Companies boost morale post-Katrina - New Orleans City Business

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18 2005 Best Places to Work Zehnder Communications employees take a break from work and play the Ms. Pac Man/Galaga video game machine. From left: Melissa Izor, Joann Habisreitinger, Marica Mackenroth and Amy Mahfouz. ZEHNDER from page 16 setting up our offices,” said Duet. Zehnder paid each employee $1,000 regardless of their situation. He said he intended to secure his employees’ jobs through the “worst-case scenario.” After the storm, Zehnder staffers were spread in various cities across the country. This enabled satellite offices to spring up in Nashville and Baton Rouge, with a potential office in Dallas. Zehnder said he considers the expansion to be the silver lining of Katrina and will give his company the chance to diversify geographically. The experience solidified Mahfouz’s motivation for being part of the Zehnder staff. “The agency’s philosophy has never been more true for me than during those initial weeks: ‘Make a Difference, Do Great Work, Earn a Profit, Have Fun’,” said Mahfouz. “Jeff committed to this philosophy with regard to his team, after Katrina, more than he has ever committed to it in the years since he started the agency.” Zehnder said his workplace-philosophy was shaped from reviewing previous employers and scrutinizing principles he ZEHNDER COMMUNICATIONS KATRINA HIGHLIGHTS • Every employee received $1,000, regardless of situation • Continued payroll through two periods • Open-door policy for employees to return Source: CityBusiness staff research Zehnder employee Larry Hamburger talks to a Zehnder client. liked, disliked and policies that resulted in production. Internal Zehnder luxuries include a Ms. Pac-Man/Galaga video game machine available for play in the middle of the office, improptu hackey-sack matches among staff, quarterly retreats and, at one time, a citywide scavenger hunt in limousines. “My philosophy on running a company is to create a place where people enjoy coming to, but still creates the opportunity for a very productive environment,” said Zehnder. “To be the best, I hire the smartest and best people and then get out of the way.”•
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Companies boost morale post-Katrina - New Orleans City Business

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