Features Retention
Great-West Lifeco best at retaining workers while TELUS struggles to keep staff: Research

When it comes to retention, Great-West Lifeco is the best in Canada  with a median tenure of 10.8 years, according to new research. On the other end of the spectrum, TELUS International is struggling to keep staff with a median tenure of just 1.5 years.

That’s according to Resume.io, which analyzed the LinkedIn pages of the top 100 companies by market cap in Canada. It also looked at firms in the U.S., U.K. and Australia.

Great-West Lifeco CEO Paul Mahon pointed the finger at his CHRO, Grace Palombo, as the one of the biggest reasons the company is tops when it comes to retaining workers.

“Grace’s exceptional leadership has put in place strategies to ensure we have the right talent to meet our current and future business needs,” he said, according to Resume.io. “This recognition is a true testament to our shared values of doing what’s right, building trust and partnership, and putting people first in all that we do.”

Long-serving staff

The top 10 employers (including ties) in Canada at keeping workers are:

• Great-West Lifeco: 10.8 years
• Cameco: 9.8 years
• CCL: 9.8 years
• Suncor Energy: 9.3 years
• MEG Energy: 9.3 years
• Barrick: 9.1 years
• Emera: 9.1 years
• Thomson Reuters: 8.9 years
• Hydro One: 8.5 years
• CP: 8.3 years
• Imperial: 8.3 years
• YamanaGold: 8.3 years

Retention challenges

TELUS isn’t the only firm struggling to retain workers, according to the Resume.io data. Here’s the median tenure at the 10 worst firms:

• TELUS International: 1.5 years
• Shopify: 2.0 years
• GFL: 2.0 years
• TFI International: 2.1 years
• Brookfield: 2.2 years
• Couche-Tard: 2.3 years
• Lululemon: 2.3 years
• Whitecap Resources: 2.3 years
• IGM Financial: 2.8 years
• Constellation Software: 3.0 years

Global rankings

By comparison, the top performing employer in the United States was ConocoPhillips with a median tenure of 10.6 years. Apple took the mantel as worst at retention, with a tenure of 1.7 years.

In the United Kingdom, BUNZL was tops (10.2 years) and IHG Hotels and Resorts (1.6 years) was on the bottom.

And in Australia, BlueScope took the number one spot (9.7 years) and Liontown sat at the bottom with a paltry 0.6 year median tenure.

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