Semco Style

Semco is in Brazilië het meest geliefde bedrijf om voor te werken. Bij Semco hebben ze geen secretaresses en zijn er geen vaste werktijden. Er bestaat geen verplichte bedrijfskleding. Sterker nog: velen bepalen zelf hoeveel ze verdienen, werknemers kiezen en beoordelen zelf hun baas, financiële informatie is beschikbaar voor iedereen, en er wordt winst gemaakt, veel winst. Bij Semco werken ze in Semco-stijl: een nieuwe menselijke, productieve, stimulerende en in alle opzichten lonende manier van werken. 'Semco-stijl' inspireert en daagt uit tot een nieuwe manier van werken.

Samenvatting: Henry Livestroo

How do they do it?

Everyone is responsible for what happens and for making decisions based upon the customer and the teams best interests. They must take responsibility for quality products and customer service demands, while growing the business.

Numerous workers not only set their own schedules but even their own salaries. They are offer 11 various options they can choose to be compensated by.

There is no official structure. It has no organizational chart. There's no business plan or company strategy, no two-year or five-year plan, no goal or mission statement, no long-term budget. The company often does not have a fixed CEO. There are no vice presidents or chief officers for information technology or operations. There are no standards or practices. There's no human resources department. There are no career plans, no job descriptions or employee contracts. No one approves reports or expense accounts. Supervision or monitoring of workers is rare indeed.

Within the company there are no job titles for anyone, organizational charts don't exist, and there is no headquarters. If there is a need for an office, you have the option of going online at a satellite office that can be reserved for that purpose.

In a dozen years, an orthodox pyramidal hierarchy was transformed into a bazaar of unorthodox trust: of operatives trusted to set their own production quotas and to have a say in product redesign and marketing: of managers trusted to fix their own business strategies and their own salaries: of open, trusting revelation of all financial facts (including those salaries): of major decisions, including acquisitions and plant relocations, submitted to the vote of all employees: of factories moved to multi-disciplinary working in groups that are trusted to reorganise and innovate, doing it their way

That's all less important than the absolute integrity of management, the introduction of trust and delegation, the abolition of futile restraints and complications, and the whole-hearted use of modern manufacturing methods and people policies

What keeps the employees from abusing this freedom?

Right up front, all the company's financial records are public, as a result everyone knows the salary of everybody else. If someone attempt to compensate themselves too much, they must work with fellow employees that resent what they did. Even union members of the company argued against pay raises that were too high and would damage the company's profitability.

Workers must reapply every six months for their job. If workers take advantage of the system, they will be looking for a new job pretty quickly.

Compensation is connected directly to the profits of the company. There is huge peer pressure to make sure budgets are kept in line. Again, if this sounds like it would create total chaos and anarchy to you, keep this in mind.

Semco Style according to Richard Semler - founder of semco style

The bottom line to Semler is that he treats his employees like adults. Everything is open up to the employees to see; including financial information. He goes on to say that, "If you don't even know where your people are, you can't possibly keep an eye on them. All that's left to judge is performance." That's what you do with adults; look at their performance.

It's our lack of formal structure, our willingness to let workers follow their interests and their instincts when choosing jobs or projects.

It's our insistence that workers seek personal challenges and satisfaction before trying to meet the company's goals.

It's our commitment to encouraging employees to ramble through their day or week so that they will meander into new ideas and new business opportunities.

It's our philosophy of embracing democracy and open communication, and inciting questions and dissent in the workplace.

…..And the increasingly popular concept of work/life balance is not all that we seek. Balance also ensues when people are given room to explore so they can find out where their talents and interests lie and merge their personal aspirations with the goals of the company. Once employees feel challenged, invigorated, and productive, their efforts will naturally translate into profit and growth for the organization. That's what the Semco way is all about…..

What are the Results?

As far as performance of the company, the sales have increase by over 600 percent over the last ten years while profits are up 500 percent.

The annual growth rate has been at 24 for percent over the last 10 years and last years revenues over $200 million. This is up from $4 million when Richard Semler took over management of the company.

How does it work with employee retention? They have 2,000 job applications on file, while they have less than 1 percent turnover rates with the 3,000 employees they have over the last 6 years.

The quality of Semco's products and services are so high and the customer service so efficient that 80 percent of annual revenues is brought in through repeat customers.