WATERLOO REGION — They’re the people who take away your garbage and recycling every week.
Or those you trust to provide insurance in case of an accident.
They might even be trying to uncover the secrets of the universe.
This year, practitioners of these seemingly unrelated pursuits can each lay claim to being among the top employers in Waterloo Region and Guelph.
For the fifth straight year, Toronto-based publisher Mediacorp Canada Inc. has announced a list of the best places to work in this area, a regional version of its annual Canada’s Top 100 Employers list, which began in 2000.
Companies are evaluated based on eight criteria: physical workplace; work atmosphere; health, financial and family benefits; vacation and time off; employee communications; performance management; training and skills development; and community involvement.
This year’s top 15 employers in Waterloo Region and Guelph are:
• Com Dev International Ltd.
• Crawford and Co. (Canada) Inc.
• Desire2Learn Inc.
• Economical Mutual Insurance Co.
• Equitable Life of Canada Inc.
• George Morris Centre for Agri-Food Research and Education
• Geosyntec Consultants International Inc.
• Gore Mutual Insurance Co.
• OpenText Corp.
• Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics
• Research In Motion Ltd.
• Sybase Canada Ltd
• Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada Inc.
• University of Guelph
• Waste Management of Canada Corp.
For an eighth consecutive year, Toyota can boast inclusion on the national Top 100 list. Software company OpenText also is on the national list, for the first time. However, for the first time since 2006, RIM did not make the list of the country’s top 100 employers.
The BlackBerry maker’s status on the region’s top 15 list may raise an eyebrow in itself, given the recent layoffs at the tech giant. However, that’s simply a reflection of how quickly business fortunes can change, says Mediacorp managing editor Richard Yerema.
Employers were assessed from March 2010 to March 2011 — a period when RIM was still showing growth, Yerema said in an email. Despite its recent struggles, RIM remains “a sizeable and unique” employer in Waterloo Region and Canada, he said.
Speaking of unique, working at the “architecturally beautiful” Perimeter Institute in Waterloo is like no other job in the known universe, says Richard Epp, senior manager for scientific outreach at the globally renowned research centre.
“There’s nowhere else on the planet, I think, that has this concentration of theoretical physicists and this breadth of knowledge,” he says.
For Epp, the facility’s open concept design and multiple interaction areas flooded with natural light encourage a collaborative atmosphere. He says this allows him to talk frequently with researchers about scientific breakthroughs, knowledge he can then work into the outreach materials he creates for students, teachers and the public.
Sheri Keffer, human resources manager at the institute, is proud of the organization’s emphasis on creating a family-friendly setting.
Researchers at the Perimeter Institute come from across the globe, often on three-year post-doctoral terms, Keffer says, and they’re amazed at the company’s efforts to make them feel at home. “They say there’s nowhere else like it in the world where they get that support for their family, because anywhere else they go they’re just another employee,” she says.
At Waste Management, district operations manager Paul Smith says he’s been made to feel part of the family throughout his 24-year career there.
A number of years ago, major surgery forced Smith out of the office for six weeks. A combination of compassionate management and excellent health benefits, however, saw the company do “everything in their power to make sure that I was set up at home,” he says.
In 2006, the auto racing enthusiast received an all-expenses-paid trip to a NASCAR race in New Hampshire as a reward for good work — a trip that coincided with his 20th wedding anniversary. “That was a huge token of appreciation for me, and a recognition from the company that I’ll be forever grateful for,” Smith says.
Brad Muter, the company’s area vice-president for Eastern Canada, says Waste Management places an emphasis on promoting from within and rewarding employee service. “This company recognizes good talent and appreciates the good people that work for them, and that pat on the back on a regular basis always helps,” he says.
Driver Bruce Storer has been on the job with Waste Management since 1983 and jokes he has “garbage in my blood.” That’s not altogether untrue, given that his two sons now work for the company. Storer says he’s been treated so well that he’s never considered seeking employment elsewhere.
“I’ve enjoyed working for Waste (Management) and it’s just been an opportunity that (you say) ‘Why go anywhere else?’ I’m happy doing what I do and it’s been a most enjoyable place to work for me.”
Gore Mutual claims adviser Kayla Pereira started as a co-op student at the property and casualty insurance firm while attending Conestoga College, before being hired full-time last year. She says Gore employees are encouraged to advance in the company by following their own interests. “They don’t want you to just be stuck, they want to know that they’re hiring someone with the potential to keep growing,” she says.
Pereira says the work atmosphere at the Cambridge company has a “small community feel.” For programmer analyst Phillip Moura, the friendly tone extends to upper management. “You’re not afraid to talk to the (vice-presidents) because it’s an open-door policy — you can walk into a VP’s office and just say, ‘Hey, how’s it going’ and just chat with them if you really wanted to,” he says.
The company also offers employees a workout facility with frequent fitness classes, a benefit that associate underwriter Marilyn Jager calls a “good stress release.”
Jager notes that the company’s Gore Foundation gives back to communities where it does business. That, she says, “is a huge, huge thing for me … it makes me very proud to say that I work here.”
Since joining Waste Management in 2009, customer service representative Karen Jacobi has become part of the company’s commitment to the community. As chair of the firm’s Smile Squad social committee this year, she’s helped organize various charity initiatives, and was a company representative at a recent Random Act of Kindness Day event. She says she appreciates the opportunity to foster a sense of camaraderie both at work and in the community.
“I went to the Rangers game and our name was on the boards,” she says, “and I sat there in my Waste Management jacket and really felt a sense of pride that we’re here as a North American company but we are impacting Waterloo Region as well, and that’s really cool.”
Selling your home during the holidays requires an extra special approach. This month, we discuss how to properly stage your home so that it appears elegant and spacious. We also offer a unique family project that will preserve memories for years to come as well as a tasty party appetizer that will wow your holiday guests! Thanks so much for checking out this month's newsletter. Please drop me a line with any questions or comments you have -- I'd love to hear from you!
If your home’s on the market this holiday season, you’ll want to have a staging strategy in place. It’s critical that buyers are able to imagine themselves living in your home so keep the following tips in mind: 
It's amazing how time flies! There are so many precious family memories that fade as time goes by. There is a way to turn back the clock though -- sort of. It's called a time capsule and it's a fun and easy way to relive the past! 
It's not always easy to impress holiday guests but the delicate, mellow taste of roasted garlic paired with creamy Brie is sure to be a huge hit! Here’s all you’ll need to spread some holiday cheer: 
