Scotiabank named a 'Great Place to Work'

Scotiabank Trinidad and Tobago has been recognised as one of the best workplaces in the Caribbean and Central America for 2021 by Great Place to Work – the global authority which assesses organisations' work culture from an employees' perspective.

This year’s awards, said a release from the bank on Monday, were given to companies who were able maintain an environment and culture of trust and sound practices to overcome the challenges brought on by the pandemic.

“Despite the challenging year we’ve all experienced, we are proud to continue being one of the best workplaces across our Central America and the Caribbean footprint," said Anya Schnoor, executive vice president of Scotiabank in the region.

"Guided by our purpose: for every future, we are committed to being an employer of choice in the communities we serve. Furthermore, this recognition is a testament to Scotia Bank's' resiliency and solidarity to support our customers, communities and each other in these unprecedented times."

Stephen Bagnarol, senior VP and managing director, Scotiabank TT Ltd, commented: “This award is employee-driven and gives a representation of the bank from the employee perspective. Last year we placed in the 25th position, so to move to 13th this year is an incredible accomplishment.

"This shows that the improvements we have made and decisive action taken for the benefit of employees have been well received.”

Incoming Scotiabank TT senior VP and managing director Gayle Pazos, who assumes office on May 1, said, “Our employees are our most valuable asset and we continue to invest in them. Their success is our success. We strive to create a safe and inclusive culture where every employee is enabled to reach their full potential and all individuals are respected for who they are.”

Scotiabank’s employee focus includes:

* Fostering employee wellness, health and safety – supporting employees’ total well-being, particularly during the pandemic. Eighty per cent of its local employees were equipped with work-from-home capability. Additionally, initiatives have been introduced focusing on mental health and wellness.

* Investing in talent development – evolving the learning experience for employees with new virtual training platforms and programmes.

* Championing diversity and inclusion – advancing gender equity in the workplace, enabling an inclusive environment for employees with disabilities and promoting all-encompassing policies for all employees regardless of differences.

Scotiabank also placed on the lists of Best Workplaces in Canada, Jamaica, Central America, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Uruguay, and Panama for 2021.