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T H U R S D A Y, M A Y 2 1 , 2 0 1 5
CAPITAL IDEAS UPCOMING M AY 2 8 : H O W D O Y O U C U LT I VAT E PRODUCTIVITY? A monthly panel discussion hosted by Capital Ideas ■ Where: Glenbow’s ConocoPhillips Theatre (9th Avenue S.E.) ■ When: noon to 1 p.m. ■ Admission: Free. Tickets at capitalideasyyc5. eventbrite.com
FINANCIAL POST
CA LG A RY H E R A L D
C A P I TA L Q U E S T I O N
WHAT DOES WORKPLACE PRODUCTIVITY MEAN TO YOU? Entrepreneurs share how they keep their organizations motivated “Workplaces are productive when employees and teams work well together and when trust, communication and respect are values modelled in a safe working environment. Conflict can have a huge effect on workplace productivity. Supporting organizations to be collaborative, innovative and proactive with conflict enables us to impact workplaces to ensure employees are 100 per cent present, productive and effective.”
M AY 2 8 : THE INC. OPEN HOUSE Drop in for snacks and drinks as you meet staff and tour of Calgary’s newest coworking and incubator space ■ Where: Alastair Ross Technology Centre (3553 31st St. N.W.) ■ Admission: Free. Register at innovatecalgary.com
Michelle Phaneuf, Alberta co-director of Workplace Fairness, workplacefairness.ca/wfi_alberta.html
“Productivity is all about getting the right things done rather than getting more things done. It’s also about maximizing your output for any given level of input. We maximize workplace productivity by identifying and prioritizing important tasks, then focusing on accomplishing those tasks. The tasks are directly tied to the overall company objectives and our vision. Productivity starts in the boardroom. We believe the workplace environment is a significant factor impacting productivity. When you have a team of knowledgeable workers, they need to be empowered with responsibilities and provided with flexibility to work wherever and whenever. Also, it always helps to have fun!”
JUNE 16: GOOGLE PARTNERS D I G I TA L LU N C H An exclusive Google event co-hosted by Adster to help entrepreneurs learn how to grow their businesses ■ Where: Charbar (618 Confluence Way S.E.) ■ When: 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. ■ Admission: Free. Tickets at adster.ca
Quan Ly, partner of McRally Accountants & Advisors, mcrally.ca
“Workplace productivity for us means keeping on top of the little jobs that might not be on top of the priority list, but must be done consistently. This helps us not only stay organized, but more importantly, it allows us to meet our obligations and provide exceptional customer service. My calendar is my most valuable tool. I send calendar invites for every meeting so both parties’ time is respected. A pre-planned meeting encourages the best use of time for us and our clients.”
For more great events, visit capitalideascalgary.com/ calgaryevents.
Sheila Nykwist, president of New Branch Media Inc., newbranchmedia.ca
“Workplace productivity means getting the right things done in the right order. Just getting a lot done does not mean you are productive. For operational people, productivity is generating revenue. For internal people, it’s cost efficiency. People need to be clear on their goals and focus their energy on high-value tasks that help them reach those goals. Their tasks typically need to be done in some order so their contribution feeds into the goals and objectives of others, and ultimately, to their external customer. To ensure the workplace is productive, companies need to establish clear metrics and monitor them to ensure they meet their productivity targets, or if they are slipping, what needs to be managed.”
COMMUNITY QUESTION
How do you stay current with trends in your industry?
Knowing what’s happening in your area of business is crucial to maintaining a competitive edge, which is why Wilma Slenders, president of Transcend Management Advisors Inc. (transcendmgt.com), is curious to hear from you: How do you stay current with trends in your industry? You can answer the question in two ways: Open today’s Capital Ideas email if you’re a member or visit capitalideascalgary.com. We’ll publish the best answers, along with your business name and website address, on May 28.
Merri Lemmex, managing partner of operations at Lemmex Williams Training Inc., lemmexwilliams.com
“Role clarity. What I am accountable for, what my peers and reports are accountable for, and how we make decisions. This gives us time and energy to think, act and operate in innovative ways, which in turn helps us be more profitable, and in less time.”
Christy Switzer, co-owner of I Know A Guy Renovations (iknowaguyrenovations.com), says that focusing on workplace productivity has been key to unlocking the heart of her business. “It has been fundamental in freeing us up to do our best work, develop relationships at work and with our clients, and to feel great about what we do. Productivity isn’t just about getting more work done in less time; it’s about respecting the time and talent our team has to offer.” PHOTO SUPPLIED BY: CHRISTY SWITZER
“When our executive team members check their egos at the door, engage in passionate debate at meetings over issues large and small, and dogmatically search for the objective truth without great care for whether or not it was their idea, then divide up tasks to permanently solve the issue and hold each other accountable for the completion of those tasks — that is workplace productivity.” Billy Friley, owner of Village Ice Cream, villageicecream.com
“A productive environment is one where everyone is busy working together to achieve our corporate goals. Communication is key in making this happen; we all know where we are going and how we are getting there. Whether it’s through investing in our team or updating our technology, we are always improving on what we do and how we do it. Lastly, our passion for the industry and our clients is infectious — it’s easy to be productive when you love what you do.”
Len Nanjad, partner at COREinternational Inc., coreinternational.com
“Workplace productivity means workplace happiness … which is a flow from what’s important to us in our personal lives integrated into our work lives, and a deep connection to our colleagues that goes past Friday afternoon drinks or team building events. This connection is driven by a noble cause that we’re allowed to invent together rather than one descended upon us from executives. With this focus in mind, we get to create amazing systems of our own that create happy and insanely productive workplaces.” Sarah Laughton, principal at Stretch Solutions Inc., stretchyourproductivity.com
“Workplace productivity is about not only getting the job done, but about each team member knowing what they need to do and having the resources to do it. When everyone knows their role, there is flow and harmony that everyone benefits from, most of all the clients. Since we are here to serve our clients, it’s critical that processes are smooth and we can get the work done on time and on budget. The feeling of being productive and accomplished is just as important in my opinion, so there is overall satisfaction in the work place. This positive feeling is carried over into personal lives and leaves people more fulfilled overall. Loving what we do and being proud of our work is a huge part of life, so I see workplace productivity as life productivity.” Trina Lo, chief creative officer of FreshInk Communications, freshink.ca
Ryan Townend, owner and CEO of William Joseph Communications, williamjoseph.com
These answers are in response to a question posed by Wellington Holbrook, executive vice-president of ATB Business. Here’s his take: Business owners helping business owners
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“Workplace productivity is about more than just working people hard at their desks, or at their workstations. Yes, people might still work hard, but productivity is really about getting results in a way that best achieves that. In the old days, it was about creating repetitive and monotonous work that would happen in a fixed workplace for a fixed set of hours. Today, that might mean doing creative work that is changing regularly, and happening all over the place and all the time. What I know is that the best entrepreneurs that I have met look way past how the work is done to how great the results can be. Achieving that takes an open mind where one finds ways to get the most from themselves and people. And, as a side note, it usually means making the work meaningful.”