Named #5 on Canada’s Top 50 Best Workplaces 2021, Admiral Insurance gives back to the people that put it there – its employees

By Ashlee Starratt

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When does a job become something more meaningful? When its roots are a community built around people whose diverse experiences and talents bring out the best in one another in service to its clients.

And that’s exactly where Admiral Insurance has shone once again, ranking 5th on the list of Canada’s Top 50 Best Workplaces 2021, announced on Tuesday, April 13.

“It’s an amazing and humbling result which speaks volumes of the strong dynamic we have throughout the whole of our organization,” says Halifax Site GM Bec Cable-Munroe. “The award is not because of any one individual but, rather, the power of our collective efforts and I’m incredibly proud of our people for that.”

Strength in satisfaction

Consistently maintaining its status as Great Place To Work (GPTW)-certified by the Global Authority on Workplace Culture, Admiral Insurance credits its employees in helping it stand out among the ranks of top-tier organizations across the country when it comes to workplace satisfaction.

“The benefits of being certified are wide-reaching,” says Admiral Communication Coordinator Kyle Davis. “It demonstrates to existing staff that they work for a nationally recognized organization; it shows future employees they’re about to join an award-winning team, and it allows your brand to grow legs and reach an audience that may not have otherwise heard of you. Most importantly, it’s a gratifying reminder that your company’s values are aligned with your team’s and you have the buy-in of your biggest asset – your employees.”

Earning GPTW certification is a twofold process where an employee satisfaction survey completed by all staff is coupled with a ‘cultural audit’ to assess workplace culture and company stance across a spectrum of Trust Index criteria.

Since last year, Admiral Insurance is proud to have excelled in achieving designation across GPTW Trust Index sub-categories for 2020/21 that included:

2021 Best Workplaces™ for Women

2020 Best Workplaces™ in Canada – 1000+ employees

2020 Best Workplaces™ for Women

2020 Best Workplaces™ for Inclusion

2020 Best Workplaces™ for Mental Wellness

2020 Best Workplaces™ for Giving Back

2020 Best Workplaces™ in Financial Services & Insurance

2020 Best Workplaces™ for Today’s Youth

And with a minimum 80 per cent survey response rate required to qualify, it’s no wonder that Admiral Insurance ranked 11th on Canada’s Top 50 Best Workplaces for 2020.

So, what does Admiral do differently?

“Compiling the [GPTW certification] cultural audit was an eye-opening experience,” says Admiral Insurance Communication Coordinator Kyle Davis. “It forces you to step back and take stock of the full scope of the things we do as an organization and the lengths we go to in showing the immense appreciation we have for our workforce. Things like delivering thank you gifts directly to our employees’ doors during the first wave of the pandemic; launching an extensive diversity and inclusion committee to promote and celebrate our differences; providing a $500 personal spending account; offering interest free loans to celebrate life milestones – there’s a dizzying number of initiatives we engage in which cement Admiral as a truly unique employer in our industry.”

A little love goes a long way

In the lead-up to Tuesday’s Top 50 Best Workplaces announcement, Admiral has been showering its employees with a little extra love, with daily prize draws and giveaways for staff since April 6!

From multiple draws for $75 towards a virtual or in-person ‘Take A Colleague To Lunch’ date, extra vacation days, and $100 and $500 Visa gift card vouchers, it’s all been to say thanks to Admiral’s dedicated staff for bringing the soul to an organization with heart.

The gratitude extended to Admiral’s work-from-home employees too – a demographic which makes up ¾ of all staff, as the COVID-19 pandemic challenged the company to adapt quickly to a new way of life while striving to maintain a thriving workplace culture.

“[It’s been] teamwork at every level,” says Admiral Halifax Site GM Bec Cable-Munroe. “The challenges that we’ve faced as a province as a result of the pandemic and other difficult times, along with some personal losses that have directly affected our Admiral family, has really re-enforced how important people are to us. That sense of family, including our work colleagues, has become even more of a focus as we navigated through times of uncertainty together. Everyone is looking out for each other, checking in to see how they’re doing and being there for their team.  Simple acts of kindness are more engrained now than ever before.”

That’s why, on April 14, Admiral surprised 401 members of staff with curated gift boxes jam-packed with locally-sourced products hand-packed by a small team of dedicated company employees led by Yvonne Kaiser and Janine Benoit. All boxes were hand-delivered from Middle Sackville to Ketch Harbour through a system the ladies have down pat.

In a gesture of appreciation, each celebration box included a Middle Spoon Signature Admiral Cocktail of vodka, fresh lemon juice and berry syrup and Signature Admiral Wine Glass from Jym Lime Glassware, along with a bottle of Viveau Sparkling Mineral Water, a luscious box of treats from Peace by Chocolate, and mini charcuterie boards from Scanways.

Believing every small effort can add up to greatness, Admiral’s commitment to its customers is to building the best workplace environment for the team that serves them.

“Every individual should feel valued and appreciated for how they treat our customers, how they support their team and what they do for our business,” states Admiral Halifax Site GM Bec Cable-Munroe. “Each person is just as important as the next and there is a clear expectation for all leaders to ensure that a strong culture of staff appreciation is what they emulate each and every day.

This commitment and mutual respect are what makes everyone feel like they’re an equal and important part of a great team, achieving great things together.”

Sound like the place for you? We thought so!

Admiral Insurance is currently hiring for their Customer Loyalty Department with a start date of May 10, with more vacancies to follow in their New Business Department! Apply online now at https://joinadmiral.ca/vacancies/.

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