Focus on People Updates

UBC recognized as one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers in 2024

UBC is recognized as one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers in 2024. This designation recognizes employers across Canada with exceptional workplace diversity and inclusiveness programs.  

Three reasons why UBC is selected as one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers this year: 

  • UBC applies an inclusive lens to its benefits, recently introducing new family-friendly benefits that support all pathways to parenthood (generous coverage for fertility drugs and treatments, subsidies for surrogacy and adoption) as well as an Indigenous leave for ceremonial, cultural and spiritual events (employees who self-identify as Indigenous can request up to two paid days of leave)
  • UBC recently formed an Accessibility Committee and organized accessibility listening sessions with members of the university’s disability affinity group. UBC also established a dedicated Centre for Workplace Accessibility and hired its first accessible buildings planner, who will help develop accessibility design guidelines for new and existing campus buildings
  • UBC hosts IBPOC (Indigenous, Black and/or People of Colour) Connections to provide a space for self-identifying staff to have candid conversations, collaborate, and coordinate when appropriate.

Read more about Canada’s Best Diversity Employers awards at https://www.canadastop100.com/diversity/ 

Looking for resources or support to help you contribute to making UBC a respectful and inclusive place to work? The Equity & Inclusion Office offers resources and support to help us create a community in which human rights are respected, and equity and inclusion are embedded in all areas of life at UBC. 

Learn more about how we’re making UBC an inspiring place to work through Focus on People 2025. 

UBC recognized as one of BC’s Top Employers in 2024

UBC is recognized as one of BC’s Top Employers in 2024. 

This designation recognizes the British Columbian employers that lead as exceptional places to work – and who offer employees the most progressive and forward-thinking programs. 

Three reasons why UBC is one of BC’s Top Employers this year: 

  • Along with working at one of Canada’s most beautiful campuses, UBC employees can take advantage of the shoreline hiking trail with great views of the mountains and the surrounding Salish Sea — employees are also encouraged to keep fit with subsidized memberships to extensive onsite fitness facilities.
  • UBC supports employees through various stages of life, including top-up payments for adoptive parents and mothers-to-be, flexible work options to help employees balance personal and family commitments, and phased-in retirement work options for those in the later stages of their career.
  • UBC helps employees plan for the future with retirement planning assistance services and contributions to a unique “Target Benefit Pension Plan” that features elements of both a defined benefit and defined contribution pension plan.

UBC offers a variety of opportunities for professional development as well as creating connections with colleagues, such as through the UBC Hot Lunch initiative (monthly lunches with a senior leader who shares their personal and professional experience). 

Read more about BC’s Top Employers awards at https://www.canadastop100.com/bc 

See also: 

  • Looking to join UBC? View our careers and job postings 
  • Visit Focus on People 2025 to learn how we’re making UBC a first-choice place to learn and work.  
  • Visit UBC Today for the latest news, events, and useful dates from across UBC, curated for faculty and staff by Internal Communications.

UBC recognized as one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers in 2023

UBC is recognized as one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers in 2023. This designation recognizes employers across Canada with exceptional workplace diversity and inclusiveness programs.  

Three reasons why UBC is selected as one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers this year: 

  • UBC hosts IBPOC (Indigenous, Black and/or People of Colour) Connections to provide a space for self-identifying staff to have candid conversations, collaborate, and coordinate when appropriate.
     
  • UBC organizes a Through the Lens series of interactive workshops designed to enhance staff, faculty and community members’ understanding of diversity, while offering practical ideas for creating a more equitable and inclusive campus.
     
  • UBC recently launched a Centre for Workplace Accessibility, which aims to remove barriers, expedite accommodations and minimize the medicalization of disability by identifying resources, supports or workplace adjustments. The university also offers a centralized Workplace Accommodation Fund to cover the cost of all accommodations, which improves confidentiality for faculty with disabilities and relieves departments of financial responsibility for accommodations. 

Read more about Canada’s Best Diversity Employers awards at https://www.canadastop100.com/diversity/ 

Looking for resources or support to help you contribute to making UBC a respectful and inclusive place to work? The Equity & Inclusion Office offers resources and support to help us create a community in which human rights are respected, and equity and inclusion are embedded in all areas of life at UBC. 

Learn more about how we’re making UBC an inspiring place to work through Focus on People 2025. 

Call for nominations for the 2023 President’s Awards for Staff

Do you have a colleague who inspires you to be your best, or know a staff member who made innovative contributions to shape the future of teaching, research, or work at UBC?

To recognize and celebrate those who demonstrate outstanding achievement and excellence within the UBC community, we invite all students, faculty and staff to nominate staff for the 2023 President’s Service Award for Excellence and the President’s Staff Awards.

This year, a new category, the President’s Staff Awards for Collaborative Excellence, has been introduced to recognize collaborative achievements. This category is open for nominations of groups of two or more staff, whereas the other categories are open for nominations of individuals.

Detailed award criteria is available in the nomination package on the UBC Focus on People website. The nomination deadline is 4 pm, Friday, April 7.

Read past recipient profiles and their contributions to making UBC a great place to work, learn, and research.

Questions? Contact workplace.recognition@ubc.ca