Spotlight:
Calder Ellis - More Than a Paycheck
Author: Sarah Mawji | February 10, 2021
Harvard Business Review says it best. “Too many companies bet on having a cut-throat, high-pressure, take-no-prisoners culture to drive their financial success” and often believe a good paycheque is all that is required.
That is not the standard quid pro quo.
Nowadays we see candidates and employees less focused on just simply a good paycheque. They also want a culture that offers continuous alignment with their personal and professional growth, which makes the above scenario an unlikely status quo.
Calder Ellis sheds some light on his experience working at Harbourfront Wealth Management.
Leading by Example
“I like working for a growing company that is agile in responding to marketplace opportunities, and focused on delivering innovative solutions,” says Calder with confidence.
Calder Ellis, recently promoted into the role of Senior Manager of Compliance at Harbourfront Wealth Management, has been with the company for two and a half years.
He started off in a senior role as Senior Compliance Officer and has preserved continuously high levels of engagement and work ethic throughout his tenure. His ability to work in a team-setting with a “can-do” attitude and influence others to do the same has made Calder’s leadership presence key to his core team.
“I wouldn’t have made the progress I have without the support of my team members and the firm’s leadership,” Calder says.
Embracing agile entrepreneurs
Since day one, Harbourfront has worked to cultivate an environment for those with entrepreneurial spirits. Having the ability to spearhead and lead, no matter the role, can be the driving force between great performance and good performance.
The company understands that and encourages employees to take on leadership roles.
Doing the job you do every day should be impactful for the organization, but beyond that and more importantly, for the individual who comes to work everyday doing the actions to further the progress in a certain business unit, project or whatever it may be –
The job needs to directly and positively impact that person.
Trust fuels innovation
The executive team is comfortable with handing the reigns over to other members of the team, as they were brought aboard for a reason. Two heads is better than one and trust fuels innovation.
“At Harbourfront I have the opportunity to draw on my experience and my unique skill set to make meaningful contributions towards achieving our common goals,” says Calder.
There is continuous alignment between the company’s core values and the individuals that make up the company at Harbourfront. Harbourfront embraces what’s known as change management, a structured approach to change within the organization in efforts to foster total alignment between all stakeholders while mitigating any disruption.
Being an integral player on the Compliance Team is no easy task, and as Calder points out “taking a practical approach to communicating sometimes complex regulatory requirements requires an in-depth understanding of the entire ecosystem, internally and externally.”
Seizing opportunities through support
Employees deserve more than a gold star, company-wide recognition, or praise. Meaningful action such as promotions or autonomy, that translates into real value will help maintain real alignment, loyalty, continued engagement, and a positive workplace environment.
Seizing opportunities can only happen when your environment allows you to flourish and grow.
Calder shares he has grown in his role “by seizing opportunities to get involved in developing new processes and participating in projects.”
“I enjoy working at a company that rewards being solution-oriented.”
