Manulife employees attending a transgender flag raising hosted by 'PROUD', one of its 14 employee resource groups.Supplied
Olivia Heins had an early introduction to Manulife Canada – as a Grade 9 student on a Take Our Kids to Work Day. Summer student positions followed throughout her university years, leading to her first full-time job in treasury operations after graduation.
“I had a family member at Manulife, so I heard lots of good things first-hand about working at the company,” says Heins, 27, currently a transformation portfolio oversight and reporting senior specialist. “What impressed me, even as a student, was the positive, upbeat culture, as well as the educational opportunities with lots of room to grow and build our skill set – such as free access to LinkedIn Learning and sponsorships for certification.
“I’ve also had great managers who will advocate for you if you’re interested in trying something new. There’s often room to dip your toe in or shadow people, even if it’s not exactly in your job mandate. I’m always raising my hand for new projects and opportunities.”
Heins is a keen advocate for the company’s 14 employee resource groups (ERGs), and the co-chair of GenerationNEXT, which aims to bridge the gap between generations in the workplace. Manulife’s ERGs are very active with multiple events. In one week alone last fall, Heins attended the transgender flag raising hosted by PROUD (which aims to promote an inclusive workplace for LGTBQ+ employees) in the Toronto office, as well as a year-end celebration by the ‘Global Women’s Alliance.’
“Manulife doesn’t just talk the talk,” Heins says. “They encourage that kind of in-person socialization and support all our ERGs, which embody the diversity of the staff.
“Our mission at GenerationNEXT is to create programming that’s inclusive to all employees, with education, volunteer and networking opportunities. Some hot topics at panels we’ve hosted include artificial intelligence and the digital transformation at Manulife. We also broadcast our events virtually since we’re a global company.”
Sarah Chapman is chief marketing officer, Manulife investment management, and global chief sustainability officer, Manulife, in addition to chairing two ERGs – GenerationNEXT and one for sustainability.
“It’s a truly engaging role,” Chapman says. “I help them oversee the strategy and to navigate the organization in terms of building relationships and leveraging key communications channels. It’s really about elevating and accelerating what they want to do and how they want to do it.”
What stands out for Chapman in working with GenerationNEXT is their drive and ambition for continuous learning as well as their authenticity. Another is how central purpose is to Gen Z.
“So much about this younger generation comes back to a desire to feel connected to purpose in their job,” Chapman says. “Older generations may be passionate about something, but can often separate that from their work life and explore that passion outside of work. The younger generations [like] Gen Z want that to be integrated. It’s not about work-life balance, but work-life integration. Work must be connected to a bigger purpose.”
Manulife supports young people in their onboarding journey with a portal for easy access to essential information and a colleague welcome kit, including a personal note from president & CEO Roy Gori and an invitation for LinkedIn, Yammer, Instagram and Facebook.
“There are good mentorship and buddy programs to help people feel connected, and we have a formal check-in at the 100-day mark to ensure our new colleagues are settling in well and that they have everything they need to set them up for success,” Chapman says. “That’s where we source a lot of new people for the GenerationNEXT ERG – it’s a great way to meet others across the organization.”
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Advertising feature produced by Canada’s Top 100 Employers, a division of Mediacorp Canada Inc. The Globe and Mail’s editorial department was not involved.