In April 2019, First National was recognized once again as one of Canada’s Great Places to Work. This distinguished designation is both an honour and a validation. We are certainly proud of the external recognition for a second year in a row, but
internally, we view the acknowledgment as an affirmation of what every single employee commits to every single day.
Our culture.
Our culture is what truly makes us great. And a vibrant culture can only exist, flourish and swell
when vibrant people embrace, cultivate and shepherd it.
At many organizations, culture is a concept. It’s an intangible idea that exists on a piece of paper. At First National, culture is a way of being, acting, showing up,
servicing, respecting, listening, hearing, communicating, encouraging and envisioning. It permeates everything that we do – whom we hire, how we treat each other, how we nurture our partnerships and how we care for our customers.
While culture is often perceived as a collective force, its true power at First National emanates from the individual connection and interpretation that each employee has to it and of it.
There is no better way to explain or describe
what culture means at First National than to hear from the individuals responsible for creating, nurturing, growing, enlivening and embodying it.
“Everyone at First National is friendly, encouraging and accepting. Everyone cares for each other and helps each other to achieve individual goals, which results in achieving the company’s goals overall.”
“The culture in our office is very helpful, from our funder, to our fulfillment specialist and all the way up to my team manager and our branch director. There definitely isn’t an “i” in team when it comes to First National. I am grateful that I work for a company with such a strong culture, which makes coming to work everyday a treat.”
“The elevators open and shut. The phones ring, and the computers hum. Faxes are faxed and e-mails are read. This could be any office, on any day, in any place, but at 100 University Avenue, there is something different happening. There is purpose. There is pride. At First National, we don’t just punch in at 8:30am and duck out at 5:00pm. We commit to excellence 24/7. Our culture is commitment. We accomplish because we care.”
“Recently I learned that First National surpassed the $100 billion mark. Selling $100 billion worth of anything means that you’re doing something right. It means that you pay detailed attention to customer service. It means that people like you. When the company is liked, the employees like the company. I'm happy that First National recognizes each person's contribution to the company.”
“First National is supportive. Every department and team has strong, experienced managers who are essential in enhancing employee performance. That support creates a positive and open atmosphere to ask questions, work through challenges and constantly learn, which helps me achieve the highest potential in my role. First National has helped me love what I do, and this positivity translates into the work that I do and service that I provide every day.”
“First National is unique in that its workplace culture is a mosaic of the people within its corridors. From all walks of life and all corners of the globe, First National’s core values of service excellence, teamwork and drive unite us all.”
“First National’s culture facilitates an open environment, where collaboration and ideas can spread from an administrator to the c-suite. Employees are treated as individuals, encouraged by their managers to thrive, grow and achieve success.”
Those sentiments, ideas and interpretations are based on individual experiences. But there are definite commonalities. Regardless of the role or responsibility, every person that brings his or her passion and expresses his or her purpose at First
National treasures our culture, protects it and contributes enthusiastically to its evolution.
That is really why First National is such a great place to work.