I was flicking through the Sunday Times last weekend, when I discovered the annual supplement of the 100 best small companies to work for in 2007.
It struck me that it is incredibly important to have happy staff – particularly in a smaller company. The more contended the staff, the more likely they are to outperform and consequently you automatically gain a better quality of business. It sounds easy doesn’t it.
Coming in at No. 48 was EcoSecurities, a little Aim stock I’ve been following since its debut in December 2005.
The group has staff in 30 countries and as its name suggests the revenues comes from helping to save the environment, by aiming to develop and finance emission reduction projects around the world. A truly noble cause.
The company has grown rapidly, but there is still plenty of room for ambition and global domination is part of the plan. One staff member comments that, “it rewards people on what they are bringing in, not their age, even if it can be demanding and stressful. In the past year, I have been to China, Russia, Indonesia, Chile, Ecuador, India and Mexico”. She also added that although salaries were low four year ago, and woolly hats were needed to keep out the cold in the office, the rewards were now coming in.
Here you have happy staff which, in turn, have created a good business.
Projects in Saudi Arabia have huge potential to use the gas that is currently burnt off oil wells as an alternative power source in itself. Projects already well under way include capturing methane from landfill sites in Mexico and flaming it to produce power – this is really important as methane is though to be 21 times more damaging than carbon dioxide!
Employees receive good benefits such as health insurance, private healthcare and enhanced maternity leave including bonuses for exceptional work and ideas – added to that everyone has flexitime and can work from home – employees report astonishing personal growth at EcoSecurities – so they are definitely doing something right.
Until next time,
Melissa Carroll
for The Penny Sleuth
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