seating; new car pool sign-up system.

Yellow Pages' work atmosphere is rated as above-average. On the job, Yellow Pages' employees enjoy business casual dress; casual dress Fridays; can listen to music while working; employee sports teams; organized social events. The social committee organizes a number of fun events every year, including an employee Christmas party, a separate Christmas party for employees' children and a variety of sporting events such as hockey, skiing, baseball and golf games. Yellow Pages keeps employees informed about new company developments and captures feedback through a company newsletter; corporate intranet site; email suggestion box.

Yellow Pages' 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. Yellow Pages also provides new employee referral bonuses (to $1,000 for some positions); year-end bonuses for all employees; share-purchase plan for all employees; defined contribution pension plan with employer contribution (up to 5% of salary); life & disability insurance; discounted auto lease rates.

Yellow Pages' health and family benefits are rated as very good. Yellow Pages' health benefits plan is managed by Manulife Financial and Axa. 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 15 hours per week receive coverage. There is no waiting period before coverage begins. The basic plan includes routine dental; restorative dental; eyecare ($150 every 2 years); traditional medicine coverage; alternative medicine coverage; massage therapy; medical equipment and supplies; homecare; employee assistance (EAP) plan; travel insurance. As part of the flexible plan, employees can apply their unused health credits to health services not covered by the plan or convert them to cash and invest in their personal RSP. The company pays 30% of the premiums to cover employees' family members. The health plan also extends to retirees, depending upon each employee's age and length of service. Yellow Pages' family-friendly benefits include; maternity top-up payments (to 66% of salary for 15 weeks); onsite daycare centre; with 80 spaces; 16 childcare workers; and a 9 month waiting list for available spaces. For all new mothers the company provides a 100% maternity top-up payment for the first two weeks of their leave. YPG also provides parental leave top payments for new fathers and adoptive parents. Additional family-friendly benefits include: daycare centre next door; flexible working hours; telecommuting; shortened work week (fewer hours with less pay); reduced summer hours program; compressed work week.

Yellow Pages' 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 5 years on the job. Long-serving employees receive a maximum of 7 weeks of vacation each year. Employees can schedule 1 personal day off each year, as needed. Employees can also apply for an unpaid leave of absence.

Yellow Pages' 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. Yellow Pages recognizes exceptional performance with weekend spa getaways, box seats at major sporting and entertainment events and company-paid vacations. Yellow Pages sponsors its own in-house employee satisfaction survey. (Surveys are conducted every 12 months).

Yellow Pages' 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 $1,000 in subsidies). Employees may also receive tuition subsidies for courses unrelated to their current position. (The employer provides up to $1,000 in tuition subsidies for non-related courses). Yellow Pages also provides subsidies for professional accreditations; in-house training programs; online training programs; online employee skills inventory; formal mentoring program; career planning services; new employee orientation program; formal mangement training program.

Yellow Pages' community involvement program is rated as above-average. Yellow Pages 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. Every two years, the company surveys employees to determine the "National Charity of Choice" -- who have selected the Canadian Cancer Society. Through this initiative, all employee donations to the Society are matched by the company. Recognizing the company's print publications have an environmental impact, Yellow Pages Group has also developed extensive recycling, education and supporting communications programs to help ensure that the company's directories are completely recycled.