a:10:{s:2:"id";s:2:"65";s:12:"cms_headline";s:24:"Multicultralism at Brion";s:7:"content";s:3013:"<h2>
	Brion&#39;s Cultural Mosaic</h2>
<p>
	Today is the opening ceremonies of the Sochi Olympics, the first of the 17-day competition. Athletes from 88 countries have come together to compete in 15 sporting disciplines. Although the Olympics are a display of incredible athletic and physical skill, they are also an impressive coming-together of culture and diversity&mdash;where the world comes together to celebrate the commonalities between people.</p>
<p>
	Like the Olympics, Brion Energy is proud of its multiculturalism. At last count, the nine-floor head office contains employees from more than 11 different countries worldwide&mdash;quite a mix for a company of only 260 employees. This diversity makes Brion a workplace where viewpoints are mixed, approaches to business varied, and water cooler conversations spirited.</p>
<p>
	&ldquo;We call Brion a truly Canadian oil company,&rdquo; says Tyler Cleveland, Vice President of Human Resources. &ldquo;When I walk through the office, I hear all kinds of languages spoken, like Spanish, Mandarin, French, Hindi and, of course, English. Just like Canada, Brion is made better by the different viewpoints, experiences and approaches brought by people from different cultures.&rdquo;</p>
<p>
	Grace Wang, an Executive Assistant at Brion, was born and raised in Beijing and moved to Canada in 2007. She believes that diversity in the workplace brings people closer. Instead of having a large extended family nearby, new Canadians are more likely to spend time with each other. &ldquo;When you live so far from your family it can feel lonely from time to time, especially when holidays come around.&rdquo;</p>
<p>
	Last week marked the beginning of Chinese New Year celebrations, undeniably her country&rsquo;s most important family holiday. In China, people travel extensively to see their loved ones, similar to how westerners travel at Christmas. For Grace&rsquo;s family it&rsquo;s a time to reunite, exchange red envelopes of cash, watch the fireworks displays and, of course, eat!</p>
<p>
	This year, Brion wanted to host a company-wide employee celebration for Chinese New Year. Grace led the event planning team, ultimately creating a celebration that included Chinese pastries, dim sum, tea and a presentation on the zodiac calendar. For some employees like Grace, the event was a chance to feel the connection of Chinese New Year&mdash;an occasion that is usually celebrated with family and friends.</p>
<p>
	&ldquo;Everyone had a great time. People had great questions about the festival and where they fit in the zodiac,&rdquo; she explains. &ldquo;It helped me feel less like I was missing out on the events with my family and I made new friends in the process.&rdquo; The event was such a success that Grace has been asked to lead the planning on next year&#39;s celebration.</p>
<p>
	To learn more about current job opportunities at Brion and a potential new adventure in your career, visit: www.buildingsomethingbig.com.</p>
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