Greater Toronto's Top Employers (2025) Magazine - Flipbook - Page 96
96
( 2025 )
SPONSOR CONTENT
The LCBO supports success for every team member
A
s acting operations
manager at the Whitby,
Ont. warehouse of
the Liquor Control
Board of Ontario (LCBO), Daniel
Strange-Dedier has a range
of responsibilities – including
showing up at 4 a.m. on a Friday to
help organize a barbecue for the
night-shift team. He doesn’t mind
the early hour, though. “We have
fun at work because there’s such a
strong sense of community – these
are all my friends,” he says.
Headquartered in Toronto, the
LCBO is a provincial government
agency and a responsible retailer
and wholesaler of wine, beer
and spirits in Ontario. When
Strange-Dedier joined in 2023,
he started as an operations
supervisor before being offered a
secondment as acting operations
manager.
“I’m a very eager person, and I
was happy to take on more work
and responsibility, starting slowly
by covering other people’s holidays,” says Strange-Dedier. “I’ve
always received full support from
my senior management team and
I continue to learn from them.”
There’s a strong emphasis on
learning right across the organization. “The ability to grow at all
levels is an important pillar here,”
says Lori-Ann Romano, regional
director. “The LCBO encourages
team members to do more of what
they’re interested in as individuals,
and we’ll support their paths.”
“We win as one team” is a corporate value – and that’s evident
from the top down. “It’s really
about the success of the full team
and the support that’s offered
to our people both inside and
outside of work,” says Romano.
Building inviting, welcoming
spaces and highlighting professional and personal milestones
and accomplishments are integral
to people feeling supported,
appreciated and safe at work.
In fact, safety and wellness are
top priorities of LCBO’s People
Strategy. Warehouses hold
LCBO prioritizes the safety of its employees, ensuring they are well-trained and protected while at work.
regular safety talks to keep people
informed, and there are LCBOwide campaigns throughout the
year focused on whole-person
health topics, ranging from mental
health, nutrition, safe lifting and
financial wellness.
“The ability to grow at
all levels is an important
pillar here.”
— Lori-Ann Romano
Regional Director
Embracing diversity, equity and
inclusion is also part of LCBO’s
People Strategy, since employees
hail from around the world and
reflect the diversity of Ontario. On
the menu at that 4 a.m. barbecue:
burgers, with vegan, vegetarian
and halal options.
Strange-Dedier, who is of
Caribbean descent, recognizes
the importance of inclusion in the
workplace and is a Good Culture
Ambassador, a voluntary network
of employees who are passionate
about building an inclusive
culture and fostering a sense of
belonging. “My team knows I’ll listen to them, and I’ll fulfil my duty
to them, which is how you build
trust, and that makes everything
a lot easier,” he says. “The open
door policy helps us have these
important conversations, build
relationships and create that sense
of community.”
Another way Strange-Dedier
has connected with colleagues was
by taking part in an LCBO volunteer tree-planting event in Whitby
in partnership with Tree Canada.
