Are you a fan of The Office? The original British one, or the American take? Chances are, even if you haven’t watched the series, you’ve come across memes and screengrabs from various hilarious moments on the show.
As for myself, I’ve watched a couple of episodes but not the entire thing (apologies to hardcore fans). I have, however, long been an admirer of the memes and posts the show has generated. Here’s one of my favourites from the American version:
Kelly Kapoor (played by Mindy Kaling), one of the Internet’s favourite mean girls, states it like it is: managing oneself can be really challenging, and mastering this skill deserves recognition. I know we’re meant to laugh at Kelly’s pompous ways, but I resonate with her wholeheartedly.
When I joined Bee, Karina told me how Bee tries to hire managers of one: people who chart their course and astonish you with what they’ve accomplished. I have realised how important this quality is when you are a small company. This one quality is what makes you MIGHTY.
Bee is a big believer in the work of Jason Hinkel and Kate Raworth, who advocate degrowth and sustainability in business. Henkel and Raworth advocate for strategies that promote the creation of regenerative, distributive economies that work within the planet’s ecological limits.
Not only does a small team help Bee contribute to this vision, but it also has a range of benefits:
Faster Fene
Smaller teams are generally more cohesive and nimble. They can react or pivot faster than larger organisations, as fewer people are involved in the decision-making process. Small gives you more flexibility, and you can quickly adapt to changes. You can change direction more quickly, experiment more and try new things without the risk of jeopardising the entire company.
No red tape
In a small company, there is no bureaucracy, an inevitable side effect of growing big where every decision requires 1000 approvals by Committee. Work hours are spent working rather than in endless meetings to get on the same page, significantly increasing productivity.
Two pizzas to go
For once, we see eye to eye with Jeff Bezos – the size of any team should be such that all members can be fed with two pizzas. More often than not, small teams have better communication than large ones. Each member is more likely to know each other well and, therefore, more comfortable communicating. There is less scope for drama, confusion and miscommunication. It’s also easier to organise meetings, collaborate on projects, make decisions and foster healthy relationships between colleagues. So many green flags.
Do more with less
I don’t want to sound like a LinkedInfluenza (eugh), but optimising productivity is a concern for any business, big or small. With a small team, it’s easier to keep everyone on the same page and focused on the company’s goals, automatically leading to a more productive environment.
Everyone’s a Queen Bee
There is little room to hide in a small company. Each one brings a unique set of skills to the table, so no one else is quite like you on the team. You have to take ownership of your work, or else it won’t get done.
No fear
In a small company, holding each other accountable is easy and leads to a high-performance culture. You can openly call out someone for not meeting their commitments. You also feel more comfortable admitting mistakes (we’re all human, after all) and learning from them.
Who’s bored?
In small companies, it is common for each person to wear multiple hats and have more responsibilities, making the work far more engaging and fulfilling than it otherwise would be.
Flexible is the new gig
Small companies often offer flexible working arrangements, including flexible hours, remote work, and job sharing.
Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name
Small companies tend to have a greater sense of community. Small teams get to know each other personally and develop a strong camaraderie. Everyone knows their value in the big picture rather than just feeling like another cog in the growth machine.
The good sort of “Grow”
Small companies often have greater opportunities for meaningful advancement; they seek to fill roles from within rather than hire externally. Growth comes not from job titles but from specialisation and learning.
It’s all about the Bee List
Small companies typically have fewer customers and can therefore offer more personalised attention and care. We call our customers “Bee Listers” – our version of an A-List. Taking on fewer customers is an intentional choice. We can immerse ourselves into our customer’s narratives and get to know them as well as they know themselves. It allows us to offer a far more personalised service and deliver our best work.
In closing, whether you’re ready to commit to the small company life or not just yet, we hope we’ve given you enough reasons to make a considered decision. Bee highly recommend it – We genuinely believe degrowth will save the world.
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