Toronto, ON – December 7, 2012 – Employee engagement pays off on bottom line for Best Small & Medium Employers, across the country, according to Queen’s University’s School of Business which has released its annual list of the 50 Best Small & Medium Employers in Canada. The study is conducted in partnership with Aon Hewitt, the global human resource consulting and outsourcing business of Aon Corporation (NYSE:AON). This year’s list (attached below) appears on the Website of PROFIT magazine. 

The average engagement score for this year’s 50 Best Small & Medium Employers was 84% per cent; other participants in the study had an average score of 61% per cent.

“Employee engagement is key for all organizations no matter their size,” said Einar Westerlund, director of project development at the Queen’s Centre for Business Venturing, part of the Queen’s School of Business. “In this study, feedback directly from employees about their workplace and their work experience enables us to measure how engaged they are.”

Employee Engagement Challenges

According to Aon Hewitt’s definition of employee engagement, employees are engaged when they “say, stay and strive”: they speak positively about the organization to others, are committed to remaining with their current employer, and are motivated by their organizations’ leaders to contribute to business success.

“Employers must have a strong level of commitment from their workforce to have success. If not, they will see employee turnover and absenteeism begin to increase”, said Neil Crawford, Aon Hewitt’s study leader. “This will also lead to less productivity and lower customer satisfaction.”

To be eligible to participate in the Best Small & Medium Employers in Canada study, organizations must have been in business in Canada for at least three years and have between 50 and 399 permanent, Canadian-based employees. Employers with 400 or more employees may take part in the companion Best Employers in Canada study. A total of 280 organizations participated in the two 2012 studies.

To learn more about the Best Small & Medium Employers in Canada study and register online to participate, please visit www.bsmestudycanada.com.

The 50 Best Small & Medium Employers in Canada of 2013

About Queen’s Centre for Business Venturing (QCBV)

Based at Queen’s School of Business, Canada’s leading business school, QCBV’s mandate is to be the leading and definitive source of knowledge and expertise in the creation, leadership and management of new ventures. Further, it strengthens and helps build Canadian SMEs by focusing its efforts on serving the broader SME community through research, providing advisory services and support, and creating and delivering innovative curriculum. QCBV administers the annual Best Small & Medium Employers in Canada study. We are dedicated to increasing the odds of success for Canadian organizations and their leaders. Please visit www.bsmestudycanada.com.

About Aon Hewitt 

Aon Hewitt is the global leader in human resources solutions. The company partners with organizations to solve their most complex benefits, talent and related financial challenges, and improve business performance. Aon Hewitt designs, implements, communicates, and administers a wide range of human capital, retirement, investment management, health care, compensation and talent management strategies. With more than 29,000 professionals in 90 countries, Aon Hewitt makes the world a better place to work for clients and their employees. For more information on Aon Hewitt, please visit www.aonhewitt.com.

About Aon

Aon plc (NYSE:AON) is the leading global provider of risk management, insurance and reinsurancebrokerage, and human resources solutions and outsourcing services. Through its more than 62,000 colleagues worldwide, Aon unites to empower results for clients in over 120 countries via innovativeand effective risk and people solutions and through industry-leading global resources and technical expertise. Aon has been named repeatedly as the world’s best broker, best insurance intermediary, reinsurance intermediary, captives manager and best employee benefits consulting firm by multiple industry sources. Visit www.aon.com for more information on Aon andwww.aon.com/manchesterunited to learn about Aon’s global partnership and shirt sponsorship withManchester United.

Media Contact

Alexandre Daudelin

+1.514.982.4910

alexandre.daudelin@aonhewitt.com 

Sandra Olszowka 

solszowka@business.queensu.ca