In past years, we've listed snazzy perks offered by employers, ranging from on-site massages to preferred parking spots. But the best employers know that real excellence is more complex. They keep track of the diverse needs of their entire work force, and create a supportive environment for all employees.
This past year, no firm did a better job of that than EllisDon:
Commitment from the top
About five years ago, EllisDon CEO Geoff Smith decided to get serious about how the company nurtured its work force. "I realized that our philosophy and way we treated our people really constituted a sustainable competitive edge," he says. "You never stop talking about it, and you make sure your leadership is following up on it."
Part of Smith's strategy is fairly conventional: communicating with staff directly himself. Smith prepares a quarterly webcast to introduce the company to new staff, goes on a yearly road show to meet all employees, and encourages everyone to e-mail him with questions or ideas.
But another cornerstone will likely be surprising to other CEOs: no explicit company mission statement. "What we talk about is values," says vice-president of leadership and entrepreneurial development Janine Szczepanowski. Those values can't be summed up in a few platitudes. "The values we want to live and breathe by are communicated on a daily basis."
Our CEO goes out of his way to be accessible and shares information with every employee as though we were all on his management team.
This openness is inspiring and gives every one of us the opportunity to know that our opinions are valued.
--one employee's survey response
Managers drive the process
Mistakes happen, so learn from them. That's a simple concept that is very hard for many executives to put into practice. Smith says that successful leaders "can step away from the issues, so they don't start doing the jobs of the people they are managing." At EllisDon, that means letting project managers make some mistakes--"even when you know it's a mistake and you know it's going to cost the company money," he says.
This isn't to say that incompetence is encouraged. Managers report quarterly on each employee they supervise--"who's working out really well, who has a high potential, and what are we doing to support that person in their career," says Szczepanowski. Those reports also identify employees who need help.
Even so, annual employee reviews are focused on career development, not mistakes. Szczepanowski says 15 minutes might focus on the past year, "and 45 minutes around what do you want to do, here are your strengths and here are some areas where you need to get better. It's not one strike, you're out."
I feel my manager is more like my colleague who knows more than I do. He doesn't need to push you around. I can always get guidance.
--a young Toronto project manager
How share ownership helps
A share ownership plan isn't a panacea for EllisDon or any other employer, but it has its advantages. "If the hook is big enough and the pain of leaving that hook is big enough, does it help us keep employees? Sure," says Szczepanowski.
The company is privately held, but it offers share ownership to all its "committed" employees, including part-timers. After the most recent round of share offerings closes, about 80% of staff will have a stake in EllisDon.
It also shares financial information with its work force. "We give all of our employees all of the numbers--the good, the bad, the strategy," says Smith. "I call it up-and-down accountability, and that's what I think really engages people."
But not being publicly traded also has its advantages. "We're not quarterly focused, and that enables us to be more employee focused," says Szczepanowski.
It's neat to know that we own 45% of this company. There's a sense that I'm doing this stuff and it's benefiting me as well. It does draw you in a bit more in watching what you're doing, and ensuring there isn't waste.
--a Toronto manager