Contact Us :: MacLean News ::  Home   

MacLean Construction Staff Stories

Its All About The People

Although Merrill MacLean has passed on and Keith and cousin Lloyd MacLean have now retired from the construction business, the MacLean family attitude is very much alive and carrying on.

One of the many things that strike you at MacLean’s is the abundance of long standing employees, many of whom have been with the company more than 20 years. This sort of longevity is almost unheard of in today’s transient trade environment. It is clear that Keith and Lloyd see the growth of their small family business into a good sized industry player as one of their greatest accomplishments, but they are also very quick to give credit where it is due; the long standing employees behind their success.

The secret to maintaining this core group of gifted, hard working staff may lie in the same attitude evidenced by these two men who seem more like brothers than cousins;  a very tangible family atmosphere.

With all the press about people heading west for work, especially work in the trades, the common lament of business owners is they can’t compete with the western wages, so a natural question posed to Keith was did he pay higher wages. The knowing smiles around the table, the chuckles and the tactfully placed phrases regarding Keith’s conservative business approach immediately revealed that higher than average wages were definitely not the secret here.

“Keith was the conservative one, while Merrill was more extravagant ... they really were a good fit as partners in the business” says Sharon Kelly, a key employee of 28 years.

Many of the current staff working at MacLean Construction have been assets to the business for years and have been instrumental in helping build the reputation of the company with their work ethics, talents and relentless attention to detail. Completing work that speaks for itself has always been a significant factor in the success of MacLean Construction, and one of the fundamental dynamics that make the company so unique.

Keith’s unspoken objective was to provide a secure atmosphere for his people. He treated them as he wished to be treated himself. The best articulation of his philosophy was his recounting of a Construction Association meeting years back where members of government were presenting their theory on why construction employers should be raising their wages on PEI. He recounted the story of the late, great Harry MacLauchlan standing during the meeting and in his signature style delivering the following comment, “You know ... the way I look at it, you can pay $25 an hour for 40 hours for the year or $15 an hour and do it for 2,000 hours. Seems like pretty easy math to me.” Keith recounts his management strategy of maintaining a profit margin sufficient to keep his people all year long.

It’s this family atmosphere that is the most tangible aspect of their business approach and the one that both these men, now retired, seem most proud of. Treating employees with respect, fairness and giving back as if they were family.

The approach certainly seems to work. Inside the front doors of their showcase new business complex in Brackley, it’s not the artwork on the walls or the western cedar entrance that you notice most, it’s the  busy but relaxed atmosphere and happy smiling faces. Just like home.