Integris Credit Union

Number of employees: 172
Head office: Prince George
Quote: “There is no ‘us and them.’ We are kept well-informed about the direction and growth of the company. We know what part we play and how we contribute to the growth”

If my company were a celebrity, it would be:  OPRAH WINFREY
“She started out in a small, poor community and slowly built up her life and an empire. She helps out the community and people really matter to her”

Integris CEO Brian Bentley reportedly knows all 172 employees in five cities by name, making the slogan “People before profits” a good fit for the credit union. Survey respondents were more likely to mention the company’s compassion and community involvement than its generous compensation package (Integris aims to provide wages and benefits that rank in the top 75 per cent in the industry).

“When [management] saw the economic downturn coming, they rewrote their lending policy to allow members to skip up to four payments a year,” raved one respondent. Perks at Integris include two free banking packages, a “staff appreciation” vacation day and the Fit for Life wellness program, in which employees earn credit, and later cash, for such accomplishments as eating 30 grams of fibre a day or being a designated driver. Strangely, no one remembered to mention that Integris brings someone in to give chair massages. They must all have been too relaxed.