Sep 15th, 2021

News Release – FINALIST Ottawa Community Housing Corporation Proud To Be Recognized Among Industry Leaders in Canada

[cmsms_row][cmsms_column data_width=”1/1″][cmsms_text]

(Ottawa, ON) September 15, 2021 – Ottawa Community Housing Corporation is proud to announce it was named a finalist for two Canadian HR Awards 2021, one for ‘UKG Award for Best Workplace Culture’ and the second for ‘Canadian HR Team of the Year’ (in the fewer than 500 employees category). The awards were presented on September 15, 2021, during a virtual ceremony. 

The ‘UKG Award for Best Workplace Culture’ award is presented to companies in recognition of the character and personality of the organization – particularly its values, traditions, beliefs, interactions, behaviors and attitudes. 

 Our desired culture is grounded in our strategic goal of fostering a culture of leadership, accountability, and continuous improvement and reflected in our culture statements “We are proud, because every day we make a difference. We work as if it’s our own community. We strive towards the future. We make every moment count.” 

 The second category, the ‘Canadian HR Team of the Year (fewer than 500 employees)’ 

recognizes the most outstanding HR team who has excelled by partnering with different business functions while focusing on collaboration 

 Designed to further support the health, safety and wellbeing of our employees and in an effort to obtain employee feedback from a “grass-roots” approach, in 2020, OCHC launched a Wellness Committee – a cross-functional group of employees led by HR, that focuses on promoting positive physical and psychological well-being to employees through programs, activities, initiatives and peer support.  The Committee, made up of employees across all levels of the corporation, collaborates on a monthly basis to discuss challenges and opportunities regarding the wellness culture at OCHC. 

The Canadian HR Awards are a platform on which HR professionals, teams, leaders, and employers are recognized for their significant work and achievements. The Awards welcomes hundreds of the foremost HR professionals and key executives from top organizations across Canada. 

Ottawa Community Housing Corporation is honoured to be recognized alongside many great organizations across Canada takes and we great pride in the awards it receives. We build on the strengths of our culture to serve our employees and our mission. Our employees are passionate and work hard every day, to make a difference and improve the lives of tenants in the communities we serve.  

Quotes 

“This recognition proves what a wonderful, innovative and resilient team we have. I am so proud that OCHC staff are being recognized nationally.”  

– Stéphane Giguère, Chief Executive Officer, OCHC  

“As an organization, we are doing exciting, grassroots work to ensure our workforce reflects the diverse communities we serve. These awards are a sign that we are headed in the right direction.”  

– Shaun Simms, Vice-President, People Culture and Communications, OCHC 

 Quick facts 

• OCHC has a low turnover rate, it is clear our employees have chosen to make a career here.  

• OCHC has a formalized multi-year Diversity and Inclusion Plan. Given the diverse population of tenants, it is critical that the organization reflect the communities we serve.  
• Designed to further support the health, safety, and wellbeing of our employees and to obtain employee feedback from a “grass-roots” approach, in 2020, OCHC launched a Wellness Committee – a cross-functional group of employees led by HR, that focuses on promoting positive physical and psychological well-being to employees through programs, activities, initiatives and peer support. 
• Comprehensive review and renewal of OCHC’s Hiring Policy, eliminating any barriers to inclusion 
• OCHC has established a Summer Student Program and participates in the Youth Futures Program in support of youth. 
• OCHC has established a partnership with Algonquin College and La Cité for Maintenance Worker placement and recruitment opportunities.

About OCHC: 
Ottawa Community Housing Corporation (OCHC) provides approximately 15,000 homes to about 32,000 tenants, including seniors, parents, children, couples, singles and persons with special needs, within many communities across the City of Ottawa. OCHC houses a diverse population of varying languages, ethnicity and cultures. OCHC is the largest social housing provider in Ottawa, managing two-thirds of the City’s social housing portfolio, and is the second-largest in Ontario. OCHC was selected as one of the National Capital Region’s Top Employers in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021.  www.och-lco.ca | Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram    

Media Contact: 
Jennifer McIntosh
Communications
media@och.ca
613-914-9953 

[/cmsms_text][/cmsms_column][/cmsms_row]