In our Creative Cultures series, contributor Crystal Henrickson spends a day inside companies to learn how hiring, onboarding and company culture play a role in employee happiness. From startups to design firms and all in-between, we’re pulling back the curtain on what it’s like to work in inventive and productive environments.
There’s a building in Burnaby that’s buzzing with the contagious energy of some of Greater Vancouver’s health and wellness minded individuals. When I arrived to spend a day inside the offices of Vega — a company that is as passionate about clean, plant-based nutrition products, as they are about company culture — I could feel the energy radiating through the building. It was infectious! Within moments of arriving I was led on a tour by Trevor Ellestad, PR Specialist. From talking with employees, and participating in activities like lunch hour yoga and 3pm planking, the heightened happiness levels and willingness to be involved in every aspect of Vega life was apparent in everyone I encountered.
“We’re all on the same wavelength about work hard, play hard,” enthuses Anthony Rosenfeld, VP of Marketing. “The people here, more than anything, make the experience awesome. It feels good to work for a company that’s doing something good for people and the planet.”
Vega’s story began with former professional Ironman triathlete, and two-time Canadian 50 km Ultra Marathon Champion Brendan Brazier, as he endeavoured to find a sustainable plant-based diet to fuel his Ironman circuit training. Today, Vega is home to an authentic team of people who walk their talk when it comes to leading healthy lifestyles, sharing ideas about health, nutrition and sustainability as well as having a sincere desire to change the world.
Vega’s extroverted workforce places a huge emphasis on communication. One glance around the open office space alerts a newcomer to what Vega truly values: an environment that’s positive, fun and inspiring. Team members are encouraged to be open, to hold nothing back, to set goals, to challenge “good enough,” and to own their work. Photos, vision boards, healthy snacks and games adorn desks. Yearly personal targets, known as iThrive goals are set as a team and then displayed in the lobby of the office for everyone to see, encouraging people from different departments to come together and hold each other accountable.
New employees can expect to not only come into work everyday, but to “share their successes, talk about their goals and really get involved with people,” affirms Cheryl Brotonel, HR Generalist. Everyone is assigned a buddy when they first start to help them adjust to the Vegatopian culture. New employees receive cross-departmental training exposing the full team to what’s happening throughout the company, giving a bigger picture view of Vega.
Empowering individuals within the Vega team to go the extra mile with their customers has led to some serious brand loyalty and employee retention.
This is a company that plays as a team. One way this shows up is how Vega celebrates everything. Birthday Bombs go off at a person’s desk in the form of streamers, balloons, mobiles, lol cats, and an assortment of their favourite things. Themed monthly staff meetings are an opportunity to dress up and laugh together. Think 80’s High School, Tight and Bright, and Twin Day, just to name a few.
Creative Cultures: Vega’s Energy is Contagious!
By Crystal Henrickson
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A team that dresses up together, is successful together!
By Crystal Henrickson
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At the Sharing Farm
By Crystal Henrickson
Vega employees use their iThrive Do Better day off at The Sharing Farm in Richmond, BC. The Sharing Farm is an organization built to promote sustainability through education on organic food production and reducing hunger through healthy produce donations to families in need.
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iThrive goals in process
By Crystal Henrickson
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Celebrating each other’s strengths
By Crystal Henrickson
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It’s not Halloween. It’s a monthly all hands meeting
By Crystal Henrickson
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Birthday celebrations are taken to a new level.
By Crystal Henrickson
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More Vega desk decorations
By Crystal Henrickson
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Shiah Bazeley, Director of HR, pours us a Vega Sport Electrolyte Hydrator
By Crystal Henrickson
[Vega Sport Electrolyte Hydrator](http://utm.io/187071) Lemon Lime + [Chlorella ](http://utm.io/191774)drink with our lunch.
If you’re part of the Customer Experience team, you are encouraged to find delightful ways to surprise customers with Random Acts of Vega. “We do things that go beyond just giving away free product,” shares Lindsay Jesseau, Director of Customer Experience. “It’s looking at social feeds and seeing what running shoes [a customer] wears, what coffee shop they like or what yoga studio they go to and then sending them something really personal like a gift card to buy a new pair of running shoes. We made a necklace for one customer with his company logo because he had just started his own company and another really liked socks, so we did a sock subscription.” Empowering individuals within the Vega team to go the extra mile with their customers has led to some serious brand loyalty and employee retention.
It takes healthy fuel to make such an impact. A full time chef helps with recipe development for the company’s popular plant-based recipe center while supplying staff with healthy vegan snacks and supplies for the Vega smoothie bar. Every morning, teammates fuel up in the kitchen which serves as a communal space and where the smoothie station is always humming, literally. (Highly recommend the banana bread smoothie made with Vega Protein & Greens! It kept me feeling energetic the whole morning.)
Having recently been named the #1 Workplace in Canada For Women, when you join the team at Vega, you’re not just coming into work, you’re joining a family. Not everyone at Vega runs marathons, but if you’re passionate about something and willing to commit your time and heart into, it may just be the perfect place for you.
APPLY for these VEGA jobs on FreshGigs.ca
Experiential Marketing, Team Lead (Burnaby, Toronto, and SF/LA)
Senior Experiential Marketing Manager (13-mo contract) (Burnaby)
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