March 27, 2024

Update on restructuring – thank you for your ongoing support

Hi everyone,

A sincere thank you to everyone for your ongoing support over the past several weeks. I know it has been difficult saying goodbye to colleagues and, in some cases, adjusting to new structures and ways of working.

On a personal note, I am very proud of how the entire team is meeting these challenges with compassion and resilience. This has not been easy. At all levels across our organization, I have seen so many people demonstrate kindness and empathy, never losing sight of the fact that restructuring impacts real people.

Our guiding principles throughout this restructuring have been fairness, transparency and respect. We support each affected team member with a competitive severance package, career transition services and continued access to benefits.

We continue to work with our unions on transition, and this process requires additional time and care as we respect collective agreements. Our unions are an important partner for us and we have been working with them throughout the restructuring to minimize the impact to the team.

The vast majority of our unionized departures are expected to be through voluntary severance packages, which we have negotiated with our union partners.

We take every step to avoid added stress and speculation when there are changes that impact a specific group, role or initiative, meeting with the broader team first to ensure everyone gets the same message at the same time.

In every case, team members who are directly impacted have the opportunity for an individual meeting with HR to discuss their individual package and ask questions. For unionized employees, they also have the option to invite a union representative to the meeting.

Whenever possible, we communicate the news to employees in the environment where they normally work, and in cases where people are used to working remotely, a virtual approach often makes the most sense, especially if that arrangement is part of their collective agreement.

Workplace restructuring is hard on everyone, most especially on those leaving. Minimizing the impact on people and supporting departing team members has been our priority from the outset, but it is still a difficult process.

I appreciate the care and effort from everyone on the team as we move forward, and if you find yourself needing extra support or guidance, please reach out to your leader or Bell’s Employee and Family Assistance Program.

Thank you again for your continuing support and leadership.