Employers nominated by their employees for being good bosses were honoured at a breakfast celebration in Williams Lake on Friday, Feb. 22.
“It so great to have these examples and see all the good work that you are doing as employers in the community,” said Anne Burrill, who co-ordinated the Business at its Best initiative in collaboration with several other organizations.
Burrill is the project lead for Thrive: reducing poverty by creating opportunity in Williams Lake, and said employers provide jobs which are an important pathway out of poverty for people.
Read more: Project seeks input from people experiencing poverty in Williams Lake
“We know there are so many employers in our community that are doing great work.”
Beth Veenkamp, economic development officer for the City, said the city has been busy working on the labour market.
“As you may know we had some fires a few years ago, we had a huge disruption to our local life, our business community, and as a result we had an immediate need to start dealing with labour because everywhere we went there were labour shortages,” Veenkamp said, noting the labour shortage is a trend happening all over Canada that was forewarned of about 20 years ago.
Sharing her excitement about the Thrive project, Veenkamp said community growth is about bringing everyone along in that growth.
“It’s not just about certain sectors being able to be profitable and have good lives.”
Williams Lake and District Chamber of Commerce executive director Mark Doratti congratulated the nominees and said it is important to recognize the part that small business plays in maintaining the strength of a community.
“Like so many other communities, you truly are the back bone of Williams Lake,” Doratti said. “It speaks volumes when you are recognized through a nomination by your own employees. They obviously appreciate your efforts at providing them with a healthy and productive work place.”
The nominees were Horton Ventures, Tidy Nest, Cleanway Supply, Anderdam Contracting, Bulk Barn - Melissa, TRU Café - Sure Catering, Williams Lake and District Credit Union, Cariboo Chilcotin Development Centre, Axis Familiy Resource Centre, New Wave Pool and Spa, Williams Lake Indian Band, Blue Spoon Catering, Williams Lake Association for Community Living, Central Cariboo Arts and Culture Society, Q Tax, Chucks Auto, Tolko Industries Ltd., The Realm of Toys, Burger Shed, RE/MAX Williams Lake, Downtown Williams Lake, Boys and Girls Club of Williams Lake and District, Tsi Del Del Enterprises, Lake City Glass Ltd., Atwood Clinic doctors and Dr. James Rowse.
Burrill said several themes were repeated in the nominations such as flexibility, staff development, appreciation and respect, fairness, support of employee wellness, mentoring and strength-based, communication, staff engagement and wages and benefits.
There weren’t any prizes as it was not a contest, Burrill said.
“Things that really stood out were that people talked about being valued and recognized and felt they were treated well,” Burrill said. “Many people said they felt they were treated like family. The other thing that stood out was flexibility. It looked different in different organizations. Some had built in flex time and others had specific policies.”
Downtown Williams Lake executive director Stefanie Hendrickson commended the employers for creating a positive workplace.
“A large part of Williams Lake’s vibrant downtown is due to happy healthy employees,” Hendrickson said. “These are the people who are putting a face to your business. These are the people you’ve entrusted to retain your customers base and help to provide an experience in your business or non-profit and the importance of these people cannot be overlooked.
Hendrickson said proverty reduction is also in the best interest of business because the more disposable income people have the healthier a community’s economy will be.
“Business leaders should have a personal interest in seeing everyone prosper,” she added.
In Williams Lake, the most recent living wage was calculated at $15.44 an hour, based on two parents working full-time, with two children — one in school and one in daycare, she added.
“A living wage covers only the basics — so that’s food, shelter, childcare, utilities and transportation. Businesses that adopt a living wage are generally rewarded with increased employee productivity, decreased staff turnover and reduced hiring and training costs.”
Read more: Poverty coalition has high hopes for B.C. poverty reduction strategy
Business at its Best was a initiative in partnership with the Social Planning Council, Cariboo Chilcotin Partners for Literacy, the City of Williams Lake, Downtown Williams Lake, Community Futures, the Williams Lake and District Chamber of Commerce and WorkBC with project funding from the Vancouver Foundation.
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