Over the past 10 years, the human resources team at College of the North Atlantic (CNA) has been focusing on continuous improvement and progressive and proactive change.
As a result, there have been the development of new and innovative programs, flexible work arrangements, modernized systems, and a culture of listening that has steadily reshaped what it means to work at CNA. Last year, that ongoing work earned Canadian HR Awards recognition celebrating the college among Canada's top employers for flexible work strategies.
“This recognition speaks to the incredible work of our HR team and to our willingness to be progressive and proactive with forward thinking changes,” said Deidre Dunne, Associate Vice-President of Human Resources. “We are passionate about finding better ways to support our employees. That might mean new programs, new approaches, or just being creative and rethinking how we do things.”
This award acknowledges CNA’s range of flexible work arrangements, including part-time and full-time telework, compressed workweeks, and flex-time, designed to support as many employees as possible in ways that align with their roles. And the team continues working to explore meaningful approaches that protect work-life balance and support employee well-being where flexibility cannot take the same form.
That people-first mindset is rooted in continuous improvement. CNA’s HR team regularly reviews its practices, listens to employee feedback, and works collaboratively across the college to identify opportunities for change as part of everyday operations.
“We are always asking ‘how can we make work better’?” Dunne said. “How can we improve processes, and create an environment where employees feel valued and empowered to do their best work? We are committed to listening, adapting, and supporting our employees. We gather employee feedback through regular surveys, structured focus groups, and direct engagement.”
Dunne noted her team works closely with the college’s Lean Centre of Excellence, adding, “They are basically on speed dial. They partner with us on a regular basis when we have new and innovative ideas. They also help us find efficiencies, improve processes, as well as support us with implementation of new programs so we can set them up for success.”
This approach has helped foster a strong workplace culture. More than 90 per cent of CNA employees say they would recommend the college as a great place to work, citing supportive leadership and a healthy work-life balance.
“Establishing programs like this supports our employee recruitment and retention efforts,” Dunne added. “They also improve the employee experience and support a positive culture.”
That culture is strengthened through a wide range of employee-focused initiatives, including wellness programming and respectful workplace supports, as well as professional development opportunities, modernized recruitment platforms, and a HR Service Centre that is a one-stop shop for questions.
Dunne said the college will continue to evolve as a workplace, exploring new ideas, expanding supports, and working closely with employees across all campuses and roles to shape what comes next.
For more information about working at CNA, including current job opportunities and employee supports, visit
www.cna.nl.ca/careers.
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Media Contact
Ryan Crocker
Manager of Communications
P: (709) 699-8981
E:
ryan.crocker@cna.nl.ca