People commonly refer to the workplace as their "home away from home." For many years, that expression was more than a mere figure of speech for the employees of Menlo Park, Calif.-based Tajima Creative. CEO Elaine Tajima started the marketing and visual communications firm out of her home in 1996, and when it grew to the point where she needed to add more space, she leased another house to work in.
While their early offices were unorthodox, they were in keeping with the culture Tajima has built with her employees. The company has a created a familial environment, one which places a premium on communication, trust and a strong sense of shared responsibility.
While the company no longer works out of a house – Tajima moved into a more conventional office in 2000 – the family feel they fostered during those early days endures. Employees work together in an open bullpen, which helps facilitate collaboration and communication at all levels. Brainstorming sessions tend to be cross-functional, ensuring that diverse views are heard on client projects. The company also celebrates successes, both big and small, together. For example, client recognition is shared with the entire staff, keeping everyone abreast of their peers' achievements. Tajima also sends out a weekly e-mail called "ET Buzz" in which she discusses company developments and recognizes team accomplishments.
The firm's primary product is its employees' creative talent, so the organization has worked hard to foster an environment that promotes and supports creativity. This has meant a less structured environment that places a premium on trust and employee input. "Creative people often don't work well in structured environments," says Tajima.
The company hires people that'll work well in a more open environment (recruits must interview with multiple team members from management on down to staff) and places them on projects that best utilizes their talent. Employees who wish to develop new skills are given an opportunity to work on projects that'll allow them to branch out into other areas of the business or expand their knowledgebase.
The company's bonus program also helps support this less controlled, creative environment. Each year employees are asked to design their own bonus criteria. Tajima says that, without exception, the staff has always set ambitious goals that are in line with the company's objectives. What's more, she says that giving her employees ownership over their plans for the year has lead to greater dedication and ultimately higher productivity.
Director of Client Services Audrey Stewart, the firm's first employee, agrees. "When you give that amount of trust, people really want to deliver," she says.
Stewart adds that the ability to control her own destiny is what has kept her with the organization from the days when they operated out of Elaine Tajima's home to today. "I like being able to try new things," she says. "It makes the job fun."
According to Stewart, the staff's dedication is most evident in the way employees are always willing to go the extra mile to help each other satisfy their clients' needs. "I've never heard one person say, 'That's not my job,'" she says.
Elaine Tajima agrees. "I can come back from a trip at seven or eight at night and many of my employees are still in the office hard at work," she says.
In fact, Tajima sometimes worries that her employees devote too much of their time to work, so she tries to get them involved in other activities. For example, the company rents a place in Keystone, Colo. where the staff often goes on ski trips together. One employee is a yoga and Pilates instructor, and she teaches weekly classes for the staff over lunch. What's more, the company encourages employees to be active in their community. Tajima Creative performs a considerable amount of pro-bono work for both the Palo Alto Arts Center and a non-profit organization called Build, which helps teach entrepreneurial skills to children in underserved communities.
Tajima further rewards her employees' commitment with flexible scheduling. According to Stewart, it is not uncommon for people to take a long weekend after working overtime to complete a client project. A number of employees have taken sabbaticals, either to pursue outside creative endeavors or to simply recharge.
The company also leverages technology to both provide employees with some flexibility in their schedules and to attract and retain talent outside the Menlo Park area. A number of employees work remotely out of their homes. The company equips these employees with lap tops, and the firm's intranet and systems are accessible from any web browser. For example, Account Director Richard Mockler has overseen one of the firm's largest client accounts for the last two years, while working out if his home in Seattle.
Perhaps the firm's biggest strength is the sense of community Tajima has fostered over the years. It is an environment in which employees often spend time with each other outside of the office, including taking vacations together. It is also the kind of environment where innovation thrives and important information doesn't get lost in the shuffle. For example, the company's quality control person, Beth Brann, points out that the production department distributes a weekly "Tip of the week," which helps everyone keep up to date on best practices. It is this kind of open communication and teamwork that has helped Tajima Creative increase sales (the firm experienced 4-percent revenue growth in 2003) during a time when their competitors are struggling or going out of business.
Elaine Tajima doesn't claim credit for creating this kind of culture. She says that it was an organic process that grew out of hiring the right people and giving them the room to do their jobs. As far as she is concerned, building an effective culture is a team effort. "You have to build a culture with your employees," she says. "It really makes them feel a part of it."
Company: Tajima Creative
Web site: www.etajima.com
Industry: Visual communications and marketing
Location: Menlo Park, Calif.
Number of employees: 40
Sales: $11-25 million
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