18/02/22
Company focused on fostering a positive work culture for all including parents and family caregivers
Kirkland, Quebec – February 18, 2022 – This week, Pfizer Canada was named both one of Canada’s Top Family-Friendly Employers for 2022, and one of Montreal’s Top Employers for the year, by Mediacorp Canada Inc. These awards recognize Pfizer’s ongoing efforts to provide their employees with one of the nation’s best workplaces with programs for all, whether employees are parents with young children, a family caregiver or balancing professional and personal obligations.
“People are at the centre of everything we do, and our employees work incredibly hard to improve the health and lives of many Canadians. In turn, it is essential that we continue to build and sustain a positive work environment for our workforce,” says Cole C. Pinnow, President, Pfizer Canada. “We want all of our employees to feel supported not only in the workplace, but in their day-to-day responsibilities outside of their jobs. For parents and caregivers in particular, balancing family needs and career responsibilities bring specific challenges, and we are happy to provide benefits that help manage some of those pressures.”
Programs designed to support young families
As part of Pfizer’s ‘Breakthrough Benefits’ program, the company continues to innovate to ensure a comprehensive package of benefits and services specially designed with families in mind. These include:
Parent and Caregiver Leaves: A supplemental top-up plan for maternity, parental, adoption and caregiving leaves.
Additional Vacation: Employees can take up to three (3) weeks of additional unpaid vacation each year.
Wellness Portal: Designed to help employees discover and navigate a wide range of resources in one place to support physical, mental, emotional and financial wellbeing, including:
Health & Wellness subsidy: Pfizer encourages its employees to lead an active lifestyle and improve their overall physical condition and wellness. We subsidize health and wellness-related expenses that employees incur in this pursuit, including financial wellness.
Telemedicine: Employees and their families have access free of charge to 24/7 telemedicine services with a doctor.
Mental Health Support: Employees and their families have access free of charge to an online mental health support and coaching platform to help manage stress, anxiety, and depression
And many more services…
Fertility and Hormone Therapy Drug Coverage: Pfizer’s group insurance program provides fertility and hormone therapy drug coverage, as well as access to psychological support for those going through fertility treatments.
Flex Fridays: To encourage and help maintain work life balance, Pfizer employees have the flexibility to leave work at 1:00pm every Friday throughout the year.
CAREpath: Pfizer offers the Seniors’ Care Assistance Program, connecting employees to a registered nurse dedicated to helping them understand and navigate senior care options for their family to ensure they receive the right care every time.
“Our family-friendly programs are designed to serve our employees in the moments that matter, providing flexibility to better support our colleagues’ diverse needs – whether it be time to spend with loved ones or time away to recharge,” says Laura Larbalestier, head of People Experience at Pfizer Canada. “Ensuring a healthy work-life balance for our employees, while supporting them when they need it, both professionally and personally, is an important part of the culture at Pfizer, and we are very proud of how it has resulted in high rates of workplace satisfaction and retention.”
With its Canadian head office located in Kirkland, Quebec since 1975 – and having been established in the Montreal area since 1951 – Pfizer has had a long-standing presence in the Greater Montreal area. In addition to providing a positive work environment and benefits offerings to its Montreal-based employees for over 70 years, Pfizer has also been an active and supportive member of the wider community. In 2021 alone, the company has made significant donations to front-line community organizations in Montreal, including Centraide ̸ United Way, the Canadian Red Cross, West-Island Community Shares, Breakfast Club of Canada, Fondation CHU Sainte-Justine, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Help Age Canada and Fondation Petits Frères des Pauvres, and the Montreal Children’s Hospital Foundation. Employees are also encouraged to volunteer their time with community organizations and supported in doing so.
Pfizer also has many initiatives designed to help inspire engagement among employees including peer recognition programs that reward colleagues for exceptional behaviors and contributions that exemplify the Pfizer Values.
Pfizer Canada is consistently recognized as an employer of choice, with several other noteworthy awards in the last year. In November 2021, Mediacorp named Pfizer Canada as one of Canada’s Top Employers for 2022, and subsequently named it one of Canada’s Top Employers for Young People in January 2022.
About Pfizer in Canada
Pfizer Canada ULC is the Canadian operation of Pfizer Inc., one of the world's leading biopharmaceutical companies. Our diversified healthcare portfolio includes some of the world’s best known and most prescribed medicines and vaccines. We apply science and our global resources to improve the health and well-being of Canadians at every stage of life. Our commitment is reflected in everything we do, from our disease awareness initiatives to our community partnerships. To learn more about Pfizer Canada, visit Pfizer.ca or you can follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter or YouTube.
About Canada's Top Family-Friendly Employers (2022)
Now in its 21st year, Canada's Top Family-Friendly Employers is one of the longest-running competitions within the Canada's Top 100 Employers project. This special designation recognizes the employers that do the most to help their employees balance work and family obligations. Each employer is evaluated in terms of the programs and initiatives they have to help employees balance work and family commitments. The competition looks at a wide range of HR practices, such as: maternity and parental leave; daycare assistance; paid personal- and earned-days-off (EDO) programs; flexible work arrangements; compassionate leave and elder care assistance; adoption assistance; reproductive assistance, including fertility drugs and IVF; and even academic bursaries for employees' children. Any employer with its head office or principal place of business in Canada may apply.
About Montréal’s Top Employers (2022)
This special designation recognizes the employers in Greater Montréal that lead their industries in offering exceptional places to work. Employers are evaluated by the editors of Canada's Top 100 Employers using the same eight criteria as the national competition: (1) Physical Workplace; (2) Work Atmosphere & Social; (3) Health, Financial & Family Benefits; (4) Vacation & Time Off; (5) Employee Communications; (6) Performance Management; (7) Training & Skills Development; and (8) Community Involvement. Employers are compared to other organizations in their field to determine which offer the most progressive and forward-thinking programs. Any employer with its head office or principal place of business in Greater Montreal may apply.
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For Further Information
Corporate Affairs Canada
Pfizer Canada Media Line: 1-866-9Pfizer (1 866 973-4937)
[email protected]