CEO Bob Chapman of Barry Wehmiller shares how creating a culture of trust and care led to profitable growth through 110 acquisitions. Their approach prioritizes human development, resulting in major performance advantages. The transformation of workplace culture at Barry Wehmiller has led to increased employee well-being and fulfillment, as detailed in the book 'Everybody Matters'.
Corporate culture can drive human development and wellbeing, leading to performance advantages.
Valuing employees as individuals and fostering a supportive workplace culture contributes to business success and employee fulfillment.
Deep dives
The Evolution of Barry Waymiller Company
Barry Waymiller, a 135-year-old company founded by Mr. Barry and Mr. Waymiller, faced challenges after Mr. Waymiller's death. Bob Chapman, the current CEO, shares his journey from being offered a job by Mr. Waymiller to eventually becoming the CEO in 1975. Chapman's transformation initiatives included playing games at work to boost morale and establishing guiding principles of leadership. He emphasized the importance of treating employees like family and ensuring they feel valued.
Creating a Supportive Workplace Culture
Barry Waymiller's unique approach involved creating a supportive workplace culture focused on helping employees grow and reach their full potential, rather than merely aiming to increase productivity. Chapman's decision to avoid layoffs during an economic crisis by allowing employees to take a month off without pay demonstrated the company's commitment to caring for its workforce. This approach led to increased employee morale, stronger company culture, and ultimately, sustained financial success.
The Impact of Human-Centric Leadership
Bob Chapman's emphasis on human-centric leadership and valuing employees as individuals had profound effects on both employees' personal lives and company success. By prioritizing the well-being and growth of employees, Barry Waymiller achieved significant financial growth over the years. This highlights the significance of creating a workplace culture where employees feel valued, appreciated, and part of a caring community, ultimately contributing to long-term business success and employee fulfillment.
Originally released on October 11, 2020, Episode 5 tells the story of Barry Wehmiller which, during the long tenure of CEO Bob Chapman, has grown into a $3 Billion global enterprise. For the last couple of decades, Chapman and his team have been focused on creating a culture of trust and caring that aims to help people discover their gifts, develop their gifts, and be appreciated for doing so.
The 5th thing you should know about stakeholder capitalism is that corporate culture can be a tremendous positive force to foster human development and wellbeing. And that when companies make that the goal of their workplace, major performance advantages accrue. Barry Whemiller has employed this strategy to complete more than 110 acquisitions worldwide, nearly all of them profitable.
Barry Wehmillers Corporate training programs can be found at Chapman and Co.
The Methodology used in the corporate training is available to non-profits, government offices, and other community focused organisations through Our Community Listens.