Q Our company is owned by another company that’s not based in Ottawa. Can we still participate?
AYes! You can participate if you have 15 or more full- and/or part-time employees working in Ottawa.
QOur parent company owns multiple companies in Ottawa. Do I need to register each one separately?
AIf each company has its own Business Number (BN) and 15 or more full- and/or part-time employees working in Ottawa, the answer is yes. We will treat each one as its own employer and survey them individually.
If each facility/office operates under the same Business Number and same set of employee benefits and procedures, the answer is no. You can submit a single registration for all locations. Click here to find an exception for hotels .
QWe have employees that work in Ottawa but not in a physical office. Can we still participate?
AIf your employees work in and have a mailing address in Ottawa, you can participate.
QWe have employees that work for our Ottawa operation but most of their work isn’t done in Ottawa. Are they eligible?
AAny remote employees are only eligible if they directly report into someone who works in Ottawa.
QOur company has associates who are our employees, but they work for other companies. Are we still eligible?
AYou are eligible, but only the employees working in-house can be surveyed. You have to have at least 15 in-house employees.
QIs there a minimum number of employees who must complete the surveys?
AWe look for a response rate of at least 40% (unless you are a company of 15-24 employees, in which case you must reach 80%), so not everyone has to complete a survey. However, your company will get the most out of this process if you work to get as many surveys returned as possible.
QWhen do we receive reports, and what can we expect to be included?
ASoon after companies have been notified whether they made the list or not, reports will be sent out. In them, you will see various levels of data, complete with charts and graphs. You’ll also get employee comments and benchmark reports that help you compare yourself to other companies.
QWhat happens after registration?
AWe’ll send you a welcome email, plus a packet with various dates and information you need to know.
QHow do you determine which companies make the list?
ATwenty percent (20%) of your score comes from your Employer Assessment. The remaining 80% comes from your Employee Feedback Surveys.
QWe have employees in different provinces. Do those employees get surveyed?
AOnly employees working in Ottawa or reporting directly to someone working in Ottawa will be surveyed.
QWill you survey seasonal, temporary, per diem, or independent contractor employees?
ANo. Do not include these employees in the process.
QWill all of our employees get surveys?
AIf your company has 300 or fewer eligible employees, then they will all be surveyed. If you have more than 300, a random sample will receive surveys. If you’ve chosen the online method, we will select the random sample.
QWill managers be surveyed?
AAll eligible managers, leaders, and executives should be included in the process, as they have valuable opinions and viewpoints.
QHow long does it take to fill out the survey?
AWe’ve done everything we can to make sure our surveys aren’t too time-consuming. Most employees can complete it in 10-15 minutes.
QHow involved is the Employer Assessment? Does it take a lot of time or research to complete?
AThe questionnaire asks about your policies, practices, and demographics. We estimate it’ll take about an hour to complete, depending on how easy it is to access the information we ask for. You can always look at the sample we provide ahead of time.
QWhat is the online survey process like?
AWe will ask you to send us a list of employee email addresses. Then, each employee will get a unique link to the survey via email. It’s as easy as that.
QWe want to do the online survey process, but what if some of our employees don’t have email addresses?
AIf at least 60% of your employees have an email address, we can provide passcodes for the rest of them. If less than 60% of your employees have an email address, please contact us.
QCan we customize the roles and departments on the survey?
AYes! There is an associated cost, but you can work with one of our specialists to make sure you’re including roles and departments that make the most sense for your company.
QNot all of our employees speak English or French. Do you offer surveys in other languages?
AFor a cost of Can$250 per language, we will translate the surveys for you.
QHow will I keep track of things throughout the process? Will I get updates?
AYes! You will get regular updates throughout the process. We’ve also outlined the process on the Important Dates tab and in the packet you’ll receive after registration.
QWhen do we find out if we’ve made the list?
You will get a notification letting you know if your company has made the list or not. Rankings will be unveiled shortly after you are notified.
QIs there any way to see what the survey is like before we officially register?
Yes! Click here to find samples of the surveys.
QWhat is your confidentiality policy?
Confidentiality and anonymity are of the utmost importance to us. You can see our Statement of Confidentiality here.
QWhat do we get out of this process if we don’t make the list?
There are a limited number of spots on the best places list. But if you don’t make it, you still get an Employee Feedback Data Dashboard package that provides valuable information you can use to improve and try to make the list next year. We don’t release names of companies who don’t make the list.
QHow many participants do you have on a yearly basis?
Unfortunately, we don’t release this information due to our confidentiality standards.
QIf I still have questions, who can I reach out to?
Please reach out to one of our program managers at
