Manitoba's Top Employers (2025) - Flipbook - Page 30
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MANITOBA’S TOP EMPLOYERS (2025)
Johnston Group invests in employees and the community
aime Chinchilla’s role as
the first full-time diversity,
equity and inclusion (DEI)
advisor at Johnston Group is
a testament to the Winnipegbased employee benefit company’s
focus on fostering an inclusive
workplace.
“The company made a commitment to become even more
inclusive by dedicating a full-time
resource to diversity and inclusion,” says Chinchilla. “Before,
there was a DEI committee, but
by bringing me in they were
formalizing that effort.”
Since assuming the company’s
inaugural DEI position, Chinchilla
has helped establish a new
governance system that incorporates employee resource groups.
This ensures staff have input into
how the company recognizes
various aspects of diversity.
The company has also opened
channels of communication for
employees to raise concerns or
lodge any complaints related to
discrimination or perceived microaggressions in the workplace.
“We’re proud of the fact that
we’ve had this channel for three
years,” says Chinchilla.
Other DEI initiatives include
safe spaces for employees to
discuss issues that matter to
them, celebrations of different
cultures, and promoting cultural
understanding, according to
chief operating officer Jennifer
Bjarnarson. She points to events
such as Diwali celebrations, and
lunchtime presentations on truth
and reconciliation.
“We have a very inclusive,
collaborative and communityoriented culture.”
Caring and support for others
is a cornerstone of Johnston
Group’s culture, she says, and this
manifests in a variety of different
ways. There’s a mentorship program, and most senior managers
have at least one mentee. There’s
also a strong focus on supporting women – Bjarnarson notes
that she and the company’s vice
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Employees at Johnston Group deliver Christmas Cheer hampers.
president of human resources
are leading the charge to make
Johnston Group an employer of
choice for women. To that end, in
2025 Johnston Group is introducing two additional paid leave days
for female employees, meant to
provide flexibility in managing
women’s health issues.
We have a very inclusive,
collaborative and
community-oriented
culture.
— Jennifer Bjarnarson
Chief Operating Officer
Johnston Group’s impact is also
felt beyond the workplace. The
company is making a difference in
the wider community thanks to a
deeply ingrained culture of giving
back, says Bjarnarson.
“We support over a hundred
organizations within the community,” she says. One example
of the company’s generosity is its
week-long United Way campaign,
during which Johnston Group
matches donations up to a certain
amount. Bjarnarson notes that this
spirit of giving extends beyond
monetary donations.
Employees volunteer with
many community organizations
and participate in community
events such as the Pride Parade,
where the company has a float.
Some staff take part in the float,
some volunteer at the parade, and
others show up to support and
cheer on their co-workers.
The feeling of community is
pervasive, says Bjarnarson. “Even
