Employee wellness is a priority at CSE with formal initiatives to promote resilience and mental well-being. We promote a healthy workplace culture in the following ways:
On this page
CSE’s Employees and Organization Wellness program (EOW)
All employees and students have access to our Employees and Organizational Wellness (EOW) program which is composed of the Counselling and Advisory Program (CAP), the Disability Management Program and Career Transition Services.
Counselling and Advisory Program (CAP)
The serious nature of CSE’s mission can be demanding. Much of our work is classified and cannot be discussed with family or friends. That’s why CSE takes the mental health of its employees very seriously.
CAP’s on-site services include:
- individual counselling
- training sessions to employees and management
- management coaching
- support to team performance
- conflict resolution
- mediation and facilitated discussions
- assistance to employees going on postings and deployments
- critical incident stress management
- wellness at work program
- wellness library
Disability Management Program
Our Disability Management Program provides dedicated case management and transition support for CSE employees and their immediate supervisors in three main areas: during the Long-Term Disability (LTD) application process, while away on LTD, and upon return to work from LTD.
Acting as dot connectors, they connect with and bring together different stakeholders (Compensation, Labour Relations, the Union, the Insurer, the Physician, etc.) to support the employee every step of the way.
Career Transition Services
Career Transition Services delivers one-on-one career support to employees experiencing job transition or reintegration challenges as follows:
- consultation to Management/Labour Relations/Union on complex files
- career counselling, transition support and internal labour market navigation for employees of all levels
- facilitated planning and communication between Employees, Management and HR, ensuring there is high quality follow up for all stakeholders
- psychometric assessment for leadership development
Fitness facility and Wellness Centre Association
We realize the importance of a healthy and balanced work life which is why both of our locations have wellness facilities on site that are equipped with state-of-the-art fitness equipment.
Employees have access to a free on-site 24/7 fitness facility, and two additional multipurpose exercise rooms are also available for group or personal fitness activities.
For a minimal annual fee, Wellness Centre Association members have access to:
- more than 15 instructional fitness classes, including yoga, Zumba and boot camp
- a personal trainer to develop a personalized fitness plan
- volleyball, flag football, soccer, hockey and basketball leagues
Through the year, employees can also take part in lunchtime guided meditation sessions and an annual Wellness Fair.
Celebrations at CSE
CSE supports the organization and attendance of many different celebrations and social events each year.
January
- Ethics Week: We celebrate the anniversary of our Ethics Charter
February
- Bye Bye Blues: A week where employees get creative to liven up the long days of winter
- Security Awareness Week (SAW): An annual event that reminds us about the importance of security in our work
March
- Pi Day: Celebrating math (and pie) on March 14
- Corporate Awards: We formally celebrate our employees’ outstanding achievements
- International Women’s Day: CSE takes time to reflect on the tremendous work of women in the security and intelligence field
April
- Earth Day: Volunteers from across the organization encourage colleagues to learn about environmental initiatives
May
- Big Dig: We host an annual conference intended to harness CSE’s brainpower in the quest to find new cyber threats and threat actors
- Star Wars Day: A day for employees to dress up and show their fan-spirit
June
- Pride Month: A time for CSE to celebrate and increase awareness of LGBTQ2+ history. Read more about how we focus on Diversity at CSE
- National Public Service Week: We take some time to celebrate and thank our dedicated employees
September
- Government of Canada Workplace Charitable Campaign (GCWCC): Fundraising and volunteering activities throughout the fall
November
- Remembrance Day: Annually we hold a poignant ceremony featuring solemn contemplation, bagpipes, and a bugle played by employees
December
- The Young Professional Network Ugly Holiday Sweater Party: As described, a chance to bring out the ugly holiday sweater
- Children’s Christmas Party: Organized on Christmas Eve, for the children of employees
Throughout the Year
- Retirements: A social gathering is organized for each retiring employee
- Trivia Days/Nights: We love our trivia and often hold trivia fundraising events
Networks, clubs and associations
At CSE, there is a club or association to fit almost any interest. We encourage our employees to learn from each other and develop their professional connections. We support networks for employees at each stage of their career, with different Leadership Networks:
- Young Professionals Network (YPN)
- Supervisors Leadership Network (SLN)
- Managers Leadership Network (MLN)
- Executive Leadership Network (ELN)
Our workplace clubs and groups give our employees the opportunity to share their hobbies and passions with their colleagues, including:
- Women in Cyber and Intelligence Network (WICI)
- The CSE Choir
- Kryptos Society
- CSE History Committee
- Horticultural Society
- Writers Association
- Book Club
- Board Game Club
- Photography Club
- Knitting Club
- Toastmasters International
- Retirees Association
- Diversity Committee
If there is no workplace club for what inspires them, we encourage our employees to start one.
CSE employee profiles
CSE publishes internal employee profiles which highlight our diverse staff.
Accompanied with portraits, these individual stories showcase the vibrant and diverse backgrounds of CSE’s employees and their personal experiences at CSE, allowing our employees to find common ground and connect with their colleagues.
Student life at CSE
CSE hires more than 80 students from all over Canada every semester. We have a well-established Student program to help CSE students feel welcomed from the day they begin their journey with us. The program:
- maintains a list of housing options
- coordinates formal in-house training courses in cyber security, signals intelligence and other specialized topics related to our work
- coordinates various learning events related to culture, wellness, history and mission
- creates networking opportunities between students and professionals
- encourages student involvement in clubs and associations
- reinforces the importance of work-life balance by promoting our gym and sports facilities
