Dany Michaud was looking for a unique way to motivate his 40 employees. The owner of Voghel, a heavy machinery dealer, has decided to go all out!
He treated his team to a trip to Disney. Not only to the workers, but also to all their family members. A total of 125 people will fly to the magical land next December. A gift of approximately $250,000! Did the boss fall on his head?
“Not at all, I assure you, says the businessman with a frank smile. It was a big surprise. The team did not expect such a reward! »
Dany Michaud made a name for himself as director of Moisson Montréal for 5 years, and then as CEO of RECYC-QUÉBEC. In 2017, he bought the SME Voghel, located in Mont-Saint-Hilaire.
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win-win
This trip to Disney is what he calls a “shared dream”, a goal set as a team, over a three-year horizon, and which helps to boost productivity and retain employees.
“Productivity increases with recognition,” he notes. In three years, our turnover has quadrupled, and I haven’t lost any employees! »
At a time when employees don’t hesitate to browse and shop around for their employer, we can say that it’s remarkable!
What is even more remarkable is that Dany Michaud does not try to advertise himself with the trip to Disney. No promotion, no bragging.
“We remain discreet, we do not participate in competitions for the best employers. We focus on the internal, and word of mouth is enough! »
Resumes abound. Only last week, he hired two new mechanics, positions that some companies can’t even fill!
Rentable
In the context of a labor shortage, Dany Michaud does not see the trip to Disney as an expense, but as an investment.
He gave me this example: “A mechanic, whose services are billed on average $155 an hour in the industry, brings in $241,000 in direct income per year. In a single year, this mechanic alone generates the equivalent of a trip for the entire team. »
Even if the trip helps the SME to keep a single mechanic, it constitutes a profitable return on investment!
“I prefer to deprive myself of certain profits to reinvest them, to increase the turnover and therefore the profit margin”, explains Dany Michaud.
Philosophy
And beyond the financial calculation, employee recognition has become a real management philosophy at Voghel.
“Everyone is a winner,” says the boss. I noticed this during a recent visit where the employees did not hesitate to display their pride in working there.
But the trip to Disney is not a panacea. Dany Michaud also offers performance bonuses, a bonus to offset rising gas prices, and he doesn’t hesitate to consult his team before making business decisions. His goal is ambitious: he wants to double his turnover in the short term.
The growth of many Quebec businesses is slowed down or even compromised by the labor shortage. In this context, accepting to share its successes and profits becomes a necessity for many of them, a gift that makes its employees smile… and its accountant. And there is nothing magical regarding it!
