Opportunities for learning, career development top the benefits list

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The National Capital Region (NCR) has always been fertile ground for developing innovative offerings to attract and retain workers, and that’s certainly reflected in the organizations recognized in this year’s National Capital Region (2025) winner’s list, part of the Canada’s Top 100 Employers competition. 

One in five workers in the NCR is employed by the public sector, but employees in the tech sector aren’t far behind at more than 13 per cent of the workforce. The interplay between public and private sectors has created a competitive environment for innovative benefits that often outpace the rest of the country, as employers vie for workers with the same talents and skill sets.  

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While the public sector, for example, sets standards for mental health benefits, the private sector often leads in hybrid work arrangements, uncapped vacation and flexible time-off policies. 

“I think we’ve seen more (Top Employers) applicants from the private sector this year,” says Kristina Leung, managing editor with Canada’s Top 100 Employers. “We’ve also seen more diversity in the size of the organizations with more smaller organizations from the region applying.” 

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Leung notes that employers are increasingly looking to workers among generation Z (born between 1997 and 2012) to meet employment needs. And while financial compensation remains important, these younger workers prize flexible work schedules, time off, connections to community and opportunities for learning. 

The City of Ottawa has been selected as a National Capital Region Top Employer for 14 years running for its commitment to prioritizing the workforce, providing a diverse range of career options across more than 110 business lines, offering competitive salaries and a comprehensive employee benefits program.  

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“People shape our city and our future,” says Wendy Stephanson, City manager. “Prioritizing our people involves supporting and inspiring employees at all levels to reach their full potential and ensuring they have the training and tools needed to deliver service excellence and make a difference in the community. The city invests in employee growth and development through extensive corporate and leadership development training, mentoring, coaching and special on-the-job assignments. Celebrating top performers and showing employees that they are valued and appreciated helps to foster a supportive and positive workplace.” 

The City of Ottawa is also a long-standing leader in equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging, and maintains active strategies — as well as encouraging employee-led initiatives — to help create a fair, respectful and inclusive workplace. 

Export Development Canada (EDC) — another winner on the National Capital Region’s Top Employers’ list for over a decade — also stresses opportunities for growth and learning. 

“We prioritize the professional development and happiness of our employees by supporting their goals and focusing on their overall wellness,” says Heather Crawley, director of HR strategy at EDC. “We support a balanced work-life dynamic through hybrid work flexibility, exceptional benefits and a dedication to community investment. Our unwavering commitment to inclusion, diversity and equity ensures that everyone feels welcome.” 

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In addition to offering employees a flexible, hybrid work model, EDC also provides significant leadership and development opportunities, including a formal leadership development program: Leading with Impact. A language training program encourages bilingualism. 

“Our investment in ESG practices is also key,” Crawley says. “Employees, particularly Gen Z, are increasingly seeking employment with companies they perceive to be purposeful and that operate in an ethical and socially and environmentally responsible manner.” 

Private sector employer Thales Canada also stresses employee engagement, work-life balance, wellness programs that include mental health, an emphasis on diversity and inclusion, and a commitment to providing equal opportunities, equal pay and equal access to workplace conditions to all employees. 

Like so many NCR employers on the Top Employers list, Thales also invests in employee development through training programs, mentorship opportunities and leadership development initiatives, helping staff grow their skills and advance in their careers.  

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“These programs are not static and we change and adapt them to the needs of our workforce,” says Christine Clarkson, human resources director for Thales Canada. “What remains the same is our commitment to promoting and maintaining a workplace culture of shared respect that enables all of us to feel valued, do our best, and remain truly passionate about the place that we work.” 

With a federal election coming no later than October 2025, the public sector in the NCR may be shaped by new policies — but that’s par for the course in the nation’s capital. 

“Over the past 20 years, the region has gone through political changes, upheavals, different parties and powers, and different thoughts at work,” says Richard Yerema, executive editor at Canada’s Top 100 Employers. “That’s part of the reality of the National Capital Region. At the end of the day, the large public sector presence in the region certainly has created conversations that don’t necessarily exist in other parts of the country and the end result for employees is a very generous, stable work culture.” 

 This story was created by Content Works, Postmedia’s commercial content division, on behalf of National Capital Region’s Top Employers. 

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