Canada's Top Small & Medium Employers (2025) - Flipbook - Page 44
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CANADA'S TOP SMALL & MEDIUM EMPLOYERS (2025)
Johnston Group embraces its historic identity
H
aving moved to
Johnston Group six
months ago from a large
corporation, Alyssa
Bomek notices a huge difference
between working for a big company and working for a small or
medium sized enterprise (SME).
“JG is family-oriented; they care
and take pride in their employees
and want them to feel happy at
work,” says Bomek, a customer
service representative at the
Winnipeg-based employee benefits company. “It’s an environment
that makes me appreciate coming
to work.”
Bomek says she’s received a
high level of support since joining
Johnston Group, including intensive training, ongoing feedback,
positive reassurance and help
from management. “They want
you to succeed, and they show
you that with the support they
provide,” she says.
Her sentiments speak to a
value that lies at the core of the
organization’s culture: continually
striving to be a company that cares
about people.
“We’ve had lots of discussions
about who we are as a company
and how we articulate that,”
says president Dave Angus.
“Everything came back to one
word, and that was caring. It
shows in how we treat our employees and how employees treat
each other. This carries forward in
terms of how we treat our customers, and it flows over in terms of
how we support our community.”
Bomek points to a culture of
giving as another reason why
Johnston Group is an excellent
place to work. “This motivates
employees to participate in giving
back to the community,” she says.
An emphasis on community
involvement manifests itself
through a variety of initiatives,
including fundraising during the
annual United Way campaign,
volunteering with organizations
like Habitat for Humanity, and
participating in public events like
the Pride Parade.
This community connection
reflects how Johnston Group remains firmly grounded in its roots,
despite growing to a mediumsized 410 employees since its
founding in 1983.
“Oftentimes, when companies
grow, they separate themselves
from their founding story,”
says Angus. “We never lost that
with David Johnston, who’s still
active with the company today.”
Angus adds that Johnston had a
clear vision when he started the
company. “It wasn’t just about
making money — he really wanted to serve people better through
employee benefits and we haven’t
lost that.”
A focus on people informs
Johnston Group’s approach to
its own staff, too. To support
health and wellness, the company
provides employees with $2,500
for dedicated mental health
coverage. There’s also a popular
on-site fitness facility where
employees can participate in a
variety of classes, including yoga
and Zumba. Some employees
even teach classes and organize a
“wellness weekend” that features
focused discussions and group
fitness sessions.
An emphasis on promoting
work-life balance is expressed
through Johnston Group’s Work
Life Wonderful philosophy.
Recognizing that people tend to
value time above all else, Johnston
Group offers paid sabbaticals
for long-serving employees in
“EVERYBODY IS ON EQUAL FOOTING WITHIN OUR
ORGANIZATION.”
Employees at Johnston Group deliver Christmas Cheer hampers.
— Dave Angus, President
