it's a company philosophy summed up by rich teerlink, ceo of
harley-davidson from 1989 to 1996, and lee ozley, a consultant who
worked with him during the company's turnaround, in
more than a
motorcycle: the leadership journey at harley-davidson (harvard
business school publishing):"[c]ompensation has to be thought of in
the broadest way as a positive total experience."
following are some of the ways, from mundane to unusual, that
harley managers recognize their employees. one caveat: as with most
"best companies to work for," it's not just a few recognition
methods that make the difference, it's the fact that rewards come
in all kinds, and come regularly.
- buying lunch for the department
- improving physical working conditions (installing floor mats, for
instance)
- offering temporary use of company motorcycles
- increasing an employee's responsibility and input
- putting a letter in the employee's personnel file
- allowing the individual to lead
- sending employees to seminars at other harley locations or at
other companies
- offering time off with pay
- providing opportunities for employees to report on their
accomplishments
- arranging for front-row parking
- allowing flexible work hours
- giving bonuses for special accomplishments
- keeping people informed about matters of special interest -
party harley
every five years since its inception in 1903, harley-davidson has
celebrated its anniversary. that's a lot of practice celebrating,
and it will culminate in a yearlong, special 100th-anniversary
blowout.
the festivities kick off july 20 in
atlanta with the open road
tour, which will travel the world - through u.s. cities such as
dallas and
los angeles and on to
mexico city,
tokyo,
barcelona, and
beyond. each stop will feature exhibits chronicling harley-davidson
history, fashion shows highlighting biker style, special
kid-oriented activities, and live music on two stages.