Semco
? ? At 21, Ricardo
Semler became boss of his father’s business in Brazil, Semco, which sold parts
for ships. Semler Junior worked like a madman, from 7:30 a.m. , until midnight
every day. One afternoon, while touring a factory in New York, he collapsed. The
doctor who treated him said, "There’s nothing wrong with you. But if you
continue like this, you’ll find a new home in our hospital. " Semler got the
message. He changed the way he worked. In fact, he changed the way his employees
worked too.
? ? ?He let his workers take more responsibility
so that they would be the ones worrying when things went wrong. He allowed them
to set their own salaries, and he cut all the jobs he thought were unnecessary,
like receptionists and secretaries. {{U}}?(46) ?{{/U}} "Everyone at Semco,
even top managers, meets guests in reception, does the photocopying, sends
faxes, types letters and dials the phone. "
? ? ?He
completely reorganized the office, instead of walls, they have plants at Semco,
so bosses can’t shut themselves away from everyone else. {{U}}?(47)
?{{/U}} As for uniforms, some people wear suits and others wear T-shirts.
? ? ?Semler says, "We have a sales manager named Rubin Agater
who sits there reading the newspaper hour after hour. He doesn’t even pretend to
be busy. But when a Semco pump on the other side of the world fails and millions
of gallons of oil are about to spill into the sea, Rubin springs into action.
{{U}}?(48) ?{{/U}} That’s when he earns his salary. No one cares if he
doesn’t look busy the rest of the time. "
? ? ?Semco has
flexible working hours; the employees decide when they need to arrive at work.
The employees also evaluate their bosses twice a year. {{U}}?(49) ?{{/U}}
? ? ?It sounds perfect, but does it work? The answer is in
the numbers, in the last six years, Semco’s revenues have gone from $35 million
to $212 million. The company has grown from eight hundred employees to 3,000.
Why?
? ? ?Semler says it’s because of "peer pressure". Peer
pressure makes everyone work hard for everyone else. {{U}}?(50) ?{{/U}} In
other words, Ricardo Semler treats his workers like adults and expects them to
act like adults. And they do.
? ? ?A. Also, Semco lets its
workers use the company’s machines for their own projects, and makes them take
holidays for at least thirty days a year.
? ? B. Most managers
spend their time making it difficult for workers to work.
? ? C.
This saved money and brought more equality to the company.
? ? D.
And the workers are free to decorate their workspace as they want.
?
? E. He knows everything there is to know about our pumps and how to fix
them.
? ? F. If someone isn’t doing his job well, the other
workers will not allow the situation to continue.
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