A DIGITAL CULTURE
“ WE DON ’ T WANT YOU TO TAKE OUT THE BIGGEST MORTGAGE YOU QUALIFY FOR IF THAT MEANS YOU CAN ’ T TAKE THE FAMILY ON VACATION , CARE FOR A LOVED ONE OR BUY YOUR KIDS THEIR NEW BIKES ”
— Rob Paterson , CEO , Alterna Savings and Alterna Bank
companies . “ We were able to have conversations with those peers about their digital journeys ,” says Paterson . The relationship with Salesforce serves to highlight how businesses look for more than just a piece of software from their partners . “ Technology in and of itself isn ’ t the end state . The ability to get access to thought leaders , an ecosystem that will be co-developed by hundreds if not thousands of individuals across the globe , and to be able to see where they ’ re going in the future – you can ’ t put a price on that .”
A DIGITAL CULTURE
“ When we started talking about going digital and building out the bank globally , you naturally worry that people will be concerned about leaving the legacy business behind . Within our organization , there was actually extreme excitement ,” Paterson reflects . “ Our employees saw this as a great way to stay relevant .” Alterna has gone to great lengths to develop a positive and forward-thinking culture among its staff , celebrating such wins in 2019 as being named one of National Capital Region ’ s Top Employers ( in Ottawa ), and scooping the Platinum level status on the Aon Best Employer list .
Paterson is also keen to highlight the impact of technology in the office . “ We ’ ve moved to digital training and education for all our staff – now , they can learn on a mobile device anywhere at any time . We ’ ve changed the physical aspects , moving people into open , tribe-like settings of working with their fellow team members , building in electronic desks so they can elevate work surfaces at different times of the day .” The CEO is also keen to highlight the positive impact social media has had on his staff , making
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