Editor’s note: While Great Places to Work Canada is a for-profit HR teaching agency that recognizes and works with employers, its “Best Workplaces” list is an independently-published list.
It’s no secret that Montreal’s Behaviour Interactive is a place that Canadian video game development talent wants to work — a recent three-peat has solidified that.
While the indie developer is known for their slash-hit horror co-op title, Dead By Daylight has players running from some of the most feared pop culture phenomena, it manages to retain its staff members. Resulting in a third straight “Great Places to Work Canada” designation for Oct 2021 to Sep 2022, as handed out by the aptly-named Great Places to Work Canada.
In addition to overall distinctions, Behaviour also landed on the “Best Workplaces for Hybrid Work” list — one that has taken on a whole new meaning in the past couple of years.
In a one-page letter to Console Creatures, a representative for the studio highlights that the reason for this distinction is that the studio:
- Has always had a very human approach to its workplace and employees, and it took on new importance because of COVID-19.
- From the start of the pandemic, Behaviour prioritized the health of employees and undertook multiple measures to ensure their well-being and safety. o For Behaviour, maintaining employee morale and comfort would be crucial and, to this end, introduced an array of programs and initiatives to keep them feeling cared for, engaged, and motivated.
- Behaviour provides a workplace where work and life don’t compete but fit together. o All managers are empowered to work with their team members to find the right balance between their personal and professional lives. That could mean helping a new mother or father adapt their schedule around the needs of their newborn child or allowing someone newly returned to school to work around their course load.
- Behaviour recognizes that everyone has unique personal and professional needs, and has created a workplace that ensures that they’re met.
- In terms of work-life balance and stress management, Behaviour remains one of the only gaming studios that has abolished crunch time and actively discourages overtime.
- Behaviour’s days start at 9 and end at 5
- As a result of COVID-19, Behaviour has now adopted a permanent work-from-home option that allows employees to work full-time from home if they want.
- All employees also have access to a dedicated partner on the HR team who will work with them to address concerns.
