Orlando Magic No. 22 / Midsized Company
Magic’s owners put a high priority on teamwork and community involvement at all levels of the organization, say Peg Michalski (left)
and Drew Garabo. [Photo: Brooke Pifer] |
Peg Michalski spends her workdays in front of a computer, making sure the Orlando Magic's 213 employees get paid on time. She has worked for other companies doing basically the same thing, but she says working for the Magic is different. The company has cultivated a team concept that is so pervasive Michalski believes she has just as much of a stake in the team's success as any of the players, even Dwight Howard. Howard says so himself. "It's not just about us on the court," says Howard, who stops by the team's administrative offices at least once a month to show his support to the staff. "What all of them do makes a difference." This attitude, Howard says, starts out with top management — Richard DeVos and Bob Vander Weide — who suggest each of the employees do something to help the community. The team offers organized activities, including team excursions to build playgrounds around central Florida and stuff backpacks with food for disadvantaged families.
Magic center Dwight Howard visits the team’s administrative staff at least once a month to show his support.[Photo: Fernando Medina] |
"We're not only allowed to volunteer during work time, we're encouraged to do so," says Drew Garabo, a season ticket account executive. "We've got to hit our numbers, and there is definitely a focus on that. However, just as important from an organizational perspective is the commitment to the community, volunteering and making sure that were making Orlando a better place."
The encouragement is likely good for the Magic's bottom line as well. A new University of Florida study has found that workers who are allowed to volunteer outside of the office worked harder, applied themselves on the job and supported their employers in the workplace and in the community.
