Wednesday 24 February 2010

Paton & profits

While Sun Media begins handing out apparently meaningless points, John Paton announced a profit sharing plan for Journal Register's 3,100 employees in his first memo as CEO.

Paton, hired by the Toronto Sun as a copy boy in the 1970s, worked his way up to management. He remembers the days when Sun co-founders Doug Creighton, Peter Worthington and Don Hunt rewarded employees with profit sharing.

In his memo, Paton says an advisory board is being set up at the U.S. media chain and adds:

"If we do this right we will become a company of ideas where all employees and our communities debate what’s best for our future. And preserve our cherished role of providing checks and balances.

"And because I believe if we do this right we will become a much more vibrant and profitable company with a dynamic future, I want to make sure all employees share in that future. To that end, we announced on Tuesday the establishment of a profit sharing plan for all employees.

"If the company wins our employees win. We will all win."

Paton includes his e-mail address in the memo, a clear sign he is approachable.

Journal Register employees have been through some tough times in recent years. Paton's memo and profit sharing announcement should promote renewed confidence.

6 comments:

  1. sure brings back memories of the good old days. Go John go.

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  2. Finally, someone has the common decency to inspire and reward passion!

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  3. Where do I send a resume?

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  4. Big John was extremely well liked when he was publisher of The London Free Press in 1997-98.

    Then the bottom dropped out after Quebecor bought Sun Media.

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  5. I wish this guy was our CEO.

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  6. Did this guy learn nothing from Sun Media? This could lift morale, and you can't cut costs by making the people who work for you enjoy their work. Just ask PKP, he'll tell you: job satisfaction at a Sun paper is the moral equivalent of stealing from Quebecor.

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