Best Companies To Work For In BC

I just received my December issue of BC Business magazine. This is the issue where they tell which companies are the best to work for. You would think in high tech British Colombia the best employers are high tech firms like EA Canada (headquartered in Burnaby) or Sierra Wireless (headquartered in Richmond). Not on your life. The best company to work for in BC is a company that makes boxes. This was followed by a company that removes junk (they were #1 last year).

The Great Little Box Company is anything but little. There has been five major warehouse expansions since the company’s founding in 1982. In early 2005, Great Little Box Company purchased 10 acres of property on Mitchell Island in Richmond. The facility measures 250,000 square feet and employs 170 people. Needless to say, they make a hell of lot of boxes.

Last year’s winner, 1-800-Got-Junk?, takes the number 2 spot this year. In 1989, university student Brian Scudamore encountered a tight summer job market in Vancouver. It was that summer, while waiting at a McDonald’s drive-thru, that Brian discovered his future career in junk. Brian spotted a beat up junk truck with Mark’s Junk Pickup painted on the side, and was inspired to spend his last $700 on a used pickup and start his own junk removal service. 1-800-GOT-JUNK? has grown from one location in Vancouver, to over 200 Franchise locations world wide.

It’s very interesting to read why these companies are BC’s best employers. Neither Great Little Box or Got Junk are top paying companies. Let’s face it, it doesn’t take that much skills to make a box or pick up junk. Instead, they reward their employees with a good work environment and a sense of family.

I thought it was interesting that Aritzia, the store that Ashley dragged me into during our Christmas shopping weekend, is number 5 on the list. No doubt about it, BC has some great employers. Just don’t expect to get rich working for them.