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A S P O N S O R CO N T E N T F E AT U R E I N C A N A D A S # 1 N AT I O N A L N E W S PA P E R A N D # 1 N E W S W E BS I T E
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A S P O N S O R CO N T E N T F E AT U R E I N C A N A D A S # 1 N AT I O N A L N E W S PA P E R A N D # 1 N E W S W E BS I T E
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THE GLOBE AND MAIL
CONNECTING THE
TRANS CANADA TRAIL
SECTION GPTW
F R I D AY , A P R I L 1 0 , 2 0 1 5
“Our goal is to create
great places to work
where talented people
know that they will be
challenged, and can bring
their passions to life on a
global scale.”
Sam Sebastian, Managing
Director, Google Canada
Tri Fit Inc.
360Incentives
“The spirit is great, the
leaders are inspirational
and they seem to be
passionate about fostering
the culture as a top
priority…while we grow.”
THE GLOBE AND MAIL
99%
YUKON
NUNAVUT
Leerom Segal, Co-founder &
CEO, Klick Inc.
10
YEARS!
NORTHWEST TERRITORIES
Yellowknife
59%
ALBERTA
80%
“Our success as a
company – and our
success in Canada –
begins and ends with our
people!”
Traction on Demand
71%
BRITISH COLUMBIA
92%
SASKATCHEWAN
MANITOBA
Edmonton
“Employees are at the heart
of our strategies. They really
make our success in the core
areas that we’re focused on:
to become the small business
platform around the globe and
do the nation’s taxes.”
Jeff Cates, VP and Country
Manager, Intuit Canada
99%
99%
Whitehorse
DNE Resources
CELEBRATING
> STRATEGY > DAILY UPDATES
and will very soon link nearly 1,000 municipalities. Over the next two years, Canadians will donate time, effort and resources to
bridge all the remaining gaps, so that, on the sesquicentennial of Confederation in 2017, the Trail will be a glorious birthday gift
for Canada and a legacy for future generations. It takes a community to connect the Trail. And we want everyone to be part of it.
It is refreshing to work for a
company that truly values their
employees. At Big Viking all
of us are encouraged to grow
professionally and various
resources are invested to
achieve employee happiness.“
BEST WORKPLACES LIST
SECTION TCT
S AT U R D AY , J U LY 4 , 2 0 1 5
under way. With two years left before Canada’s 150th birthday, the
Our Canadian journey isTranswellCanada
Trail is now 80 per cent connected from coast to coast to coast
NetApp Canada Employee
Vega
Big Viking Employee
“Without question, we’ve
become one the country’s
greatest places to work
simply by putting our
employees first.”
> CUSTOM CONTENT
(ARTICLES, BLOG POSTS, VIDEO)
SP O N SO R CO N TE N T
CANADA’S BEST
WORKPLACES
Iqaluit
80%
CONNECTED
97%
QUÉBEC
Klick Inc.
PLUS
St. John's
NEWFOUNDLAND
AND LABRADOR
Charlottetown
NEW BRUNSWICK
61%
ONTARIO
Winnipeg
Regina
100%
100%
PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
73%
Victoria
Québec
Come on, Canada!
Join us on our Canadian journey:
Help connect your Trail!
Halifax
Fredericton
NOVA SCOTIA
38%
Connected land or water trail
Ottawa
Gaps in trail
Toronto
0
150
300
600
km
Projection: Lambert Conformal Conic.
Sources: TCT, DMTI Spatial, ESRI.
Production: Montréal, Trans Canada Trail.
INSIDE
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TRUST
AND PERFORMANCE. GPTW 2
TOP 50 LARGE AND MULTINATIONAL
COMPANIES. GPTW 5
TOP 50 MEDIUM COMPANIES.
GPTW 4
Shane Holdaway, President,
Capital One Canada
PHOTO BY GORDON MCKEEVER
Habanero Consulting Group
This content was produced by Randall
Anthony Communications, in partnership
with The Globe and Mail’s advertising
department. The Globe’s editorial
department was not involved in its creation.
Online? Visit globeandmail.com/adv/bestworkplaces2015 for more information.
PHOTO BY TCT
PHOTO BY ANDREW PENNER
Squamish, British Columbia
Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories
Kilometre Zero North
Duck Mountain Provincial
Forest (Crocus Trail), Manitoba
Lévis, Quebec
Nova Scotia
The TCT reaches its Pacific Ocean
destination in Clover Point, Victoria,
after travelling 3,000 kilometres
through beautiful British Columbia.
B.C.’s section of the Trail is already 80
per cent connected, with only a few
key gaps left to develop. It includes
scenic cycling paths, mountainous
hiking trails and breathtaking paddling
routes, such as the Sea to Sky Marine
Trail, a 40-kilometre water route
through Squamish Nation traditional
territory, from Squamish to Horseshoe
Bay, West Vancouver, that allows
paddlers to observe bald eagles and
whales along Howe Sound.
The TCT’s three Kilometre-Zero
sites – east, west and north – serve
as powerful symbols of Canadian
unity from coast to coast to coast.
Our Arctic Ocean Trailhead is the
historic Inuvialuit community of
Tuktoyaktuk, NWT. The TCT travels more than 4,600 kilometres,
through all three Canadian territories, before reaching this northern
terminus. As we fully connect the
TCT in Canada’s North, we will
refurbish Tuk’s existing KilometreZero-North marker, located near the
trailhead of the majestic Mackenzie
River Trail.
PHOTO BY ADAM HILL STUDIO
In the land of 100,000 lakes, the
TCT links historic prairie towns with
Winnipeg, traversing rolling plains,
boreal forest and tallgrass prairie.
Manitoba’s 1,500-kilometre section
of the Trail is already 92 per cent
connected, leaving less than 120
kilometres to develop. One of the
few remaining gaps is a remote
wilderness trail in Duck Mountain
Provincial Forest. Once the Crocus
Trail is re-established in Manitoba,
it will link to Saskatchewan’s Duck
Mountain Provincial Trail for crossborder walking/hiking, cycling and
cross-country skiing.
In Quebec, the TCT presents the
very best of la belle province –
cosmopolitan Montreal, historic
Quebec City, pristine boreal parks
and charming rural regions, plus a
distinct language and culture. The
Parcours des Anses, in Lévis, Quebec, is a popular cycling trail with
a view of Quebec City, the oldest
walled town in North America.
The province’s 1,500-kilometre
portion of the TCT is currently
97 per cent connected, leaving
only a few dozen kilometres to
develop in time for Canada’s 150th
birthday in 2017.
Nova Scotia’s 900-kilometre
section of the Trail may be only
38 per cent connected, but it
already boasts spectacular paddling and hiking routes through
bucolic countryside. The eightkilometre section in Pictou County
links Trailside communities from
Pictou to New Glasgow, known
as “the birthplace of New Scotland.” With designated sections
for walking, hiking, cycling and
paddling, this active transportation corridor will prove vital
for the area’s rapidly growing
communities.
Sea to Sky Marine Trail
PHOTO BY TRAILS MANITOBA
Parcours des Anses
Pictou County Trails
Online? Visit globeandmail2015.tctrail.ca
INSIDE
1/3
This content was produced by Randall
Anthony Communications, in partnership
with the Trans Canada Trail and The
Globe and Mail’s advertising department.
The Globe’s editorial department was
not involved in its creation.
TCT interviews Martin Short, Rick Mercer,
Sarah McLachlan and Tom Jackson. TCT 2
Make the TCT your ‘Giving
Moment.’ TCT 3
A salute to those who
love the Trail. TCT 4-5
Working together to
connect the Trail. TCT 7
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CANADIAN
T H E G L O B E A N D M A I L • F R I D AY , A P R I L 1 0 , 2 0 1 5
S PON S OR CON T EN T
COLLEGES & INSTITUTES
THE GLOBE AND MAIL
SECTION CICan
T H U R S D AY , F E B R U A RY 2 6 , 2 0 1 5
Building a thriving entrepreneurial eco-system
Students mingle with industry representatives at ‘Schmoozapalooza,’ an annual BCIT school of business networking
event. BCIT\SCOTT MCALPINE
hen it comes to early-stage
entrepreneurship activity – the United States, according to the 2013 in equipping the country’s entreprepercentage of working-age Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM). neurs with the means to succeed.
In addition to a solid knowledge base,
people either starting a new business
This comes as no surprise to Denise
or involved in one that’s less than 42 Amyot, president and CEO of Colleges she believes that “passion, patience,
months old – Canada ranks second and Institutes Canada (CICan), who says resilience and the ability to connect with
in the world and closely behind the colleges and institutes are instrumental others” are defining characteristics of
W
successful entrepreneurs.
While colleges increasingly build
“entrepreneurial approaches” into their
curricula, they already have the advantage of small, hands-on classes, says
Ms. Amyot. This coupled with strong
industry connections can help budding
entrepreneurs determine whether there
is a viable market for their ideas.
Part of the training for students
at the British Columbia Institute for
Technology (BCIT) in Burnaby involves
networking, says Harj Dhaliwal, associate dean, marketing management and
business administration, BCIT school
of business.
He mentions frequent “mingler
events” where students meet oneon-one with industry representatives
in a trade show format. In situations
such as this, “students get to know the
industry and industry gets to know the
students,” Dr. Dhaliwal says, adding
that while some of BCIT’s graduates
are expected to go into business for
themselves, entrepreneurial skills are
also useful in an employment setting.
To prepare graduates for the demands
in the workforce, much of BCIT’s programs “mimic real work experience,”
says Dr. Dhaliwal. “Many students also
work with industry partners on reallife problems, and they have access
to internships and practicums where
they can practice their skills.”
One of the success stories coming out of BCIT involves Procurify, a
Vancouver-based cloud procurement
software firm that made the cut for the
Deloitte Fast 50 Companies to Watch.
In the past year, Procurify’s user base
grew to include clients in more than
53 countries worldwide, some of them
high-profile companies like Hootsuite.
Aman Mann, BCIT alum and cofounder and CEO of Procurify, says that
while his entrepreneurial inclination
was already evident in high school,
Entrepreneurship, Page CICan 3
This content was produced by Randall
Anthony Communications, in partnership
with The Globe and Mail’s advertising
department. The Globe’s editorial department was not involved in its creation.
Family business
LEADERSHIP
Where family dynamics and business
interests intersect
T
ake a close look at Canada’s estimated 1.1 million businesses and
you’ll see many husband-and-wife
owners, management teams that share
a family name, and children of founders in apprenticeship for the top posts
their parents are set to relinquish in the
coming years.
Family businesses are a collective
powerhouse driving the economy,
accounting for a significant percentage
of the country’s aggregate business sector. While there are no current statistics
measuring the prevalence of family
ownership among Canadian businesses,
previous estimates peg this at between
70 and 95 per cent of all companies in
Canada.
“Some of the biggest and most
successful businesses in Canada are
family-owned,” says Paul MacDonald,
executive director at the Canadian As-
“Families that are successful tend to operate like a
business, and different
parts of the family elect
a representative who will
go to the council to get
their requests or opinions
heard.”
Arthur Salzer
is executive director, CEO and CIO at
Northland Wealth
sociation of Family Enterprise (CAFE), a
national not-for-profit organization that
promotes the well-being, understanding and success of families in business.
“People often think of family business
as the small mom-and-pop operation,
but the reality is family businesses range
from the very small to the very large,
and they run across all industry sectors,”
adds Mr. MacDonald.
Like all businesses, family enterprises
face a host of challenges as they strive
to grow and remain competitive, says
Arthur Salzer, executive director, CEO
and CIO at Northland Wealth, a Torontobased family office that provides investment and strategic guidance to some
of Canada’s largest family businesses.
But unlike other businesses, family enterprises must deal with the complexities
created by the presence and influence of
a business partner or executive who is
Online? Visit globeandmail.com/adv/colleges for more information.
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
Educating global citizens
W
hat are Canadian colleges
doing to prepare the next
generation of young Canadians to work and prosper in the
global economy? Quite a lot, says
Paul Brennan, vice president, international partnerships for Colleges and
Institutes Canada (CICan).
“We live in a globalized world
with linked economies, cross-border
problems and an increasing number
of jobs that take you around the
world,” says Mr. Brennan. “At the
same time, we have people from
abroad coming to Canada to do business. In this global market, international experience and understanding
is critical to success.”
Canadian colleges are preparing
students to be global professionals, entrepreneurs and international
citizens in two ways. The first is by
inviting foreign students to mix, mingle and learn at institutions here in
Canada. The second is by offering
Canadian students the opportunity
to study and/or work abroad. International study programs help students
develop cross-cultural skills and the
ability to work in multicultural environments. It’s good for the students,
and it’s good for the economy. “European research indicates that students
who take part in these programs have
better job prospects and move up in
organizations faster that those who
do not,” he says.
Humber College in Toronto has a
distinguished history of engaging in
international initiatives going back to
the 1970s, says Diane Simpson, dean
of international. “Humber’s internationalization strategy is very important in a city like Toronto because
it’s so globally connected,” she says.
International, Page CICan 7
INSIDE
ESSENTIAL SKILLS: Fostering
creativity. CICan 7
BUILDING RESUMÉS: Soughtafter graduates. CICan 8
HIGH IMPACT: Colleges meet
industry needs. CICan 9
SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURS:
Making a difference. CICan 11
Building a successful and competitive family business takes continual planning, and that includes planning for the
handoff to the next generation of family owners, says Allen Taylor, CAFE chair. ISTOCKPHOTO.COM
BY THE
NUMBERS
According to
research from
the University
of Alberta,
family
businesses
generate
approximately
60%
of Canada’s
Gross Domestic
Product, employ
6
million
people in
Canada,
create
70%
of all new jobs in
North America
and account for
55%
of all charitable
donations.
1/2
1/4
just as likely to be seated at the family
Thanksgiving dinner as they are at the
next sales meeting.
Addressing these complexities effectively is key to keeping the business
healthy, competitive and sustainable
over generations, says Mr. Salzer. Because it’s too easy for personal dynamics and issues to spill into the business,
it’s important that the family learns to
view itself as an institution complete
with formal rules and mandates – basically a family constitution – as well as
a council, says Mr. Salzer.
“Families that are successful tend to
operate like a business, and different
parts of the family elect a representative who will go to the council to get
their requests or opinions heard,” he
says. “When families work together
like this and feel they have the ability
to have their say, then it’s easier to get
consensus on decisions.”
It’s a good idea to bring in third-party
counsellors or consultants who have
experience working with family businesses, says Mr. Salzer.
Another critical challenge that can
make or break a family enterprise is
the integration of other relatives into
the business. That’s why it’s important
for family business leaders to define
the criteria and process for bringing
in a child, sibling or other kin, says
Mr. Salzer.
“You need to do this in a way that
makes sense for the business and won’t
be seen by other employees or relatives
as being incredibly unfair,” he says.
Some families require all incoming
relatives to have post-secondary education and work experience in another
company. The new family employee
may also be required to start at the
bottom, or to hop from department
CNY 1
This content was produced by Randall
Anthony Communications, in partnership
with The Globe and Mail’s advertising
department. The Globe’s editorial department was not involved in its creation.
ONLINE? See globeandmail.com/adv/familybusiness2015
ENGAGEMENT
The collaborative approach
to succession planning
S
uccessions can be fraught with
risks, especially for family businesses, where a lot of expectations may be attached to the decisions
– and performance – of the junior
generation. When it comes to succession planning, the focus is often on the
senior generation, but Niki Kux-Kardos
believes discussions around the topic
have to happen in a collaborative way.
When she explains that it is equally,
if not more, important for members
of the next generation to step up
to the plate, Ms. Kux-Kardos speaks
from personal experiences as well
as from her perspective as a family
business coach at Nexus Facilitation
and Coaching. “After all, the younger
generation will have to deal with the
issues that are not resolved when the
senior generation retires,” she says.
While succession is often seen as
an event, it is a process that can take
years, says Ms. Kux-Kardos. For the
next generation, she advises, “You
have to be clear about who you are and
what you stand for. Because if you are
planning to take over the business, you
need to be sure there is an alignment.”
Clarity around the role of the junior
generation is also useful when it comes
to “collaborative mentorship” – a
method that encourages the exchange
of wisdom between generations when
younger family members take on
increasing responsibilities. “Collaborative mentorship is about embracing
differences,” Ms. Kux-Kardos explains.
“Rather than allowing conflict to be
destructive, it’s a matter of finding the
opportunity conflict presents.”
When different views are communicated in a respectful manner and collaboratively used as drivers for reaching
a common goal, synergy happens, says
Ms. Kux-Kardos. To achieve that, nextgeneration leaders need to be clear on
their guiding values – they also need
to be ready to learn while the senior
generation needs to be willing to listen.
T H E G LO B E A N D M A I L • W E D N E S D AY , F E B R U A RY 1 8 , 2 0 1 5
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Celebrating a new beginning
with age-old traditions
“Since the holiday marks
fresh beginnings, this is
a time when shoppers
traditionally buy new
clothes and shoes.”
Meghna Srinivas
heads the multicultural practice at
MacLaren McCann Cultura
the 15-day holiday more frequently
takes place out of the home. “These
days, families often meet in restaurants,” he says. “And more people
take advantage of the time off to go
on vacations.”
The holiday remains a focal point
for Canada’s Chinese communities,
and the many related public festivities
attract large audiences, says Meghna
Srinivas, who heads the multicultural
practice at advertising agency MacLaren McCann Cultura.
Businesses that get involved in community events can earn their clients’
appreciation, says Ms. Srinivas. “Whenever you show community members
that you’re with them, they appreciate
it,” she explains, adding that Chinese
New Year presents an opportunity for
brands to “leverage the holiday, its
traditions and the seasonal shopping
spirit.”
Marketing research by Environics
points to a higher brand recall for businesses that participate in Chinese New
Year celebrations, says Ms. Srinivas.
Eighty per cent of Chinese customers
remember seeing targeted advertising
during the holiday, and more than 40
per cent say they feel closer to Canadian companies that advertise with a
message in their language.
MULTICULTURALISM
Embracing diversity and helping new
Canadians realize their potential
C
licking on a scroll conjures up a
bouncy brush-paint animation of
a goat that takes the viewer on
a tour of Chinese New Year festivities.
The beautifully produced video clip is
part of the Royal Bank of Canada’s ecard that conveys best wishes for the
year ahead. Christine Shisler, RBC’s
director of client strategies, sees it
not only as an acknowledgment of
the important holiday, but also as a
gesture of appreciation for clients and
staff of Chinese heritage.
The Chinese New Year celebration
is something the whole organization
gets behind, says Ms. Shisler. “We
have exciting things planned. The
individual branches will be decorated
and, in addition to the e-greeting card,
we have in-branch signage as well as
celebratory advertising and collateral.”
The celebration is an example of how
RBC embraces multiculturalism, Ms.
Shisler explains. In a country where
population growth is driven by immigration, it’s an ethical responsibility to
make sure everyone is included. But it’s
not only the right thing to do, it also
makes good business sense, says Ms.
Shisler. Immigration not only increases
the pool of talent from a recruitment
perspective, it also brings potential
customers.
Ms. Shisler has no doubt that immigrants make an important contribution
to our society. For the last three years,
she’s been involved in the annual RBC
Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards.
“The awards celebrate the cultural,
economic and social contributions of
immigrants,” she explains. “Looking
at the examples of nominees and
winners, you realize what kind of
impact one individual can have – it
is inspiring.”
In order to help newcomers realize
their potential, RBC aims to improve
programs and services that can help
meet their needs, says Ms. Shisler,
who is responsible for the newcomer
segment. Last year, for example, one
of the biggest issues that came to
the bank’s attention related to clients
without a credit history.
“We’ve made improvements to make
it possible for newcomers to get their
first credit card, their first car loan or
their first mortgage, even when they
don’t have a credit history,” says Ms.
Shisler, adding that “experts who are
qualified to give sound advice and have
a good understanding of all available
financial solutions” are part of what
sets RBC apart.
Client feedback has been very positive, she says. “When you come to a
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U
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to department to gain experience in
all facets of the business.
While there are no hard and fast rules
for integrating a family member into
the business, what’s most important
is to ensure job appointments match
skills and experience, says Mr. Salzer.
Continuity and succession are big
concerns for any business, but in a
family-owned company, this challenge
is often compounded by feelings of
entitlement to the leadership based on
family hierarchy, rather than merit. As
the founders’ children start their own
families, the stakeholder structure also
becomes more complicated.
Allen Taylor, CAFE chair and president
of Taylor Pipe Supports in Burlington,
Ont., says it’s critical to start talking as
early as possible to the next generation
of family owners. The talks don’t have
to be formal or concrete when the kids
are young, but rather just “blue sky”
discussions about the business and
what the children see themselves doing in the future.
When their children become adults,
business owners should sit down at
least once a year to assess the skills
and interests of this cohort of potential
owners and managers, says Mr. Taylor.
“Businesses should not look at this as
a process they wait to do until there’s
a need for it,” he says. “Building a successful and competitive business takes
continual planning, and that includes
planning for the handoff to the next
generation of family owners.”
1/8
niting Chinese communities
across the globe in a celebration
of cultural identity, Chinese New
Year is an auspicious time to exchange
best wishes for the year ahead. It
also offers unique opportunities for
businesses to engage with Chinese
audiences.
Like many festivities in Chinese communities, the 2015 Chinese New Year
celebrations that start on February 19
involve large family reunions, special
foods and symbolic traditions.
Robert Hung Ngai Ho, who grew up in
Hong Kong, remembers the celebration
as an elaborate affair. There was a big
dinner on New Year’s Eve or the day
before, and families would pay respect
to their ancestors and receive blessings.
He says the streets were filled with the
sound of firecrackers set off to scare
away evil spirits.
On New Year’s Day, relatives visited
each other’s homes to exchange best
wishes for good health, prosperity and
peace. For children, the highlight was
receiving hongbao – “lucky money”
stuffed into little red envelopes, and
Mr. Ho recalls exchanging tips with his
cousins on which grand-uncle was the
most generous.
He notes that some traditions have
shifted. The socializing that dominates
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The 2015 Chinese New Year heralds the arrival of the Year of the Goat, with
community members participating in public events, such as Vancouver’s
Chinatown parade. LEFT, SUPPLIED; ABOVE, ISTOCKPHOTO.COM
“Since the holiday marks fresh beginnings, this is a time when shoppers
traditionally buy new clothes and
shoes,” she says, adding that research
shows that 87 per cent of Chinese
consumers made special shopping
trips during this period.
However, while Chinese New Year is
a good time to engage with customers,
building relationships in the multicultural market needs to be a sustained
effort, explains Ms. Srinivas. “If the
holiday greeting is just a ‘one off,’ it
doesn’t benefit the brand.
“MacLaren McCann Cultura’s focus
group research indicates that companies that participate in Chinese New
Year celebrations elicit an emotional
and somewhat nostalgic response from
Chinese audiences,” says Ms. Srinivas.
This deep connection to cultural
heritage is also evident in the wide
support for public events celebrating
the holiday, says Mr. Ho, who is involved in the Vancouver Society for the
Promotion of Chinese Art and Culture
as well as the Vancouver Chinatown
Foundation.
Metro Vancouver – a city where
people of Chinese background represent 17 per cent of the total population
– boasts a wide range of festivities. A
highlight is the parade in Chinatown
that features 3,000 performers, including 50 lion dance teams, marching
bands and more. Tens of thousands
of spectators are proof of the event’s
appeal.
Mr. Ho has also noticed growing
interest in Chinese culture, such as
music, dance and visual arts. This is
something he welcomes and actively
promotes through the Robert H. N. Ho
Family Foundation, which he founded
in 2005 to “foster the appreciation of
Chinese cultural heritage and the application of Buddhist insights.”
The foundation recently sponsored
The Forbidden City: Inside the Court
of China’s Emperors – an exhibition
curated by the Royal Ontario Museum
that enjoyed popular runs in Toronto
and Vancouver.
The inspiration for this work, as well
as Mr. Ho’s many other philanthropic
efforts, came from his grandparents,
Sir Robert Ho Tung and Lady Clara Ho
Tung, who are also the source of his
fond childhood memories of Chinese
New Year celebrations. Says Mr. Ho,
“We have a family motto that started
with my grandfather: ‘Before you
receive, you must learn how to give.’”
FULL
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INTERVIEW
Holiday closures and travels
impact businesses in China
Q&A with Sarah Kutulakos, Executive Director,
Canada China Business Council
Images of Chinese New Year celebrations are part of the popular holiday
greetings video RBC sends to clients and staff. SUPPLIED
“We’ve made improvements to make it possible
for newcomers to get
their first credit card, their
first car loan or their first
mortgage, even when
they don’t have a credit
history.”
Christine Shisler
is RBC’s director of client strategies
new country, there are many things
to take care of, such as looking for
employment, finding a school for
your kids, finding a home. Banking
and financial solutions aren’t things
people want to spend a lot of time on.”
She considers it a “big win” that new
Canadians say the bank has helped to
reduce stress by providing advice and
solutions that allow them to settle
more easily.
In addition to customer-specific
advice, RBC offers financial literacy
workshops for newcomers, such as
understanding credit in Canada and
investing for the first time.
Part of RBC’s strategy is paying attention to branch staffing to ensure
clients can be served in the languages
they are most comfortable with. “Service is available over the phone and
in branches in over 200 different
languages,” says Ms. Shisler. “That’s
something we are proud of.”
Offering custom advice in preferred
languages shows a commitment to
partnering with the client, she says.
“It’s not just about one transactional
process – it’s about building a relationship and helping clients meet
their goals.”
What should Canadians – and Canadian businesses – know about Chinese
New Year?
It’s the most important holiday in places
like China, Taiwan and Hong Kong, and
the lunar new year is also celebrated
in Vietnam and some other countries.
Just as everything stops for us around
Christmas, in China, everything stops
for Chinese New Year. It’s a very familyoriented holiday, and people who work
elsewhere through the year will take
this time to go home and visit family.
Most companies use the opportunity
to celebrate with their employees, for
example hosting parties with games,
contests and gifts.
How does the statutory holiday affect
businesses?
In China, people officially get five days
off, and it’s usually combined with
weekends, but some businesses close
for longer. Since many migrant workers
have to travel far to get home, they
plan to stay an extended time. In highly
labour-intensive factory situations, it
sometimes happens that people don’t
come back after the holiday, so there’s
a lot of recruiting going on. Companies
doing business in or with China, especially if they are planning a trip or event
not long after the holiday, should know
that it can be hard to reach people in
a timely manner. And if somebody is
working in China and has that week
off, it’s very difficult to get anywhere
because hundreds of millions of people
travel at the same time.
What is an example of a business building on Chinese New Year traditions?
One of the traditions of Chinese New
Year is to give red envelopes full of
money to children. This concept was
incorporated into a popular online service called WeChat. Last year, just before
Companies doing business in and
with China need to know how the
holiday impacts scheduling, says
Sarah Kutulakos. SUPPLIED
Chinese New Year, WeChat developed
the capability of sending a red envelope
to individuals or to groups of people.
This practice was widely adopted –
people created contests among their
colleagues and their friends around
red envelopes. Companies were also
using this service to say thank you to
their customers.
Chinese New Year is also a time for
reflection and renewal. What are last
year’s highlights, and what’s ahead?
Last year, we were pleased to see
more Canadian engagement in China,
particularly with the visits of the Prime
Minister and some of the premiers.
There’s a long list of outcomes that
our governments are following up on.
For companies that are trying to do
more business with China, 2014 was
very successful in terms of creating a
supportive environment.
China just continues to grow – it
currently contributes almost a quarter
of the GDP growth in the world. Opportunities for the coming year are for
companies to further their understanding of China, to evaluate their channels
of distribution and look at China as a
market.
> REPORTING AND ANALYTICS
NEXT STEPS? Contact Globe and Mail Project Manager RICHARD DEACON at 604.631.6636, or via e-mail at [email protected]
Sources: NADbank 2013 48 Mkts A18+; PMB Fall 2014 A18+; comScore & Omniture 3 mos av to September 2014