With a mission to inform, empower, celebrate and advocate for British Columbia's current and aspiring business leaders, BCBusiness go behind the headlines and bring readers face to face with the key issues and people driving business in B.C.
Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/1514012
52 BC BU S I N E S S .C A F E B R U A R Y 2 0 24 he says. "The reality is that just about any organization, regardless of policy, will have employees that will not be in the office at some point. For smaller, single-HQ busi- nesses, employees might be absent due to sickness or vacation or due to other life events. In companies with multiple offices, or in multiple time zones, there are obviously people who are not in one particular office. I think an organization needs to make sure all employees are feel- ing connected, included, seen and heard, regardless of their physical location. The bigger issue isn't the work location policy, it's making sure that we have the tools, environment and mindset to help our employees be successful, whether they are physically in the office or not." Kelly doesn't feel that his regular Van- couver presence is essential. "Our com- pany's mission is global in nature," he says, "so I want to make sure I keep a broad per- spective on issues. I think it could be really easy to get absorbed in the Vancouver com- munity and get tunnel vision about what's happening right in our backyard, at the expense of losing sight of what's happen- ing elsewhere in the world." Kelly does note that he sees a lot of value in coming together in person. "I find tremendous benefits from being close to our team," he says. "Those quick catch-ups in the office can easily address a challenge before it becomes a serious issue. I think companies will need to assume that some- one will always be remote and figure out ways to make work inclusive of those who are not in the office." While acknowledging that remote leadership opens up new possibilities for local firms, Deloitte's Evans feels that the approach can only go so far. "They're not actually in the market, part of the commu- nity," she says. "You can grow it still, but I think it's really important to be here. We need leaders on the ground, building rela- tionships and community, connecting with our clients, connecting with the nonprof- its, their kids in schools—that's what cre- ates true connection and drives sustainable growth. We need more leaders here. When we need core expertise, we can fly that in, but for really driving impact and growth in an area, you need people on the ground." In October the B.C. government intro- duced legislation to ease international cre- dential recognition for doctors, engineers and other professionals. "We welcome people from around the world to come to B.C.," Premier Eby said in promoting the legislation. "But we have to leverage the advantages we have by letting people work and bring their expertise, bring their skills, to help build our province. It lifts the boats of everybody when we do this properly." BCIT's Zabudsky agrees that the ben- efits offered by international recruits do not stop at the C-suite. "I think they bring global perspectives, they bring networks that will benefit us professionally, through the role of CEOs, but also our communities and the people they encounter on a more informal basis," Zabudsky says. Even if Zabudsky had not moved to Vancouver from Bahrain, his Ontario roots would have made the city new terri- tory for him. It has made an impression. "I was enthralled with the place," he says. "Vancouver is amazing. I understand why it's regularly ranked among the best places in the world to live." Durrios, too, can point to a lot of posi- tives. "The food scene was surprisingly amazing," he says. "And I think it speaks to the cultural diversity in Vancouver." It all gives rise to a question: at some point, does lifestyle become more impor- tant than career? If a transplanted CEO falls deeply and hopelessly in love with Vancouver, could staying in the city become a bigger priority than climbing the corporate ladder? Durrios, at least, will not go that far. "I think, in my life, I've never really been married to one place," the Bench CEO says. "There are so many interesting places around the world—Vancouver being one of them, for sure. But at this point I don't think I can say if something happens, I will stay in Vancouver. It is too early to say. I've been to many places. I don't think I have found the place yet." "I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO BE HERE. WE NEED LEADERS ON THE GROUND, BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS AND COMMUNITY, CONNECTING WITH OUR CLIENTS, CONNECTING WITH THE NONPROFITS, THEIR KIDS IN SCHOOLS—THAT'S WHAT CREATES TRUE CONNECTION AND DRIVES SUSTAINABLE GROWTH. WE NEED MORE LEADERS HERE. WHEN WE NEED CORE EXPERTISE, WE CAN FLY THAT IN, BUT FOR REALLY DRIVING IMPACT AND GROWTH IN AN AREA, YOU NEED PEOPLE ON THE GROUND." –Jodi Evans I N T E R N AT I O N A L C E O S