"Where are we going to eat tomorrow?" Every Thursday, this question is heard asked in Spektrum Media offices in downtown Quebec City. Le Fin Gourmet, Deux22, Noctem Artisans Brasseurs: the twenty-some employees of this Web enterprise then vote on the nearby eatery the group will visit that week. This is a fine example of the enterprise's positive corporate culture. "People—our employees and suppliers—are the core of Spektrum. Having a meal as a group at a local restaurant is one way to apply this philosophy," says Olivier Rousseau, director and associate at Spektrum Media.
Obviously, the pandemic has forced this weekly team-building exercise to be suspended. Regardless, the enterprise shows its heart through concrete actions by drawing upon the expertise of local businesses. Last spring, Spektrum Media contacted La Revanche, a board game restaurant/pub in Quebec City, to buy games for its staff. In keeping with its corporate culture, Spektrum Media ensured each employee received a board game matched to his or her interests.
Here is another example: Spektrum Media offers corporate membership to E47 outdoor centre trails to members of its team so they can go hiking, mountain biking and fatbiking. This is one more way the enterprise supports local businesses while encouraging its employees to be physically fit. "SMEs provide services that are better adapted and more personalized than those of large corporations. And other SMEs show us their appreciation by giving us their business," says Rousseau, who is also known as Mr. Startup.
This is the amount spent weekly by the Spektrum Media team per restaurant when eating out in Quebec City's Lower Town, based on an average bill of $35 per employee. And this is before taxes and tip!