Canada's Top Small & Medium Employers (2025) - Flipbook - Page 80
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CANADA'S TOP SMALL & MEDIUM EMPLOYERS (2025)
If it’s working for staff, it’s working for Willson
I
n 2019, the leadership team
at Mississauga, Ont.-based
Willson International
Limited initiated a “culture
renovation,” using employee
feedback to determine the cultural
values most important at the
customs brokerage and logistics
services company.
Then the pandemic hit, and
Willson became — and remains
— a remote-first organization.
“Right from the get-go, we were
asking employees in town halls,
in surveys, ‘Do you like working
from home?’” says Danya Gerrard,
director of people and culture.
“We consistently heard ‘yes,’ and
as an organization we’re able to
accomplish that. If it’s working for
our staff, it’s working for us.”
Gerrard started as an administrator at Willson right out of
school almost 10 years ago and
worked her way up to leading the
human resources team. “Being
remote-first, we still want to have
that same culture but a different
dynamic,” she says. “As an organization, the title changes within
the HR team reflect our focus
on improving company culture,
and being forward-thinking and
strategic, while still addressing the
day-to-day.”
To that end, some recent changes include increased vacation time
for new employees, home internet
reimbursement, a compassionate
care top-up, increased maternity
and paternity leave top-ups, and
referral bonuses. Communication
from the leadership team has also
increased — thanks to feedback
from employees who requested it.
“We’re constantly trying to act
on the feedback we receive from
our staff, and then implementing
initiatives or making process
changes,” says Gerrard. “We’re not
just doing what we think is best.”
For import analyst Rhonda
Smith, easy, regular communication and access to co-workers at
every level has been a part of her
success and movement through
the organization over the past 15
years.
“They just want everyone to
succeed,” says Smith. “That’s why
they’re adamant about our team
meetings and our town halls,
making sure everyone is okay
and everyone knows what they’re
doing. They won’t let you fail at
your job; they have so many ways
that they can help us.”
Because employees are working
remotely and in different cities,
the company provides many
ways of being together — from
twice-yearly fun days between
offices to an in-house communication platform called Glip
and a Facebook-type platform.
Milestones are recognized with
lunches, and benefits, Smith says,
are great.
And, she adds, work-life balance
is valued. “They want to make sure
you’re doing well at work and well
at home,” Smith says. “They give
you lots of good reasons to stay,
beyond just the job.”
Taking care of employees,
“WE’RE CONSTANTLY TRYING TO ACT ON THE FEEDBACK
WE RECEIVE FROM OUR STAFF.”
— Danya Gerrard, Director of People and Culture
Since employees at Willson International work remotely, the company organizes many in-person events and
activities throughout the year.
