Do you have an employer that is innovative or supports you in creative ways?
If so, Anne Burrill project lead for Thrive Community Poverty Reduction Business at its Best wants to hear from you.
“We want to recognize and encourage employers that are providing good jobs in the community for people,” Burrill said. “We are asking the community to nominate employers they know of or their own employers that are providing a good work place and a good job — maybe it’s about the flexibility they have.”
Burrill gave some examples of employers she’s heard about who balance the needs of their business with the needs of their employees.
“Maybe they provide benefits that aren’t typical,” she said. “In another community I heard about a business owner who collects airmiles and then raffles off a trip to the employees. Or it can be something as simple as an employer paying higher than minimum wage even though they don’t have to.”
The nominations can be made by filling out an online survey, which takes about three minutes to complete.
“We hope this process will encourage other employers to get some good ideas,” she added. “We have received 18 nominations so far and we are wanting to encourage the community if there are any other employers they want to nominate.”
The surveys will close before Christmas and the employers will be recognized in the new year.
Business at its Best is a partnership with Community Futures, the City of Williams Lake, Williams Lake and District Chamber of Commerce, Horton Ventures Inc. Work BC and Downtown Williams Lake.
On Feb. 26, 2019, Thrive will also be hosting an event titled What Works: Developing Employment Solutions.
Burrill said the event will focus on how to help employers find solutions to solving employee shortages and helping prospective employees who may have barriers to obtaining a job.
“We will look at how to bridge that gap between the employers and the employment seekers. We will have a keynote speaker and a panel discussion to share successes and have a planning session.”
Thrive is also doing a poverty initiative and began gathering input from people living in poverty through a survey in mid-October.
Read more: Project seeks input from people experiencing poverty in Williams Lake area
Burrill has also conducted some one-on-one interviews and recently co-ordinated a one-day workshop aimed at finding solutions for poverty.
She said the 60 participants at the workshop discussed housing, transportation, financial literacy, education, early childhood education, health, income and employment and food security.
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