RBC uses three very training, coaching and development straightforward, yet meaningful, words to highlight its relationship with its employees: Career, Community and Connection. And as Canada’s biggest bank and one of its largest employers, it can deliver on these three pillars like few other companies can.
“It’s a very large organization but when you get connected, it can feel like a village,” says Jenny Poulos, Senior Vice-President, Personal and Commercial Banking Human Resources and RBC Recruitment. In fact, whatever you want to do at RBC in terms of your career, involvement in the community, or connecting with fellow employees, there’s bound to be a program or support for you. “The flexibility and options that RBC offers are vast,” agrees Poulos.
It's a very large organization but when you get connected, it can feel like a village. - Jenny Poulos, Senior VP, Personal and Commercial Banking HR and RBC Recruitment
Just ask Dana Drover, who became the manager of a leading RBC branch in downtown St. John’s, Newfoundland, only five years after joining the bank straight out of university. “They set people up for success right from the get-go,” she says. Which makes her rise all the more impressive. “It was pretty fast, but more and more you see that happening,” Drover says. “People are moving through the continuum of their training at a quicker pace. It speaks to how supported they feel and how RBC enables individuals to reach their career potential.”
So tick “Career,” as Drover continues to discuss her path for growth with her current mentors and coaches. What about “Connection?”
As a member of the screen-savvy millennial generation, Drover embraces RBC Connect, the bank’s internal social networking and collaboration platform for employees to interact online, whether locally or globally. She is also a member of the NextGen employee resource group, where she can reach out to her peers under 40 for mentorship or coaching, again often electronically. “I feel very well connected,” says Drover.
As for “Community”, Drover notes that “not a week goes by where there’s not something posted on Connect” about a Newfoundland and Labrador RBC branch doing something in the community. Her team supports several local causes including the Janeway Children’s Health and Rehabilitation Centre. “Throughout the year, we’re fundraising at the branch, and then we join in the annual Janeway telethon to present our donation and help answer the phones,” she says. To Poulos, Drover’s experiences are replicated across the bank. “This is where you see the energy of RBC come alive,” she says. “There is a collective sense that working for RBC is about making a difference. You see that your contributions matter, and people feel proud to do what they do for clients and communities and each other. That runs right through the organization.”
In terms of growth, Drover may one day be able to participate in two relatively new initiatives that Poulos is a proponent of. Women in Leadership is designed to develop high-potential, non-executive women from across the bank by mentoring them and assessing the opportunities and experience they need to move up. Meanwhile, the Executive Women’s Peer Network brings together women in more senior roles for learning and networking. At any level, Drover says, there is tremendous support at RBC for employee development. “I think they really, invest in the people they hire.”
