Ontario Power Generation: award-winning efforts recognized.

• Author: Stewart, Nick
• Position: BEST PLACES TO WORK

With Northern Ontario seeing the bulk of the province's efforts to ramp up hydroelectric energy, Ontario Power Generation (OPG) is plugging in to the needs of its staff and area communities alike.

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Its hydroelectric workforce of 570 is scattered through Timmins, Thunder Bay and the Far North. That number set to grow as $2.6 billion is being spent to build up an extra 440 megawatts of generation capacity on the Lower Mattagami River 70 kilometres northeast of Kapuskasing.

"The most successful teams are the ones that put their players with the best strengths in the right positions and adjust their team as time goes by" says John Murphy, OPG's executive vice-president.

Part of that mandate involves bringing more First Nations into the workforce, particularly in the North.

Working closely with local groups and communities, OPG identifies what skill development would be required for First Nations members to obtain jobs in the company. It then helps to make that development possible through measures such as scholarship programs to help offset educational costs.

Once hired, those individuals are provided with a range of support options.

This includes a company-wide networking forum where self-identified Aboriginal staff can assemble to share their individual successes and highlight opportunities.

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Through the company's director of aboriginal affairs, staff is provided with an education of the history of First Nations, the evolution of their rights so as to understand the history of past grievances and the real opportunity for economic partnerships with communities.

National Aboriginal Day is also celebrated across the company, with numerous opportunities to participate in "the richness of the culture," says Murphy

Helping employees to grow and reach their maximum potential is the true measure of whether a company is in tune with its workforce, says Murphy, who adds that it is something OPG holds dear.

With a sprawling province-wide workforce of 12,000, it can be a challenge to be mindful of each worker's needs.

As such, the key role of supervisors is to communicate with staff and determine what venue of professional development they may wish to pursue. Employees are kept informed on OPG's activities, allowing them to identify areas or different kinds of work they may be interested in trying.

They are given rotational opportunities and temporary assignments to...