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Client Case Study: The Captains

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As a business attorney, my job is to provide sound advice to growing companies. But the relationship is far from one-sided.

My clients are my teachers, too.

One of my clients is a local company that is growing FAST. We’re talking 65% growth year over year from 2018 to 2019.

As their outside corporate counsel, I have a front row seat to the action.

So, who are they?

Well, the two owners are young and charismatic  – and completely devoted to their 45 employees. Most of their employees have never gone to college and many have troubled backgrounds, and that’s no coincidence. People understand that working for this company isn’t about a job. It’s a second chance.

I think of the owners as The Captains. The Captain is in command of the ship, yes. But the Captain is also responsible for the well-being of his crew. The Captain understands that care is required to keep the crew fit for service. If a crew member deserts, that is laid in the Captain’s charge.

65% growth YoY is no joke. And the owners are acutely aware of how the transition is affecting the people that work for them. After all, going from homegrown to established requires scaling. That means introducing a level of infrastructure and policy that didn’t exist before. We’re talking job descriptions, employee handbooks, disciplinary policies and dress codes.

Yikes.

Not exactly popular initiatives when employees have experienced an ultra-casual, nurturing environment.

Is this a recipe for crew desertion?

No way.

Here’s what these owners did to soften the impact:

  • Everyone in their organization got a raise in 2020 (except the owners).
  • They moved an entire department from hourly to salary to reinforce that employees have a career, not a job.
  • They threw a lavish holiday party at a beautiful resort and hired a band. (They even invited their attorney.)
  • They introduced alternative/flex work schedules.

The result? One very happy crew.

Here’s what I’ve learned from The Captains:

  • Taking care of your crew means taking care of your business and it paves the way for growth.
  • Balance the introduction of new policy with powerful employee benefits and perks.
  • Listen: find out what’s important to your employees and build programs around what they want/need – not what you think they want.

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