Long-term careers are the goal at the WCB of Manitoba

If you were looking for proof that the Workers Compensation Board of Manitoba (WCB) knows how to keep employees happy, you only need to talk to Sarah Kekkonen, supervisor of document management. She began her career there after high school on just a two-week term to relabel files.

“I started in our records department, and I’ve had about 12 different positions in my career, so they’ve offered a lot of room to expand and learn new skill sets,” she says. “Twenty-four years later I’m still here!"

“They have a great benefit package,” Kekkonen says, “which helps me afford to raise my children. Wages are fair and competitive. They offer professional development and educational reimbursement, so they’ll create learning plans, and you can reach your career goals in the organization.”

Career planning is a major reason why people like Kekkonen end up having such long careers at the WCB, says Brad Janzen, vice president of legal, compliance and corporate services.

Employees are encouraged to consider all the opportunities available through training and development programs and in regular meetings with team leaders. “The more important part,” Janzen says, “is what career training you need to be successful in your job, and also what’s your career path?”

“‘How do I develop the skills and competencies to progress on my career journey?’ That’s a conversation we have every year with our employees.”

In her new role as supervisor in the records department where she started her career, Kekkonen says, “my goal is to recognize the qualities that my team has and to nurture them. So, if I see that they might be a good fit in another department, I might bring it up and see if that’s a career goal they might like and work with them to get that goal.

“I’ve taken advantage of that many times myself to see where I wanted my career path to go here.”

Engaging with the community is another way the WCB fosters a relationship with the people it serves, like an Amazing Race fundraiser that sent staff out to discover the work several United Way agencies were doing in Winnipeg. Janzen says that outreach like this is reciprocal, as staff at the agencies were able to learn what the WCB offers its clients.

“Our slogan is, ‘If you’re hurt at work, we’re here to help,’” he says. “For most of our young staff at the organization, it’s about them understanding our core function behind that idea. How do we reach out to individuals who have been hurt at work and get them back to their regular work? When we can focus on that, it engages staff with the mission and value of what we do.”

“I was privileged and honoured to be seconded to work at the United Way last year,” Kekkonen recalls. “I worked for a 14-week term, and I got to see how the United Way impacts Winnipeg as a community, and how those funds raised by the WCB impact Winnipeg on the other side of that. It was a fantastic opportunity.”

She says of the WCB: “It’s an excellent place to work and an excellent place to build a community and culture.”

This article appeared in the magazine announcing the winners of this year's Manitoba's Top Employers competition, published March 11, 2025 in the Winnipeg Free Press. This article was prepared with the financial support of the employer, who did not write or review the content.