“There’s been a lot going on for TD both in New Brunswick and nationally, our business has been experiencing record growth recently,” notes Josh Hakkenberg, TD’s Halifax-based Associate Vice President. “When we opened our Dieppe office for TD Insurance last July, the plan was to hire about 100 new colleagues. We’re up to 180 now and are still actively hiring.”
Hakkenberg says the Greater Moncton Region has impressed the company with its wealth of good bilingual talent. “I’m excited about this. I think we have quickly created what’s going to be a high-performing team here. I feel other parts of the enterprise will even look to hire from our team – this can and will be a launching pad for many peoples’ careers within TDI.”
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has meant that this team of new hires has been working remotely since being established last summer. Like many companies, TDI has become increasingly comfortable with the idea of its team working remotely. Hakkenberg says they have already recruited almost 20 employees from outside the Greater Moncton area in more remote regions of New Brunswick and are open to expanding their remote team if they continue to hear from great candidates.
Growing a Remote Workforce
Hakkenberg feels more can be done to generate awareness of TDI’s career opportunities in smaller communities across the province. “Opportunities NB’s Client Engagement Team has been essential in terms of helping us build this team in Dieppe. We all recognize, however, that more opportunity exists to recruit remote talent, particularly in the northern part of the province. The talent is here, it’s just about reaching more of them.”
Part of the challenge is that these types of roles within larger companies like TDI have not traditionally been available to people in remote parts of the province. Hakkenberg hopes that the increased focus on remote work and the growth of remote workforces across sectors will help New Brunswickers start thinking about opportunities with businesses like TDI. “It’s not just about getting a foot in the door to fill a contact centre role. Plenty of people enjoy those roles, of course, but there are opportunities beyond the contact centre space too. We’re talking to people about a career, not just a job. Our training is extensive, and our people are ultimately licensed to support clients in every province.”
Lessons Learned Thus Far
Hakkenberg acknowledges that remote workforces bring with them their own challenges, lack of face-to-face communication being chief among them. He notes, however, that growing a successful team in a remote world can still work if you stay focused on treating your people right and finding new, creative ways to keep them engaged.
“Stay in contact with your team, acknowledge your peoples’ successes, recognize them and their work in new ways, and prioritize their health and well-being. And that needs to hold long after we’re through this pandemic,” he says. “Help them focus on their physical and mental health in creative ways. We’ve launched virtual at-home fitness programs for example. Our team can now get personal training and fitness classes online, it’s excellent.”
As TDI continues to grow its team in Dieppe and elsewhere, Hakkenberg expects they will continue to learn new ways to engage staff, improve communications, and find even more talent. “It’s a busy time for us, no doubt. We need more people, we need better awareness of our roles and the remote opportunities we can offer, and we need to keep up with booming customer interest. But we’re not complaining, these are all good problems to have.”
Learn more about roles with TD at https://jobs.td.com/en-CA/
