Canada's Top Small & Medium Employers (2026) Magazine - Magazine - Page 34
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CANADA’S TOP SMALL & MEDIUM EMPLOYERS (2026)
Working at The Jilly Box is all about values
T
here are a lot of
benefits to being
employed by The Jilly
Box Inc. But the best
one comes from the
values held and promoted by top
management.
Jillian Harris, co-founder with
Tyler Evans of the Kelowna, B.C.based subscription box company
and website marketplace, says
employees want to work for
companies that share their values
and are a pleasure to work at.
“It’s not just about that one
person that works for you and
how efficient they are or how
much money they’re making
you. It is a responsibility to be a
founder and an employer and
to take care of your people,” she
says. “And the better you take care
of your people, the better your
company will do and the better we
all do.”
On that front, the company
offers paid birthdays off, personal
days, RRSP contribution matching
and a $2,500 baby bonus for new
parents, among other benefits.
Harris and Evans say their
values are informed by the
fact that they are mothers of
a company with an entirely
female board of directors. They
prioritize a culture of work-life
balance, ensuring their staff
has the flexibility to thrive both
professionally and personally.
"We try to consider the whole
person, from mental health to
family life,” says Evans. “How can
people do their best work if they’re
burnt out or not fulfilled in other
areas of their lives?”
The two co-founders say
this philosophy doesn’t just
affect employees — it improves
communities. “It isn’t just about
paying somebody their salary and
dusting off your hands. There is so
much impact that we can bring as
leaders to individuals and then to
their partners and to their kids,”
says Harris.
And the value-added attraction
of working for The Jilly Box
doesn’t stop with how the
company treats employees, but
includes the values it brings to the
business itself.
Employees “want to work for
a company that cares and gives
back,” says Harris.
Indeed, that focus on values
permeates the entire Jilly Box
experience, where Harris and
Evans champion small, local
companies with similar values.
Dane Ashman, the company’s
junior software developer, says he
feels good as an employee when
he watches the growth spurt
experienced by small companies
that Jilly Box promotes, from
home decor and jewelry to beauty
and wellness products.
The company also promotes
the values of the companies that
create each product in its boxes
The better you take care of your people, the better
your company will do and the better we all do.”
Jillian Harris, co-founder of The Jilly Box.
— Jillian Harris
Co-founder
