look after your staff and dont get greedy

kiwi_2005 · 02-02-12, 12:52 PM

Bus boss gives his workers an $18m thank you

It was a heavy discussion, but Melbourne's Grenda family had no trouble agreeing what they would do when they sold their bus business: hand out A$15 million ($18.2 million) in thank-you bonuses to staff.
Based on length of service, that means an average of A$8500 apiece, with some getting A$30,000 or so. "You only get where you are by having very good people," family head and business boss Ken Grenda, 79, said.
He told Melbourne Radio 3AW he sat down with sons Geoff and Scott to figure out what they would do when they sold the 67-year-old family business for A$400 million.

"We all had totally the same idea that we'd give something back to our people. So we examined a formula and we all agreed it should be done."
Grenda Corporation staff were overwhelmed.

Etty Talauega, who has been with the company for more than five years, posted her gratitude on the website of the local newspaper, the Dandenong Leader: "I am very blessed to be part of Grenda family company, since day one.

"I have met other drivers that work with other companies, admire how Grenda takes care of his buses and his drivers. Just want to thank Ken Grenda and family."
Another unnamed employee told Melbourne's Herald Sun the Grenda family were "just the most amazing bosses".
"I think it starts back with their grandma, Ken's mother, who used to bake a cake for staff every year ... they were very giving," she said.

For Ken Grenda, the response was overwhelming. "Lots of phone calls, lots of emails, lots of flowers, lots of everything ... they're just absolutely stoked. There were lots of tears, of course, because I think that bus drivers aren't the highest-paid people in the world, and for some of them this money will be very useful."

Grenda knows about struggletown. His father started the business with four buses in 1945, involving his four children from day one and working out of the family home. It was all hands to the pump.
"Every time there was a spare second you drove buses, you washed buses, you did absolutely everything," Grenda told 3AW radio. And he liked driving buses: he met real people.

"I think it was a plus for me, because I had to speak bus driver language."
The company grew, diversified into building buses in 1977, came close to the wall during a spat with Victoria's Labor Government in the 1980s, and ultimately prospered.

Selling up did not come easily.
"The decision to part with our family's business has not been taken lightly," he said. "As the family grows, interests continue to diverge, with the next generation not expected to be in a position to run the business for a number of years." But even approaching 80, he has no intention of hanging up his hat yet and is thinking about what kind of business he will get into now.

And he has a message for other bosses - look after your staff and don't get greedy. "I get totally dismayed when you see the level of salaries some chief executive officers get. I think it's far above what anybody's worth."

Source
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news...ectid=10782786

kraznyi_oktjabr · 02-02-12, 01:24 PM

Wow!

to Grenda family!

Sailor Steve · 02-02-12, 01:36 PM

Some people are just plain bad, and some actually are just plain good. Good on 'em!

AVGWarhawk · 02-02-12, 01:43 PM

It's good business to remember who helped you get your good business to where it is.

BossMark · 02-02-12, 03:08 PM

Now this is unusual a very kind and generous boss, very well done

Betonov · 02-02-12, 04:22 PM

What is this, lies I tell you, lies.

Comapnies arent built on good working manpower, they're built on armies of directors, secretaries and managers

(at least thats how they teach us at work)

vienna · 02-02-12, 04:38 PM

There was, at one time, a company in the Los Angeles area that became known for its unusual management style. At the end of the year, the two owners would settle the books. After paying the bills, and allocating for the neat year, they would divide the remaining profit among the workers, according to their length of service and position. The payouts were rather sizable and would make the news locally. The owners said they simply felt the workers, who really kept the company going, deserved a share equal to their efforts rather the owners just taking the profits for themselves. The owners were also unusual for the way they interacted with the workers. The company's building had an open area floor plan with no executive offices. The owners would set up their desk in one corner of the floor and would be openly visisble to the workers. Workers were encouraged to approach the owners with concerns at anytime. Every three months, the owners would move the location of their desks to another corner of the floor, sort of rotating the "executive area". They said they did this so as to avoid there being a single "bosses office/special area" and to let the workers know, wherever they were on the floor, they were equally important to the owners. The company had a very, very low turnover rate of employees and morale and loyalty to the company were very high. I wish I could remember the name of the company so I could do a search on Google to see how they are doing today...

u crank · 02-02-12, 05:07 PM

Do you suppose this kind of thing will catch on?

Very nice gesture.

vienna · 02-02-12, 05:15 PM

Let's ask Mr. Potter, a well known businessman:

...and a future GOP nominee, perhaps:

02-02-12, 12:52 PM	#1
kiwi_2005 Eternal Patrol Join Date: May 2004 Location: Aeoteroa Posts: 7,382 Downloads: 223 Uploads: 1	look after your staff and dont get greedy Bus boss gives his workers an $18m thank you It was a heavy discussion, but Melbourne's Grenda family had no trouble agreeing what they would do when they sold their bus business: hand out A$15 million ($18.2 million) in thank-you bonuses to staff. Based on length of service, that means an average of A$8500 apiece, with some getting A$30,000 or so. "You only get where you are by having very good people," family head and business boss Ken Grenda, 79, said. He told Melbourne Radio 3AW he sat down with sons Geoff and Scott to figure out what they would do when they sold the 67-year-old family business for A$400 million. "We all had totally the same idea that we'd give something back to our people. So we examined a formula and we all agreed it should be done." Grenda Corporation staff were overwhelmed. Etty Talauega, who has been with the company for more than five years, posted her gratitude on the website of the local newspaper, the Dandenong Leader: "I am very blessed to be part of Grenda family company, since day one. "I have met other drivers that work with other companies, admire how Grenda takes care of his buses and his drivers. Just want to thank Ken Grenda and family." Another unnamed employee told Melbourne's Herald Sun the Grenda family were "just the most amazing bosses". "I think it starts back with their grandma, Ken's mother, who used to bake a cake for staff every year ... they were very giving," she said. For Ken Grenda, the response was overwhelming. "Lots of phone calls, lots of emails, lots of flowers, lots of everything ... they're just absolutely stoked. There were lots of tears, of course, because I think that bus drivers aren't the highest-paid people in the world, and for some of them this money will be very useful." Grenda knows about struggletown. His father started the business with four buses in 1945, involving his four children from day one and working out of the family home. It was all hands to the pump. "Every time there was a spare second you drove buses, you washed buses, you did absolutely everything," Grenda told 3AW radio. And he liked driving buses: he met real people. "I think it was a plus for me, because I had to speak bus driver language." The company grew, diversified into building buses in 1977, came close to the wall during a spat with Victoria's Labor Government in the 1980s, and ultimately prospered. Selling up did not come easily. "The decision to part with our family's business has not been taken lightly," he said. "As the family grows, interests continue to diverge, with the next generation not expected to be in a position to run the business for a number of years." But even approaching 80, he has no intention of hanging up his hat yet and is thinking about what kind of business he will get into now. And he has a message for other bosses - look after your staff and don't get greedy. "I get totally dismayed when you see the level of salaries some chief executive officers get. I think it's far above what anybody's worth." Source http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news...ectid=10782786 __________________ RIP kiwi_2005 Those who can't laugh at themselves leave the job to others.

02-02-12, 01:24 PM	#2
kraznyi_oktjabr Sea Lord Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Republiken Finland Posts: 1,803 Downloads: 8 Uploads: 0	Wow! to Grenda family! __________________ You talk to God, you're religious. God talks to you, you're psychotic. - Dr. House

02-02-12, 01:36 PM	#3
Sailor Steve Eternal Patrol Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: High in the mountains of Utah Posts: 50,369 Downloads: 745 Uploads: 249	Some people are just plain bad, and some actually are just plain good. Good on 'em! __________________ “Never do anything you can't take back.” —Rocky Russo

02-02-12, 01:43 PM	#4
AVGWarhawk Lucky Jack Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: In a 1954 Buick. Posts: 28,253 Downloads: 90 Uploads: 0	It's good business to remember who helped you get your good business to where it is. __________________ “You're painfully alive in a drugged and dying culture.” ― Richard Yates, Revolutionary Road

02-02-12, 03:08 PM	#5
BossMark Fleet Admiral Join Date: May 2011 Location: Leeds, West Yorkshire Posts: 15,272 Downloads: 278 Uploads: 0	Now this is unusual a very kind and generous boss, very well done __________________ Never trust the Tories look what Thatcher and Major did in the 80s and 90s and look what the wicked witch May is doing now doing now

02-02-12, 04:22 PM	#6
Betonov Navy Seal Join Date: May 2009 Location: Slovenia Posts: 8,647 Downloads: 26 Uploads: 0	What is this, lies I tell you, lies. Comapnies arent built on good working manpower, they're built on armies of directors, secretaries and managers (at least thats how they teach us at work)

02-02-12, 04:38 PM	#7
vienna Navy Seal Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Anywhere but the here & now... Posts: 7,711 Downloads: 85 Uploads: 0	There was, at one time, a company in the Los Angeles area that became known for its unusual management style. At the end of the year, the two owners would settle the books. After paying the bills, and allocating for the neat year, they would divide the remaining profit among the workers, according to their length of service and position. The payouts were rather sizable and would make the news locally. The owners said they simply felt the workers, who really kept the company going, deserved a share equal to their efforts rather the owners just taking the profits for themselves. The owners were also unusual for the way they interacted with the workers. The company's building had an open area floor plan with no executive offices. The owners would set up their desk in one corner of the floor and would be openly visisble to the workers. Workers were encouraged to approach the owners with concerns at anytime. Every three months, the owners would move the location of their desks to another corner of the floor, sort of rotating the "executive area". They said they did this so as to avoid there being a single "bosses office/special area" and to let the workers know, wherever they were on the floor, they were equally important to the owners. The company had a very, very low turnover rate of employees and morale and loyalty to the company were very high. I wish I could remember the name of the company so I could do a search on Google to see how they are doing today...

02-02-12, 05:07 PM	#8
u crank Old enough to know better Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Prince Edward Island Posts: 11,744 Downloads: 136 Uploads: 0	Do you suppose this kind of thing will catch on? Very nice gesture. __________________ “Two possibilities exist: either we are alone in the Universe or we are not. Both are equally terrifying.” ― Arthur C. Clarke

02-02-12, 05:15 PM	#9
vienna Navy Seal Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Anywhere but the here & now... Posts: 7,711 Downloads: 85 Uploads: 0	Let's ask Mr. Potter, a well known businessman: ...and a future GOP nominee, perhaps: