Alberta's Top Employers is a competition that recognizes the best workplaces in Alberta. Published annually since October 2005, the designation recognizes the Alberta employers that lead their peers in providing exemplary employee benefits and forward-thinking human resource programs. The winners are chosen by the editors of Canada's Top 100 Employers

Canada's Top 100 Employers

Canada's Top 100 Employers is an annual competition that recognizes the best places in Canada to work. First held in 1999, the project aims to single out the employers that lead their industries in offering exceptional working conditions and progressive human resources policies. Winners are...

 and announced in editorial features published annually by the Calgary Herald

Calgary Herald

The Calgary Herald is a daily newspaper published in the Canadian city of Calgary, Alberta.- History :The paper was first published on August 31, 1883 by Andrew Armour and Thomas Braden as The Calgary Herald, Mining and Ranche Advocate and General Advertiser. It started as a weekly paper with only...

 and the Edmonton Journal

Edmonton Journal

The Edmonton Journal is a daily newspaper in Edmonton, Alberta. It is part of the Postmedia Network.-History:The Journal was founded in 1903 by three local businessmen — John Macpherson, Arthur Moore and J.W. Cunningham — as a rival to Alberta's first newspaper, the 23-year-old...

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Applicants for the award are compared to other employers in their industry, using eight main criteria: (1) Physical Workplace; (2) Work Atmosphere & Social; (3) Health, Financial & Family Benefits; (4) Vacation & Time Off; (5) Employee Communications; (6) Performance Management; (7) Training & Skills Development; and (8) Community Involvement. The winning employers are the ones that offer the most progressive and forward-thinking programs. An academic advisory board, composed of four distinguished professors from across Canada, oversee the competition's selection criteria each year.

Any employer with its head office or principal place of business in Alberta may apply to be considered for the award, which is made for one calendar year. The competition is open to public-sector and private-sector employers alike.