Over the last three years, our company, industry and the energy landscape in which we operate have undergone tremendous change. To enable us to adapt, compete and achieve our growth strategy, Enbridge undertook an enterprise-wide reorganization in 2016 that resulted in a reduction of about five percent of our overall workforce. The combination of Enbridge and Spectra Energy in early 2017 and need to minimize overlap and duplication in certain functions across the combined company resulted in further workforce reductions of approximately five percent.
At all times, we have treated our people with respect and dignity, providing support both to those who have left our company and those who remain. We have implemented comprehensive change management plans to assist with transitions and post-merger stabilization initiatives. Employees who were laid off received severance packages that exceeded legislated minimum notice periods and included outplacement assistance, as well as employee and family assistance programs.
Our Wellness Program supports employees’ well-being by providing tools and resources to help them improve their physical, mental and financial health. Employees access the program through an online portal where they complete activities and participate in challenges and can earn financial incentives.
In 2017, Enbridge was named one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers for the fourth year in a row.
There are moments when a company must act directly and decisively to create a healthier workplace. For our natural gas utility Union Gas in Ontario, such a moment came in 2013 when it launched its Open Minds Program to support the mental health and well being of its employees.
A driving force behind the program are the facts about mental health. The Mental Health Commission of Canada estimates that one in five Canadians will personally experience a mental health problem or illness in their lifetime, and the World Health Organization predicts that by 2020, mental disorders will be the number two cause of disability worldwide.
The Open Minds Program is designed to eliminate stereotypes, myths, negative attitudes and stigma that can be associated with mental disorders. Studies show that when you create awareness about mental disorders, people will feel more comfortable with seeking help early. So, through Open Minds, Union Gas is providing education for all employees and leaders on mental disorders, the impact of stigma in the workplace and available resources to support employees who are in need of help.
Union Gas’s ultimate goal is a simple one—to create an environment where people feel safe and comfortable enough to approach a leader or co-worker to talk about mental health and to seek help if they need it.
