I have been writing about Cleveland, Ohio and its great period 1875-1929 when Cleveland by all accounts was one of the greatest cities in the world. I write because often times the path to a return to greatness can be clearly defined by understanding the cause of former greatness.
Cleveland became a great city and world force in the past because of great families doing great things. Example, John D. Rockefeller of Standard Oil fame and the White’s of truck giant, White Motors. Both Rockefeller and the Whites knew all too well how to treat their workforce. The Whites in particular created a family atmosphere among employees, thus their turnover rate was exceptionally small. Employees were treated as a major asset of the company.
A family approach, what was this? The brothers, Windsor, Rollin and Walter, founders of White Motors were schooled well by their father, Thomas H. White who founded The White Sewing Machine Company. Father Thomas insisted that while growing up his sons work side by side with the men who ran the production equipment: an experience his sons used to guide their treatment of their future employees – over 4000.
The White brothers now in charge of their own company added to their fathers’ philosophy. The Whites promoted employee orchestras which played at lunch time. Even the grave yard shift had its own band. Company sports teams, baseball in particular, were used to build company pride. The company operated its own small hospital and its own night school offering classes of all types. Employees could pay utility bills and even their taxes through the company cashier. Their industrial service department helped employees fill out forms when needed.
All of the above and more served notice that the Whites valued and respected their work force. All three brothers spend several hours a day in the plant getting to know the names of all employees. Lunch on many occasions found the Whites in the employee cafeteria, not the executive dining room.
When an employee of Walter White fell sick and could no longer work in the plant, Walter transferred him to his Circle W. Farm, a healthier environment for this worker. Common sense, productivity matters, productive workers matter, turnover is no good. The Whites applied common sense to human nature to achieve great results. The White model holds the partial key to a return to greatness not only for Cleveland, but for our entire country.
The absence of common sense today is historical.
Many thanks for Charles D. Weller Esq. and The Cleveland Plain Dealer for some of our content.
