Canada's Top 100 Employers (2025) Magazine - Flipbook - Page 49
49
( 2025 ) SPONSOR CONTENT
PCL Construction builds success through shared values
W
hen Kim Heit
stepped onto her first
construction site as
a co-op student with
Edmonton-based PCL Construction
25 years ago, it would have been easy
to be intimidated by the scale and
heavy-duty machinery. Looking back,
however, her biggest take-away from
that time is the incredible team.
“It was the people that captured me very quickly,” says the
construction manager. “They were so
excited to share their knowledge and
experiences and let you be a part of
the team.”
That sense of inclusion is the
same feeling that Harmony Carter,
vice-president of people and culture,
experienced when she started as a
co-op student 23 years ago.
“Being a mom, there are
maternity leaves, kids might
get sick. PCL gave me the
opportunity to merge my
personal values and needs
with my career needs.”
— Kim Heit
Construction Manager
“Every single employee, no matter
how senior, was willing to offer me
support or take the time to talk. It
felt so different from my other co-op
placements,” recalls Carter.
“Everyone is so passionate about
what PCL does and their role that
they will always give the time and
have the willingness to share.”
While Heit was first taken by the
welcoming culture at PCL, the alignment with her personal values was
instrumental to her longevity with
pcl.com/careers
one of Canada’s largest contracting
companies.
Whether it’s through volunteering with United Way and the local
food bank or sitting on the diversity,
equity and inclusion committee,
Heit feels fortunate to have found a
company that so closely matches her
own ideals.
“I knew very early on in my career
what I wanted, the kind of the people
I wanted to be with and the culture
I wanted to be surrounded by,” Heit
says. “PCL is very vocal about their
core values, what they stand for and
what they believe in.”
Being crystal clear about its
values – including honesty, respect
and integrity for team members and
clients – has only helped to bolster
the company’s success.
“It serves us well in every situation
to determine whether someone
shares our values,” Carter explains.
“It creates an environment for them
to thrive.”
Being fully employee-owned,
investing in employee leadership,
and ongoing professional training
are other key ways PCL ensures
employees like Heit can reach their
full potential.
From the time she was a young
swimming instructor, leadership became a lifelong personal interest for
Heit, who is actively enrolled in one
of PCL's high potential development
programs.
“They put a high level of
involvement into making sure that
we're growing and mentoring and
that those opportunities are open to
everyone,” she says.
The result, adds Carter, is a skilled,
passionate team empowered to do
the best for both their own careers
PCL Construction supports its employees by investing in leadership
and other development programs.
and others.
“Part of the employee ownership
model is that we all bring our best
selves to work,” she says. “That
includes being our authentic selves
and being able to be open and
honest.”
Those guiding principles are
also part of what helped steer Heit’s
career growth over the last two-anda-half decades, and something the
mother of three is grateful for.
“Being a mom, there are maternity
leaves, kids might get sick. PCL gave
me the opportunity to merge my
personal values and needs with my
2%
of billings donated each year
career needs,” she says.
Through open conversations with
her teams, Heit was able to have the
family and career satisfaction she
wanted without feeling like she was
letting go of something.
“I’m still encouraged to continue
to grow in my career, but I don't feel
like there's a pressure to sacrifice,
which wouldn’t align with my
values,” she says.
“My career growth has been
different from the counterparts that
I started with 25 years ago,” says Heit.
“But that was a choice that I made
and my company supported.” ¢
18%
of salaried employees were
previous students at PCL
