Greater Toronto's Top Employers (2025) Magazine - Flipbook - Page 124
124
( 2025 )
SPONSOR CONTENT
A modern mindset and new spaces help OMA stay current
B
efore Garen Aronian
joined the Torontobased Ontario Medical
Association (OMA) in
2022 as a specialist in practice
management and education, he
had worked with family doctors in
community clinics in Toronto and
Ottawa. “I saw tough problems in
the clinics that I realized weren’t
local problems, they were system-wide problems,” he says, “and
I wanted to find a place where I
could help create change.”
Aronian found that place at the
OMA, which advocates for the
well-being of Ontario physicians
and the health of Ontarians. Now
manager of business and market
development, strategic affairs, he
knew from the first interview with
what would become his leadership
team that he wanted to work there.
“I could tell that they include their
people in decision-making, which
was important to me,” he says.
In fact, employees drove the
decision to reimagine head office
workspaces, and their work
schedules, in more flexible ways.
In mid-November, they returned
two days a week to a renovated
office with more collaborative
meeting spaces. In addition to
open concept areas, there are also
rooms where people can meet
privately and wellness rooms
where they can take breaks.
“We did a lot of research because we wanted to make sure this
model worked for the bulk of our
workforce,” says CEO Kimberly
Moran. “We’re on a leading edge
with this new space, where we
can prioritize accessibility and
well-being at the same time. We
hope we’ve gotten most things
right, but we’ll pivot if we need to.”
Aronian and his wife have a toddler, so while he enjoys his time at
the office, he also appreciates the
flexible schedule, which includes
early or late starts. “My children
are grown, but I remember
juggling toddlers, and it was very
hard when I was in an office five
days a week,” says Moran. “A
flexible schedule is easier for our
employees with young families
and eldercare responsibilities,
and they’re more productive as a
result.”
Support comes in many forms,
including finding other ways
to retain and attract top talent.
Aronian has benefited from
internal training and learning
programs and external courses.
His first manager encouraged
him to set career-path goals, then
helped him achieve them.
“We’re always learning
and trying to do better for
the physicians in Ontario
because their needs keep
changing, as do our
employees’ needs.”
— Kimberly Moran
Chief Executive Officer
Employees at the OMA are involved in discussions about key changes, such as shaping the structure of the
return to office.
“She created a lot of room for
me to choose new projects, try
things and to sometimes fail,
which is an important way to
learn,” he says. “When I left for a
new role at the OMA, she said, ‘It’s
going to hurt me to lose you, but
I encourage you to go.’ All of the
senior leaders are encouraging in
that way – it’s in the culture.”
Moran agrees – and adds that
everyone in the organization
must evolve, including her. “We’re
always learning and trying to
