Toronto's top employers for 2022 have been announced

New year, new you, new job at one of the best-rated places to work in Toronto?

If you're considering a career change in the near future, you may want to take a gander at Mediacorp's 16th annual list of Greater Toronto's Top Employers, a compendium of companies deemed highly progressive in terms of human resources heading into 2022.

"The pandemic may have changed how we work over the past 18 months — hello Zoom — but it's also given employers a new opportunity to build stronger, better organizations," reads an introduction to the 16th annual list of 100 employers as published earlier this month.

"These organizations have shown resiliency and adaptability in challenging times. While there is still uncertainty about what work will look like in the near future, the best are listening to what their people want and having conversations about working differently than in the past."

This year's list spans a wide range of industries, from tech and media to health and education, but the companies all share a commitment to helping employees thrive with incentives such as generous wellness spending accounts, home buying supports, fully-paid parental leave and unlimited sick days.

🎉 So thrilled to share we have been selected as a GTA Top Employer for 2022 by @top_employers. 👏🏿 We are committed to creating a safe workplace for our staff to thrive & feel supported. #GTATopEmployers #TopEmployers2022https://t.co/quRCkSuDIx pic.twitter.com/TWWRSX3m2j

— YWCA Toronto (@YWCAToronto) December 6, 2021

While Toronto-area employers have long ranked among the best in Canada thanks to the large number of corporate head offices here, local companies are now finding themselves competing for talent with firms from all over the world thanks to an explosion of remote work opportunities.

"With the pandemic's arrival, candidates with in-demand skills — such as software or other technology areas — suddenly found themselves being recruited by employers based far beyond the GTA," said Mediacorp when publishing this year's top 100 list.

Employers have subsequently had to step up their benefits packages and other perks in order to attract or even retain top talent — and I'm talking well beyond a standard stipend for purchasing work-from-home office supplies.

"The past two years of lockdowns and working from home have made GTA employers take stock of their employment benefits, especially in health and wellness, and improve their offerings," said Kristina Leung, Senior Editor of the Canada's Top 100 Employers project.

"The result is that our entire GTA applicant pool has become much stronger — employers increasingly view these programs as essential to the operation of their business."

Congratulations to Panasonic Canada on, once again, being named a Greater Toronto Area Top Employer for 2022! We are so proud of all our employees for their dedication to each other, our culture, and the community. #LifeAtPanasonic #GTATopEmployers https://t.co/YWGPHTrEAH pic.twitter.com/cWpQjCEfAy

— Panasonic North America (@PanasonicNA) December 3, 2021

Wellness programs are only part of what factors into the list; however, Mediacorp evaluates employers on eight criteria that have remained consistent since the report's inception in 1999.

They are Physical Workplace; Work Atmosphere & Social; Health, Financial & Family Benefits; Vacation & Time-Off; Employee Communications; Performance Management; Training & Skills Development; and Community Involvement.

You can click on each individual company's name here to find out what they did to make the exclusive top 100 list.

AstraZeneca Canada, for instance, offers $6,000 to employees for job-related educational courses and professional development, as well as temporary international assignments and 100 per cent parental leave for both mothers and fathers up to 17 weeks.

Freshbooks has implemented "no-meeting Fridays" and half days, Corus doles out $5,000 donations to charities nominated by employees, and BDO Canada gives all employees 25 days off per year for vacation, illness or personal matters.