Edward Jones Canada

Edward Jones Canada has a long history of being recognized for service by clients – the firm has ranked highest in investor satisfaction by J.D. Power for the past eight years. Edward Jones’ latest recognition as a 5-Star Brokerage is yet another confirmation that the firm’s approach is working, this time with advisors.

“We are really honoured to be recognized this way, especially by our advisors,” says Katrine Clark, Principal of Branch Team Talent Acquisition. “If our advisors feel confident that their firm’s practices are of such high standard, it reinforces the quality of service and the trust that our clients want and need.”

Clark believes the keys to success for Edward Jones revolve around putting the client at the centre of everything the firm does.

“I am sure a lot of people would say that, but we use the client lens in all decisions we make and regularly include our branch teams because they are the ones closest to the client,” she says. “Edward Jones is a partnership, and this furthers our mindset of putting the client first because we do not have to answer to shareholders. We are encouraged to think like owners in our business decisions as well.”

In addition, Edward Jones’ leadership team is made up of many former advisors, which has allowed them to develop strong relationships with advisors across the country and understand what they need to best serve clients. That includes areas like technology and training, where Clark says the firm takes a best-in-class approach, as demonstrated by its recent My Priorities and Starting Point initiatives, which help advisors engage with clients in an interactive way.

“We use tools to enable the conversation around clients’ real needs, fears and dreams, however unique they are,” she says. “We want the tools to be user-friendly so our branches can easily learn and use them.”

When it comes to training, Edward Jones takes a long-term view to help advisors beyond when they first join the company.

“At Edward Jones, we take all associates’ development very seriously,” Clark says. “Training is not just something one needs to close the immediate gap and complete a specific job requirement; we take a career-long view in developing talent. We continue to develop programs for branch teams to prepare them for the next step in their progress. We also provide tailored onboarding support for financial advisors transitioning to Edward Jones and leadership training and coaching for those showing a passion for developing talent.”

Relentless focus on clients’ needs and deep care for its associates has allowed Edward Jones to create a strong corporate culture, something Clark believes has been highly attractive for financial advisors. “We really foster an inclusive culture while embracing diversity of thought,” she says. “I am proud to say that 42% of our Canadian leadership team is comprised of women. We strongly believe inclusive leadership leads to better decision-making. Our executive team leads by example. Our president hosts a town hall every month to update and stay connected with all of the head office and branch teams. We foster a culture of support and collaboration and want all our associates to feel there is opportunity to succeed. This means creating equal opportunity for employees to develop their strengths and develop a growth mindset because a growth mindset has no limits.”

Headquarters:

Mississauga, Ontario

Year founded:

1922

Number of employees:

49,000 associates across the US and Canada

Number of offices:

Home offices in the US and Canada, with more than 15,000 branch locations