| Why is it, that some of the best information is found in doctor’s offices or in newspapers left at the airports? Maybe it is that while waiting, we need to keep ourselves busy and any reading material we find appears to be of value.
This happens to me many times. Recently I found just one section of the Globe and Mail at the Toronto airport, while waiting to catch a plane to Edmonton. I had a lot of waiting time and was looking for something to read. All the newspapers from the stand were gone. I found this one section on a seat. I looked at the front page and I was intrigued to see a man holding a piece of paper in his hand reading “I love my job”. At the bottom of the picture, it stated “50 best Workplaces in Canada”. At the top of the picture it stated “Looking for a job with a top-rated employer, or perhaps a way to make your workplace more dynamic? Then look here. The results of the 2008 Great Place to Work Institute surveys are in.”
My first thought was let me quickly see if a greenhouse company is among the top 50 workplaces. Maybe one of the larger greenhouse companies from Ontario or B.C. made it among the top 50 places. I could not find any greenhouse companies. Then, I found one food company and only two companies from Alberta.
While reading about the survey, I found an Alberta connection. Dr. Graham Lowe, a national workplace expert, professor emeritus at the University of Alberta, and partner at the Great Place to Work Institute Canada. I have heard him talking at many forums and enjoyed his insight into workplaces. One of the statements he made was “the best workplaces list data help us to differentiate between good and great organizations. On the qualitative side, the Culture Audit offers us insights into the people practices of very successful organizations that understand the strategic importance of culture.”
One of the very insightful statements he made, and I agree totally, “It goes beyond offering the best perks”, says Dr. Lowe. “You can’t compete on perks and benefits alone. It comes down to the quality of relationships throughout the workplace, the support people are given to succeed in their jobs, and their overall enjoyment of the total work experience”.
I am not a management expert, but having worked for the greenhouse industry for over 30 y ears, I find that most of the greenhouse companies are good employers, but are we great employers? During my visits to greenhouses, many times I drop in at lunch time and I find that the owners are eating with employees. The employer is sitting among the employees, eating and sharing jokes. I think that this behavior falls under the realm of creating a very friendly workplace. Many times, barriers get created if employees think that employers only tell us what to do and issue the pay cheque. I think sitting together at lunch time with the employees creates a level of respect and understanding.
While you are eating with the employees, you don’t talk about the business. You talk about the family, you talk about your childhood memories, you talk about the school you went to, you talk about day to day things which may not appear to be that important. I have a very nice colleague at work who always tells me that the best way to enhance relationships is to take your boss to lunch. Don’t wait for the boss to ask you out for lunch—and during lunch, don’t talk about business.
How to create credibility between the employers and employees is a challenge that cannot be created by simply saying “I am the boss and thou shall do whatever I tell you”. In the article I am talking about, credibility has been defined as “the trustworthiness and competence of management”. Of course, credibility can also be described as “you do whatever you say”. Credibility is to practice what you preach. Credibility is created when there is forbearance. It is like your insurance company, that we will forgive your first accident to create credibility.
I think the challenge is to create workplaces where your employees love to come daily, take pride in stating that I work for such and such greenhouse and I love my job. The responsibility lies with both the employers and employees.
If I had to summarize the essence of this article I am talking about, I would say that when employees of three top companies were asked “Taking everything into account, I would say this is a great place to work”. Employees who said yes were 100% and 98% and 95% respectively for D.L.G.G. Ltd., Environics Communications Inc and Nycomed Canada Inc.
Credibility, Respect, Fairness, Pride and Camaraderie were five qualities highlighted.
I would like to see many greenhouse companies among the best workplaces in Canada and in the world. This article mentioned, “If you don’t see your workplace on the list of 50 Best this year, but think it should be, then why not sign up to participate in the 2009 list of 50 Best Workplaces in Canada? The nomination can be submitted online at www.greatplacetowork.ca |