When it seemed just too much for Alexis Sels, her Distributel Communications Limited colleagues stepped up to help her through the perils of the pandemic, dealing with a new job and striking a healthy work-life balance.
“There have been times during the pandemic when I felt overwhelmed. Between working from home and taking care of my children it could be very difficult,” says Sels, a product manager. “I was very stressed trying to figure out how I was going to balance working and supporting my family.
“My Distributel team stepped in and helped take things off my plate, helped prioritize my workload and really provided support and let me know I wasn’t alone.”
With headquarters in Toronto, Distributel is a national communications provider offering a wide range of consumer, business and wholesale communications services. The company offers high speed internet, TV and mobile and home phone products.
Distributel recently acquired Primus Communications, the company that Sels worked for. She found Distributel went the extra mile to make her feel at home, whether it was adjusting to new responsibilities or connecting her with her fellow employees in innovative ways.
From the fun activities on the break time channel on Microsoft Teams, to reminders to take time-outs throughout the day, the company’s people and culture group helps remind employees like Sels to recharge their mental batteries.
“We provide opportunities for people to socialize despite the fact that we’re largely working from home, and we encourage employees to take regular breaks because we really care about one another,” says Isabelle Leger, director, people and culture.
“Work-life balance is really something we believe in. Teamwork and collaboration are deeply embedded in our corporate DNA.”
Open, honest communications are key to creating a culture where employees not only feel heard but celebrated. A highlight of every virtual town hall meeting is the employee recognition spotlight, which acknowledges an employee’s achievements and also gives others a sense of the different roles they play in a diverse company that employs technicians, salespeople, customer support and others.
Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Distributel continues to engage with the communities it operates in and to get involved in charitable works. The holiday toy drive is a highlight for Sels.
“It’s kind of like playing Santa, which is nice. It’s so great to be able to give back to the community,” Sels says. Distributel is also powered by the flow of communications between employees and management. Staff are encouraged to contribute their ideas and challenge the status quo. A spirit of openness and collaboration defines the company’s collegial, cooperative corporate culture.
There are biweekly managers meetings, monthly corporate and divisional virtual town halls, and small-team and full-company interactive channels in Teams – all encourage two-way dialogue and open communication, allowing team members to feel heard and supported every day.
“We foster a culture of transparency. We want to hear from our employees – bring it on!” says Leger. “Ours is a culture of trust where we give employees a voice knowing that they’re being heard.”
