E-Myth Worldwide Wins Recognition as one of the Best Places to Work

E-Myth Worldwide Wins Recognition as one of the Best Places to Work

E-Myth is delighted to announce that we have been acknowledged as one of the winners in the inaugural "Best Places to Work in the North Bay" survey conducted by the North Bay Business Journal. ("North Bay" is the regional term used for the counties located north of San Francisco.)

Good management is key to success

According to the North Bay Business Journal, "The winners send a clear message about the balance between doing good work and having fun while you are doing it. And the key element to creating that balance is people, yes, but very importantly, management."

In fact, when asked to express in their own words why their company was a great place to work, many survey respondents stressed the importance of good management, which was described as consisting of mutual respect, fairness, and open communication.

In survey responses, E-Myth employees in particular noted the valuable contributions of our management team in making the company a great place to work. Indeed, E-Myth is proud to be an example of a company with strong workplace equality and good morale, thanks in large part to the strategic company overhaul initiated by our CEO, Bill Schlegel.

A culture of teamwork

Schlegel notes that, "When I came on board in 2004 I knew I wanted to instill a culture of teamwork and responsibility. To do that, I hired a new executive team, restructured employee compensation, and established regular employee meetings to foster better communication. In addition, quarterly entrepreneurship awards are now given out to individual employees who demonstrate talent and creativity, and the company also holds informal events where management and staff can socialize together, both in and out of the office, including a recent camping and canoeing trip."

Beyond that, Schlegel brought an expanded strategy that encourages employee innovation, and the result is that the company has created a whole new suite of online products and services, with the goal of reaching out to potential clients worldwide and increasing profitability. Employees receive bonuses for their contributions in creating these inventive new offerings, and the company as a whole has been energized by the new strategy.

The result has been a terrific strengthening of company spirit. In fact, E-Myth had one of the most enthusiastic employee survey response rates, hitting upwards of 90 percent. Explains Schlegel, "Every worker is encouraged to be a marketer and spokesperson both inside and outside of the business, and they're recognized and rewarded for that."

In just over two years, Schlegel and his team, with the full support of the company's Board of Directors, have not only turned E-Myth into a tightly knit, loyal group of employees with a strong sense of purpose and pride – but also into a more profitable enterprise. "The proof is there in black and white," says Schlegel. "Happier employees make for more productive employees."

About the survey

Nominations for Best Places to Work in the North Bay were opened in spring 2006. Nominated companies were then contacted by North Bay Business Journal staff and invited to submit a company application, followed by a mandatory online employee survey that drew 3,400 responses from across the region. The survey was set up through Zoomerang, a widely popular online polling tool. All responses were anonymous.

Ninety companies were nominated in three categories (based on number of employees), and 24 winners were chosen as Best Places to Work in the North Bay. These 24 companies were selected after being analyzed by the editorial staff of the Business Journal on the basis of several criteria, including the employee questionnaire, the survey ratings by employees, the number of responses, the size of the company, the breakdown of responses by management and non-management, as well as written comments. E-Myth was a winner in the category of companies with 25-100 employees.

Awards dinner celebration

The winners of this inaugural contest were honored at a dinner held on September 14, 2006 at the Fountaingrove Golf and Athletic Club, in Santa Rosa, Ca.

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