INVESTING in our employees’ success is key to Tech Rage IT’s growth strategy. That investment spans from company branding that lets recruits know who we are as a business, to our hiring process, upskilling, culture, and engagement, as well as compensation and benefits that are both monetary and nonmonetary.
My husband, Matt Rose, and I started our company in 2015 because we wanted the flexibility to be there for our children while building a future. We are strategic risk takers. Matt had more than 20 years’ experience in IT, and I brought commensurate experience in marketing and communications. We launched as an IT consulting company, which we bootstrapped, and then transitioned to a managed services model. We have grown revenue and profits consistently year over year without debt.
Since rebranding the company in 2019 to Tech Rage IT, we’ve hired five employees plus contractors. Our messaging and logo resonate with applicants, who tell us they applied because they can relate to the experience of being frustrated by tech and want to be part of the solution.
To find the employees who will thrive in our culture and help us grow, we’ve put time and thought into our hiring process. Applicants fill out a questionnaire about why they are interested in working for us. The ones who take time to provide thoughtful responses give us a good idea of how they might interact with clients or document their processes.
Promising applicants meet with the team because we value our employees’ feedback. When a candidate makes it to the final stage, we take them out to lunch to see how they interact outside the office. This allows us to get multiple viewpoints on how well they will fit our company culture.
Employee engagement begins before their start date and continues through their time with us through various team-building activities. Once an applicant accepts an offer, we invite them to spend time with colleagues in the office or engage with us socially, such as at a charity event for a client. Having those early touchpoints helps a new hire feel part of the team sooner.
Once the employee is onboard, we invest in their professional development by giving them time during the workday to study for industry certifications, and paying for the test when they pass it. Not having to spend personal time to advance their skills can make a huge difference in their successful completion of the certification and is a small but tangible way to show we value them.
This investment pays off on the client side as well, as they know our staff has the knowledge to deliver the technology they need.
We want our people to feel invested in our clients too, so everyone has an opportunity to go on-site periodically. And when an employee gets a four- or five-star client feedback survey, we celebrate that victory in a Teams channel. We’ll also call out their accomplishments on social media (with their permission). My favorite part about this is we have clients who celebrate and engage with posts even if they pertain to another company. To me, that shows the relationships clients have with our technicians.
While we expect our staff to work hard during the day, we encourage work-life balance and want them to go home when the day is over. We also offer paid personal holidays and a long weekend every quarter. These are small things, but not having to dip into their vacation time means a lot.
Offering healthcare insurance is a bigger investment for a small business, but we feel it’s important. So now that we are financially able, we are rolling that out this year.
Another goal is to implement a stay survey to help with satisfaction and retention. It asks employees questions like what keeps them here, and what can we do as an employer to improve the culture.
Employees have to love where they are in order to deliver an excellent customer experience—a priceless dividend from our investment.
Photography: Scott Cook
