Case Study

Since its creation in 1999, Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) has been named among Manitoba's Top Employers each year since 2009, has been noted as one of Canada's Top 100 Employers since 2013, and has most recently featured in Canada's Top Employers for Young People. That headline-grabbing success hasn't happened by accident, however.

"For a lot of people, APTN is like a second family because it's where you spend most of your time during the day," explains Monika Ille, APTN's executive director of programming and scheduling. "You see less of your husband or wife and your kids than you do your work colleagues, so APTN really makes a work environment that's pleasant, that's comfortable."

Although some companies may reward their employees with financial bonuses, APTN takes a more holistic position, which includes creating a healthy work environment, encouraging personal advancement, and ensuring that all staff feel a part of the organization and can take pride in its accomplishments.

Upon receiving its national broadcast license in 1999, APTN became the world's first national Indigenous broadcaster. With its head office in Winnipeg and satellite offices across the country, APTN today has more than 11 million Canadian TV subscribers and directly employs more than 120 full-time staff.

Ille began with APTN in 2003. "I've been here 15 years," she says. "I've never stayed at a place as long as here, but I'm staying because, professionally, I'm very satisfied, it's fulfilling, and I'm giving back to my community. I feel like I'm bringing my community to a better way of life as well."

Part of APTN's approach is to not merely encourage their staff to make a difference in the community but to make it easy for them to do so. "If you want to be a volunteer for an Indigenous organization or for an event that has to do with Indigenous Peoples, APTN will automatically say, 'Yeah, do it!'" Ille says. "You don't have to take a vacation day; you get paid to do it. That's important too. You want people to be involved and give back to their community, so we highly support that."

Although Indigenous status is not a requirement to work at APTN, 65% of the company's staff are Indigenous. "As an Indigenous person, you can work somewhere else and you feel a bit out of it," Ille admits. "Sometimes you can't really relate, but even the non-Indigenous people that work here do relate to the Indigenous culture and way of doing things, and I just feel people are happy. A lot of people stay for a long time."

APTN is big on recognizing people's potential, and staff are encouraged to grow by participating in mentoring opportunities and ongoing training. That investment in personnel can be a financial gamble, but it's one that has worked for APTN and is reflected in their high employee retention rate.

"We do train a lot of people, and sometimes they leave, but that's fine," Ille says. "We don't take it personally. Hey, if you've got an opportunity elsewhere, go for it. If we were able to give you the skills needed to do it, fine. We'll go and train somebody else, and for us it's very important. We will cut other budget-line items before we cut our training plan."

A couple of years ago, APTN introduced peer-to-peer recognition within the company. "You notice that someone you work with went beyond their job description, so you send a little note that goes in their file that just says, 'Hey, I really appreciated what you did,'" Ille explains. "Then they get a little gift. It's cute; it could be a pencil, it could be a cup, it could be a chocolate. ... It's just a little recognition, and when people get it, they're just so happy."

Questions:

What additional benefits would you recommend that APTN offer employees? Why?