2023-08-23 04:00:00
The owners of a computer company in Laval have just made a gesture that is rarely seen in the business world: they bought an island in the Laurentians to offer it to their employees.
“There is something magical around an island, it’s adventure,” says Sylvain Dion, president of Mon Technicien, a firm specializing in computer support and cybersecurity founded 22 years ago.
Photo provided by My Technician
The small island, located regarding two hours drive from Montreal, past Mont-Tremblant, includes a charming chalet that can accommodate up to eight people.
You can get there by pedalo, canoe, cross-country ski or snowshoe. The chalet is equipped with solar panels for power supply and a wood stove.
“There will be no giant screen, it’s really a chalet to disconnect,” says Mr. Dion, who prefers to keep the price of the purchase silent.
Sylvain Dion
“Flexible remuneration”
For him, offering employees free access to a private island is a way of rewarding them and keeping them in a context of labor scarcity. My Technician already offers “flexible compensation” which allows employees, called “players”, to choose what they advocate between a higher salary, more vacations or greater RRSP contributions.
The opportunity to acquire the island arose when a couple Sylvain Dion knew told him of their intention to sell the property a year and a half ago.
“In the office, we have a mentality of pooling goods,” says Mr. Dion, noting that the company offers its thirty employees a subscription to the Quebec platform Partage Club, which allows borrowing and lending objects. .
Photo provided by My Technician
Chalets too often empty
In Quebec, private chalets are often used very little in a year, notes Mr. Dion. “To me, it doesn’t make sense,” he says.
Each employee who so wishes will be able to reserve the island for up to five weeks per year. Colleagues can also go there together to work or hold meetings.
“We debated it for a long time, my associates and I: is it a crazy idea? Will employees really benefit from it? Everyone’s gonna say “that’s cool” at first, but are they gonna go for it? But hey, following only a few days, we already have three people who have “booked”, so it’s starting very well. I think what we have to do is bring them to the island in small groups so that they can acclimatise,” says Sylvain Dion.
Relatively new, the “corporate chalet” trend seems here to stay. In 2021, the Montreal software company Médiaclip bought a chalet in Mauricie for its employees. And the digital agency Rablab is in the process of finalizing the construction of its own chalet to offer its employees “the possibility of recharging their batteries in the heart of nature while continuing their daily tasks”.
Do you have any information to share with us regarding this story?
Write to us at or call us directly at 1 800-63SCOOP.
1692770610
#Labor #shortage #company #buys #private #island #employees
