The University of Toronto has been recognized as one of – the 13th consecutive year that the university has received the award in the national competition.
“At U of T we are committed to investing in our employees and the university to achieve excellence in all areas, and remain a world-class institution and top employer of choice,” said Kelly Hannah-Moffat, vice-president of human resources and equity.
“We continuously strive to improve employee experiences at U of T by fostering an inclusive work environment and a sense of belonging for our diverse workforce. I am very grateful to our employees for their efforts and their commitment to our institution’s mission.”
Managed by Mediacorp Canada Inc., the nation’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.
Some of the reasons for U of T’s selection in the 2020 competition include its support to families through generous parental leave provisions and multiple on-site daycare options, the new True Blue platform for peer-to-peer employee recognition, contributions to employees’ defined benefit pension plan, the institution’s commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion, and health benefits coverage that extends to retirees.
U of T is also building an intentionally inclusive work environment, investing in its diverse community and providing development opportunities to ensure all its members succeed. Each year, the Human Resources & Equity division strengthens supports for employees and prospective applicants, including the recent development of a set of hiring guidelines to ensure practical equity, diversity and inclusion questions are embedded in all recruitment processes.
In 2019, the was created to develop the university’s employees, via professional development tools and training, to transform the ways in which the U of T community perceives and engages with learning, leadership and culture. In addition to the centre, a new talent management unit was introduced to leverage the university’s excellence for the strategic recruitment of faculty, staff and librarians, create pipelines for hard-to-fill-positions and build talent pools of diverse and qualified candidates. The talent management unit ensures best practices inform the development and implementation of inclusive and evidence-based approaches to talent management across all three campuses.
“These competition results continue to underscore the University of Toronto’s position as an employer of choice,” said Erin Jackson, U of T’s chief human resources officer. “We place a high priority on delivering innovative and equitable employment practices that attract, recognize and retain the talented individuals who make U of T the best university in Canada.”
U of T employs more than 20,000 appointed and casual faculty and staff across its three campuses in the Greater Toronto Area.
