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Listening to employees earns Concert Properties award

For the third year in a row, Concert Properties has been named a BC Top Employer.

The Top Employer program recognizes employers in British Columbia who are not only industry leaders, but who have also created exceptional workplace environments for their employees.

Receiving this recognition for a third year in a row validates the company’s efforts to foster a positive and inclusive workplace grounded in a willingness to listen to what employees need and want, and then delivering relevant programs and policies. These include a flexible hybrid work policy, fitness reimbursements and team building events, among many others. These efforts were supplemented by the implementation of a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion strategy that was launched in 2021 to make the company more inclusive of diversity. The work began with an audit and survey to listen to employees and better understand and uncover our biases and barriers to diversity, which were identified as:

  • Attraction, Recruitment and Selection 
  • Career Progression 
  • Workplace Culture 

To address these barriers, Concert implemented a revised Respectful Workplace policy and training, First Nations Reconciliation education, an Introduction to Pronouns, the recently launched Maturn program supporting new mothers, and mental health training.

Adam Fletcher, Director, Technology Infrastructure and Operations, IST, is a big fan of these education and training opportunities. He recently underwent Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training to help recognize and remove stigmas surrounding mental health, providing tools to better identify the signs and symptoms of a range of mental health conditions and then apply an action plan for support. “The training was incredibly valuable to me as a leader. Having the tools to identify when someone is in need of additional support, and a methodology for offering assistance, is essential to me as a leader.”

Aran Clarke, Senior Vice President, People Experience, is excited to see these training and education programs making an impact and hopes prospective employees will both reflect the communities we work in, be open to learning and be attuned to our values. “We’re a diverse organization and I’ve never been prescriptive about educational background or experience,” says Clarke. “We focus on finding the right people who are aligned with our core values and who care about doing the right thing – and for us, that starts by listening to employees.”

The criteria for judging applications, used by a panel of judges drawn from other progressive workplaces, was exhaustive. This included an evaluation of the company’s physical workplace, atmosphere and social environment; the health, financial, and family benefits and vacation and other paid time off; employee communication structures; performance management frameworks; opportunity for training and skills development; and community involvement.

To learn about why Concert Properties was selected for this award, see our winner’s overview page at the BC Top Employer website here.