Canada's Top Small & Medium Employers (2026) Magazine - Magazine - Page 24
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CANADA’S TOP SMALL & MEDIUM EMPLOYERS (2026)
There’s a culture of care at Crowe Soberman
W
hen senior staff
accountant
Hailey Nguyen
went on
maternity leave
at Crowe Soberman LLP, the firsttime mom realized about a month
before her scheduled return that
she wasn’t ready to go back. The
response from the firm’s human
resources team was immediate,
giving her an extra month of leave.
“Crowe Soberman truly has a
culture of care,” says Nguyen. “It
feels like a family where everyone
knows everyone. They celebrate
your milestones, support you
through challenges, and genuinely
care about you as a person, not
just as an employee.
“From mentoring me through
my chartered professional accountant certification to extending my
mat leave, easing me back with
remote work and simpler files,
and pairing me with a senior
working-mom mentor, Crowe
has shown me over and over that
they genuinely care about my
well-being and want me to thrive
at work and at home.”
Ananth Balasingam, a partner
at the Toronto-based full-service
accounting firm, says that while
careers are important to staff,
their personal lives are equally as
important.
“The firm understands that,”
says Balasingam. “By offering
comprehensive parental leave for
both mothers and fathers, flexible
working hours, and family-first
policies, we ensure that our people
never have to choose between
career and caregiving. Supporting
parents through life’s pivotal
moments strengthens not only
individual well-being but also the
resilience and loyalty of our
entire team.”
As a new dad, Balasingam structured his time off and paternity
leave in two blocks — first taking
time away after his daughter was
born in December 2024 and then
another six weeks the following
summer.
“Having the flexibility and
support to take time off when I
needed it was incredibly helpful,”
says Balasingam. “Kids grow up
fast, and you don’t want to miss
those moments. Being able to
spend that extra time with her
meant a lot to me.”
Flexibility is key at Crowe
Soberman. The firm has a hybrid
work model that requires two
in-office days a week, with the
other three being optional remote
days. People can also step out
during the day for family time,
appointments or personal needs.
“The mix we have works really
well,” Balasingam explains. “It
gives staff the flexibility to work
from home, but we’re also in the
office to build on those relationships and build our culture.
“We trust our people to get their
work done on their own schedule
as long as they’re communicating.
People can then fit their personal
lives into their work lives a lot
better and can find that balance.”
That balance is reinforced by
leaders who model it. Balasingam
says seeing other partners take
similar leave made him feel comfortable doing the same. By visibly
Supporting parents through life’s pivotal moments
strengthens not only individual well-being but also
the resilience and loyalty of our entire team.
Employees at Crowe Soberman celebrate the holiday season together.
— Ananth Balasingam
Partner
