On Feb. 11, this year’s BC’s Top Employers (2025) were revealed by Mediacorp Canada Inc. — the biggest publisher of employment periodicals nationwide. Much to the university’s delight, UFV has been included for the 11th time in this prestigious list. Human Resources Associate Vice President (AVP) Kevin Jeske and HR’s Senior Advisor and Manager in Recruitment Services, Mark Pearson, shared their experience working at UFV and putting together the application forms for the award.
Pearson, who led the application process, commented on the in-depth procedure.
“There is a standardized application form that any organization wanting to participate would complete, so they ask you a set of questions in different categories.”
These categories can range from benefits, communication with employees, compensations, and recognitions to physical characteristics of the workplace. Pearson remarked on the collaborative work needed to answer them.
“It’s really a collective effort that I get to champion … ultimately, I want it to be reflective of our organization.”
Pearson observed that as much as this was a recognition, it was also an excellent way to attract and market to prospective employees by showing them what it’s like to work at UFV.
“They highlight a few things they might cite in terms of why we were selected … One of them was that the university offers a generous top-up to their maternity and parental leave benefits. So, somebody who may be thinking of having a family thinks, ‘Oh, that’s great, where I work now doesn’t have that benefit. I’d like that kind of a benefit.’”
Among other UFV benefits mentioned on BC’s Top Employers website were professional development funds, UFV’s encouragement for employees to adopt healthy lifestyles, and a flexible health benefits plan. The plan includes $1,000 to be used for eligible medical or dental expenses, with the opportunity to transfer those funds to the employee’s retirement savings plan.
Jeske echoed Pearson’s statements and emphasized the significance of the way the organization considers and measures these workplaces.
“This is a quantitative assessment of all of the factors that make up a really good employer as opposed to a qualitative anecdotal summary of ‘I really like it here’ … we offer a very robust set of employee benefits and other working conditions that when you assess them objectively and compare them to other employers, we rate very well, and that’s super important.”
While personal accounts and individual stories were not considered for this evaluation, Jeske remarked on the fulfilling experience and camaraderie found at UFV.
“I’m, relatively speaking, newer to UFV, having worked here coming up to three years, and I’ve really been impressed with how well-supported I feel as an employee … while it’s not perhaps measured in this survey, the collegiality and the professional tone characterized at UFV is also something that’s very rewarding.”
Pearson, who has worked at UFV for 13 years, expressed his elation at being an employee of the university.
“It’s the longest place I’ve worked … I get to do a job I love; I get to do that with people that I love to work with, and I get to feel like the work I do matters, and that’s really important to me.”
Pearson revelled in the sense of community fostered at UFV and the joy the recognition from BC’s Top Employers brings him.
“I’m always pleased when we win because I feel like it’s a collective win for every single person who works here.”
Both Pearson and Jeske celebrate this success but are still mindful that there is always room for improvement; it’s essential that the university and its employees reflect the wider community’s diversity. Looking back, Jeske recalls his time as a former student and current employee of the university, and what it means to him to be part of this community.
“I’m sitting in exactly the same spot as where I took my very first class at UFV in 1990 … I’d always worked in service organizations and creating community, but not in my own community. So, coming back to work at UFV was an opportunity to do community building in the community that I’ve called home for most of my life.”
Pearson added that Jeske’s experience is one of many and reflects the environment nurtured at UFV — one that should continue to be developed.
“We have several of those examples, some of whom have been here 25-30 years just in this department. So, it’s a real testament to the community feeling that we’re trying to always foster. It doesn’t end. The work doesn’t end just because we’ve won an award. We don’t close the door on our climate and culture and say, ‘Good job.’ I mean, we can always continue to build on that.”
