Smaller workplaces’ great ideas would travel, say Physio Co and Coleman Brands

“Freedom within boundaries” is a guiding principle for Tristan White’s employees at The Physio Co

The Best Places To Work list was divided into ‘Over 100 employees’ and ‘Under 100 employees’ categories this year, but leaders in the latter group argue their strategies for creating great workplaces could apply to organisations of any size.

“We’re an organisation that sells fun, so it should never be hard for us to have an enjoyable place to work,” says Justin Casey, the general manager of Oceania for Coleman Brands, a global manufacturer of outdoor recreation equipment which ranked no.2 on the ‘sub-100 staff’ list.

A great workplace is created by having the right people in it, argues Casey. For a company with an Australian headcount of 36, Coleman Brands has a remarkably sophisticated hiring process - the recruiters involved require a week of training just to participate. The process has five steps - online application, group interview, pyschometric profile, 2-on-1 get-to-know-you, and a ‘hot seat’ where the top two or three remaining candidates spend a minimum of 60 minutes “on the job” with the hiring manager and their potential co-workers.

It’s a process that would put many 100-plus employee companies to shame, and Casey admits it’s not cheap.

“But you pay twice as much if you get it wrong.” he says. “The more people are the right cultural fit, the more they enjoy themselves and the more discretionary effort they give you beyond the 9-to-5.”

Casey knew he needed a specific type of employee for a program he initiated in 2012, two years into his tenure running Coleman Brands here, aimed at “encouraging the tough conversations that had been getting avoided”.

The program, co-ordinated by third-party consultants Integrity & Values, has empowered staff to “make decisions, but then not be afraid to correct mistakes fast and talk about it openly,” Casey says.

He knows the aim of encouraging constructive feedback is working because “I cop more of it than anyone else!” he says.

The founder of The Physio Co, Tristan White, is on the journey from start-up to above 100 staff, now employing 75 at the company ranked No.1 on this year’s list for smaller firms.

He maintains The Physio Co’s winning environment - about which he regularly blogs - by breaking his workforce down into ‘pizza teams’ of seven.

“It’s made providing a career path and empowerment for my staff much easier, and there’s no reason it can’t translate at a bigger company,” he says.

Indeed, Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos is generally credited with inventing the ‘pizza team’ concept.

“I’ve got two physiotherapists that joined us in 2005, they’re now two of my seven team leaders, all running teams of their own and evolving into culture champions.”

Both Coleman’s Casey and White are united in not necessarily minding if their staff eventually go elsewhere.

“I aim for 90 per cent annual retention – that’s not top of the tree, but I think it’s healthy, bringing in new ideas and talent is an important part of our growth,” White says.

• Tweet