Assiniboine is again honoured to have been named one of Manitoba’s Top 20 Employers for 2009 in recognition of our progressive employment policies and practices. This is not the first employer award ACU has won – for the past three years ACU has been one of Maclean’s Top 100 Employers in Canada. And in the past two years ACU was a recipient of two other Manitoba employer awards – Manitoba’s Top 10 Employers for 2007 and Manitoba’s Top 15 Employers for 2008.

“The recognition is very gratifying to us as an employer” says Val Breakenridge, Vice President of Human Resources. “Whether we receive internal validation from our staff or through external awards, we value the recognition. It shows we’re on the right track, helps us attract quality employees, and goes a long way toward boosting employee morale.”

In addition to the top employer awards, last year Assiniboine was chosen by the Human Resources Management Association of Manitoba for their gold award for Excellence in Leadership.

All this has come as Assiniboine has gone through a major merger with Astra and Vantis Credit Unions, and a year later with Buffalo Credit Union. Now, with over 100,000 members and 550 employees, Assiniboine Credit Union continues to enjoy the benefits of member and employee engagement.

“The more engaged our employees are, the better ACU is likely to do in achieving its goals and objectives,” says Breakenridge. “If we can create a workplace environment where employees are engaged, we’re already ahead of the competition.”

Assiniboine regularly surveys employees, and holds focus groups and staff meetings around the co-op’s strategic and operational plans.