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HOW TO... foster teamwork in a small business
To encourage teamwork at the Great Little Box Company, president Robert Meggy sends his employees packing. In April, he's taking more than 100 of them to Las Vegas as a reward for reaching what he calls his "BOX" goal. "It stands for big outrageous extravaganza," said Meggy, an accountant, who sets two goals when budgeting: a realistic one, and an extraordinary though attainable target. The Vancouver company, a privately owned corrugated-box manufacturer with 140 employees and $20 million in annual sales, meets the BOX goal about once every three years. Meggy said building teamwork improves the bottom line. As people work better together and understand each other's jobs, there are fewer mistakes and more efficiencies. "Once a year, everyone in the office works a day in the plant. They understand what we do here and get to know the people," he said. Meggy said for a team to work, there can be no "us" and "them" thinking. "When it comes to teamwork, everyone is equal here," he said. Profit sharing, which might add $300 to a pay cheque in a good month, is split absolutely evenly among all employees. A few years ago, Meggy tracked errors each month and suggested that if errors were reduced, employees could earn points (redeemable for prizes). That first year, plant errors were reduced by 60 per cent and customer service errors by 80 per cent. "They came up with their own idea of double checking each other's work," he explained. "The peer pressure aspect is great. No one wants to mess up." Social events are so important to Meggy, he even asks new hires if they normally attend company functions. He has observed that people who don't go to social events usually leave a company within a year. At his annual Christmas party this year, 220 people will attend and sit at pre-arranged tables which ensure a good mix of office and plant staff. "Only six people are not coming," said Meggy, "all with very good reasons." Meggy hosts a Christmas party for employees' children, and personally asks parents what their kids want. For the 85 kids he will buy for, he spends an average of $67. "We have a volunteer Santa and elves," he said. "We rent a hall and have lunch. Some kids have grown up with this." Meggy recognized the importance of teamwork 20 years ago, when he brought the company out of receivership. With only three employees, he instituted a golf tournament and the Christmas party, though that year it consisted of a table at a restaurant. This year, the company celebrated its 20th golf tournament and its 20th Christmas party. Meggy also surveys his employees regularly. He knows what is right with the company, and his anonymous surveys help him determine what is wrong. Hana Carbert, owner of Scorecard Consulting, helps companies improve business performance. She said if a company has an effective team, the overall business will function better. "It's impossible for one person to have all the answers," she said. "The most effective teams functions like a relay team. The leadership is shared and distributed and sometimes handed over." Carbert outlines the crucial steps for building and maintaining effective teams. First, define what the team wants to accomplish and why, then agree on goals and determine shared values. Next, understand who the members are and what each contributes. Some will be taskmasters, some will be worker bees and some will be cheerleaders. "Understand what motivates each member personally, then assign people to a task that matches their objective," said Carbert. Then define how you will measure success. Lay out a road map to stay on course. Set deadlines and mini-goals along the way. Lastly, celebrate the small victories and contributions of team members and have a big victory party at the end. Carbert said small businesses can involve employees to give them a better understanding of the business dynamic. The key to motivating employees is to give them a feeling of accomplishment, a feeling of being involved and a feeling that their input was meaningful. Meggy couldn't agree more. "Everything we do has to be by people who are well-motivated. I see it in the bottom line for us. Turnover is very low. If you've got people who enjoy working together, they don't leave."
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