Karo Design among the top 5 places to work in Canada

Karo Design has been deemed one of the best places to work in the country. Western Canada’s only interdisciplinary design shop, with offices in Calgary and Vancouver, has been ranked 5th in Canadian Business magazine’s 2007 “Best Workplaces in Canada.” It’s the only design firm in the top ten. Karo creates competitive advantage for brands with strategy and execution in communications design, interactive/web design and environmental/interior design. “It’s a simple formula” says Chris Bedford, the Calgary-based president of Karo. “Karo is successful only as long as our

employees and our clients are happy."

This kind of philosophy has helped Karo recruit and retain some of the best and brightest creative talent in western Canada. The Vancouver office is thriving amidst the lower mainland’s hot job market. In Calgary, Canada’s most competitive job market, Karo has just hired 15 people and completed a major expansion to its space. “Before we even started drawing up plans, we asked people what they wanted in the new space” says Bedford. “We wanted to make sure we got it right and supported their needs, so we just asked them.”

Bedford and other managers at Karo practice MBWA (Management by Walking Around), creating an informal and effective working environment. “Even our clients visiting our office suggest that our environment is infectious and fun.” says Bedford. “We’re thrilled to have this award affirming that Karo is a great place to work.” The workplace ranking appears in the April 23rd issue of Canadian Business magazine, which is available on newsstands and at canadianbusiness

The list of “Best Workplaces in Canada” is compiled for Canadian Business magazine by Great Place to Work® Institute Canada. It’s based on two criteria: two-thirds of the score comes from a 57-statement survey completed by a random selection of employees plus open-ended comments about their organization; one-third of the score comes from an in-depth review of the organization’s culture, HR policies and procedures. This provides crucial data relative to the five trust-building dimensions of a great place to work®: credibility, respect, fairness, pride, and camaraderie. More than 20,000 employees participated in the 2007 survey.

Karo Group Inc. is Western Canada’s largest interdisciplinary brand and design consulting firm with over 70 staff in offices in Calgary and Vancouver. Clients include Bosa Properties, ATB Financial, Concord Pacific, Enmax, Fairmont Hotels, Shaw Communications, Simon Fraser University, First Calgary Savings, Syncrude Canada, Teekay Shipping and Calgary Stampede.