Blakes is pleased to announce that we have once again been named one of Greater Toronto’s Top Employers by Mediacorp Canada Inc. This is the 12th time we have received this recognition, more than any other law firm (we previously won from 2007 to 2012 and again from 2015 to 2020).
The Greater Toronto’s Top Employers award was presented to winners at a special luncheon at the Four Seasons Hotel in Toronto on Friday, December 6. The winners are also featured in a special magazine published in The Globe and Mail and at canadastop100.com/toronto.
“At Blakes, we are committed to attracting and retaining people so that we can provide exceptional client service,” said Mary Jackson, “We recognize that our success is in great part thanks to our people and that we have a responsibility to invest in their well-being and link individuals with resources that might help with whatever challenges they are facing.”
Managed by Mediacorp Canada Inc., Canada’s largest publisher of employment periodicals, the competition grades employers on criteria that range from health, financial and family benefits to training, skills development and community involvement.
Year after year, the Greater Toronto’s Top Employers award winners boast the most progressive human-resources policies and initiatives and attract and retain the most talented applicants in the GTA.
Some of the reasons that Blakes won in the 2020 competition include the Firm’s support to employees and their families through parental leave policies, on-site daycare options, contributions to employees’ defined benefit pension plan, commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion, and generous health benefits coverage.
Since Blakes last won this award, we have continued to develop relevant programming and initiatives. Most recently, Blakes partnered with Morneau Shepell to strengthen mental-health resources for employees and their families. The Firm continuously assesses whether further resources need to be committed to mental health and makes online and in-person training available to everyone, in addition to occasional on-site counselling services. Plus, the Firm’s health plan coverage was raised from C$600 annually for counselling, to C$3,000, a five-fold increase in mental-health treatment benefits.
"The Greater Toronto Area continues to be the most competitive employment market in the country," adds Kristina Leung, Senior Editor of the Canada's Top 100 Employers project at Mediacorp. "The rapid growth in technology employers has created opportunities across a wide range of occupations, from healthcare to education and manufacturing. The region's strong economy draws tens of thousands of new residents each year – local employers are working overtime to attract the best and brightest to their organizations and you can see their efforts in this year's list of winners."
Now in its 13th year, the award recognizes employers based on the following Reasons for Selection: (1) physical workplace; (2) work and social atmosphere; (3) health, financial and family benefits; (4) vacation and time off; (5) employee communications; (6) performance management; (7) training and skills development; and (8) community involvement. Employers are compared to other organizations in their field to determine which offers the most progressive and forward-thinking programs.
