Vicki L MorrisonTarget Canada is working closely with the Department of National Defence, Veterans’s Affairs Canada, Canada Company and True Patriot Love to find new ways to recruit veterans and reservists.
In early November, at the Canada Company Montreal job fair, Target hired three new team members and are working to find roles for a number of others.
“Target is committed to providing a superior shopping experience for all Canadians. To do that we need to hire and retain the best team. Target Canada encourages its team members coming from the military community to grow and stay with the company,” said Gabriel Granatstein, veteran, senior counsel and lead employee relations, Target Canada.
Teamwork is the foundation of Target’s culture, whether in stores, at regional offices, or at headquarters in Mississauga, Ontario. The company accredits its success to this teamwork, as well as the ability to adapt to rapidly changing situations, and to employees pushing through to accomplish set goals. Veterans, reservists and their families are uniquely suited to be a part of Target Canada because they are accustomed to working as part of a team, able to adapt, and disciplined enough to set and attain goals.
Many Target stores and regional offices are located near wings, bases, and stations. The company understands military families are placed in unique and sometimes difficult situations like postings. Because of the size of their operations, Target Canada attempts to ensure team members have the opportunity to work wherever their lives take them.
“Working for Target is a career; a career that can be mobile. Military members and their families have so much to offer. We want to tap into that resource,” explained Granatstein.
Internally, Target has created polices allowing reservists time-off for deployments and training, and implemented a pay top-up program so if a reservist deploys overseas, Target pays the difference between their military salary and their Target salary
“I can think of no better traits than those found in a veteran. We have been privileged to hire many veterans and reservists with excellent qualities and are fortunate to benefit and learn from their military experiences,” said Granatstein.
Target’s efforts are not about giving preferential treatment to veterans, reservists or their families. The company simply understands and recognizes serving Canada, through posting or deployment, should not get the way of members or their families being hired.
“We simply want to make sure that military jargon, in relation to describing a skill or experience a vet or reservist brings to the table, or something like a deployment doesn’t mask the amazing contributions vets have made and continue to make in the private sector. It’s not about charity. Hiring veterans, reservists and their families is as much a benefit to Target as it is to them,” said Granatstein.
Target employs Canadians in all major cities and in every province. There are 133 Target stores from coast to coast employing approximately 20,000 team members.
For more information please visit www.target.ca
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