““Five Powerful Strategies to Retain Top Five Powerful Strategies to Retain Top Notch Technical Talent”Notch Technical Talent”
Tamsin Jolley, President of Decagon DevicesTamsin Jolley, President of Decagon DevicesJeff Young, Chair & General Manager, ATA EngineeringJeff Young, Chair & General Manager, ATA Engineering
Moderated by: Moderated by: Diane Stoneman, Director of Consulting and Training,Diane Stoneman, Director of Consulting and Training,Winning WorkplacesWinning Workplaces
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ATA EngineeringDecagon DevicesIntegrated Project Management (IPM)JA Frate Jackson's HardwareJump Associates King Arthur Flour Company Landscape FormsLundberg Family FarmsNew Belgium BrewingPhenomenexRainforest AllianceResource InteractiveThe Paducah Bank & Trust The Redwoods Group
Average 42 years in business
Grow average rate of 23% over last 2 years
Tenure of the CEOs average 17 years
Founders still involved in 50% businesses
Winning firms focus on sustainabilityWinning firms focus on sustainability
Growth is a conscious choiceGrowth is a conscious choice
“While we could easily grow faster we believe in the long run we would do irreparable harm if we stumble in our hiring and training process.”
ATA Engineering
Employee development is key to Employee development is key to consistent executionconsistent execution
Invest to build competent workforce ( (tuition programs average $3500/yr)
Hire for “attitude” and “fit” for culture
Grow leaders from within
Encourage employees to grow personally & professionally
Mix of structured learning & “learning by doing”
Our Agenda TodayOur Agenda Today
Perspectives of two engineering firmsPerspectives of two engineering firms
Top strategies to attract / retain talentTop strategies to attract / retain talent
Impact on business and workforceImpact on business and workforce
Lessons learnedLessons learned
Questions from audienceQuestions from audience
Featured PresentersFeatured Presenters
Jeff YoungChair & General Mgr.
ATA EngineeringSan Diego, CA
Tamsin JolleyPresident
Decagon DevicesPullman, WA
Founded 1983Founded 1983
77 Employees77 Employees
FY2008 Sales $9.75MFY2008 Sales $9.75M
Develop, manufacture & market scientific instrumentation for environmental Develop, manufacture & market scientific instrumentation for environmental research and product quality testingresearch and product quality testing
Decagon MottoDecagon Motto
““Think like scientists, Think like scientists,
work like farmers, work like farmers,
dream like children.”dream like children.”
It is not just about the work!It is not just about the work!– Flexible timeFlexible time– Support of personal goals Support of personal goals – MentoringMentoring
#1. Focus on Individuals#1. Focus on Individuals
CommunicationCommunication
Open Book ManagementOpen Book Management
Profit SharingProfit Sharing
Lunch MeetingsLunch Meetings
#2. Employee have stake in the outcome #2. Employee have stake in the outcome
#3 Creativity#3 Creativity
Search for EmployeesSearch for Employees– Interns & Part-time work on projectsInterns & Part-time work on projects
Continually fostered in workplaceContinually fostered in workplace
#3. Creativity and Innovation Rules#3. Creativity and Innovation Rules
#4 Governing Values#4 Governing Values
Perpetuating legacyPerpetuating legacy
Education (informal learning)Education (informal learning)
#4. Explicit Governing Values#4. Explicit Governing Values
#5 Great Work Culture#5 Great Work Culture
SoccerSoccer
Slot Car RacingSlot Car Racing
Wellness ProgramWellness Program
#5. Great Work Culture#5. Great Work Culture
Young company with tenured employees Young company with tenured employees
Impressive stream of new productsImpressive stream of new products
ROI Impact on Business ROI Impact on Business
Who Is ATA Engineering, Inc.?Who Is ATA Engineering, Inc.?
Formed as employee-owned corp. 4/3/2000 Formed as employee-owned corp. 4/3/2000
Spin-off from a public engineering software co.Spin-off from a public engineering software co.
Mission: To be the leading provider of solutions for analysis-driven and test-driven design of mechanical, electro-
mechanical and aerospace products
ATA Engineering, Inc.ATA Engineering, Inc.
Professional engineers in 7 locationsProfessional engineers in 7 locations
600 cumulative years of relevant experience600 cumulative years of relevant experience
Full-time staff of 87, 75 degreed engineersFull-time staff of 87, 75 degreed engineers– 10 B.S. degrees10 B.S. degrees– 46 M.S. degrees46 M.S. degrees– 19 Ph.D. degrees19 Ph.D. degrees– 5 registered Prof. Engineers5 registered Prof. Engineers– 8 -10 co-op and intern students8 -10 co-op and intern students
Graduates from MIT, Stanford, Purdue, Cal Graduates from MIT, Stanford, Purdue, Cal Tech, UCSD, UCLA, Wisconsin, Texas and Tech, UCSD, UCLA, Wisconsin, Texas and other great schoolsother great schools
Who do we hire? Who do we hire?
Shortfall in staffShortfall in staff
Lack particular technical expertise Lack particular technical expertise
Count on ATA having Count on ATA having Top Notch Top Notch Technical TalentTechnical Talent
Why our Talented Why our Talented and and Demanding Demanding
Customers Need usCustomers Need us
1.1. Hire the best possible peopleHire the best possible people
2.2. Offer Employee OwnershipOffer Employee Ownership
3.3. Train, coach, mentorTrain, coach, mentor
4.4. Grant responsibility & authority Grant responsibility & authority
5.5. Create an environment of TrustCreate an environment of Trust
Caveat: Every company is different and some ATA practices may not work for you
Caveat: Every company is different and some ATA practices may not work for you
Top StrategiesTop Strategies
1) Hire the Best People1) Hire the Best People
Hire staff “Too Good To Pass Up” Hire staff “Too Good To Pass Up”
Hire top grads from the best universitiesHire top grads from the best universities
Assess recruits interest in Employee OwnershipAssess recruits interest in Employee Ownership
Process is comprehensive and highly selectiveProcess is comprehensive and highly selective
Candidates accept offers for many reasonsCandidates accept offers for many reasons
Accelerate recruiting when business is slow!Accelerate recruiting when business is slow!
##1. Hiring the best1. Hiring the best
Goal: 100% employee ownershipGoal: 100% employee ownership
Outstanding professionals hired & Outstanding professionals hired & trained by management teamtrained by management team
Team environment through shared Team environment through shared ownershipownership
Company where we love to workCompany where we love to work
Control our own destinyControl our own destiny
##2. Offer Real Ownership2. Offer Real Ownership
HR Surveys: learning HR Surveys: learning key to retentionkey to retention
ATA UniversityATA University
Training is broad & Training is broad & continuouscontinuous
##3. Train and Develop3. Train and Develop
Delegates responsibility & authority Delegates responsibility & authority to Project Teamsto Project Teams
Project teams “delight” customers Project teams “delight” customers
Project Mgr complete responsibility Project Mgr complete responsibility and authority (Quality, Schedule, and authority (Quality, Schedule, and Budget)and Budget)
Jr. engineers as Project ManagersJr. engineers as Project Managers
Quality
TIM
E
Functionality
CO
ST
##4. Grant Responsibility 4. Grant Responsibility andand Authority Authority
Trust staff to treat company resources as their ownTrust staff to treat company resources as their own
Focus on overall ATA performanceFocus on overall ATA performance
Less focus on individual achievementLess focus on individual achievement
Egalitarian culture & flat Egalitarian culture & flat
organization chartorganization chart
No “Executives” at ATANo “Executives” at ATA– No Executive perksNo Executive perks– No Executive Compensation SystemNo Executive Compensation System– Same pay scale for Mgt and engineering staffSame pay scale for Mgt and engineering staff– Promotes teamwork and trustPromotes teamwork and trust
#5. Create an Environment of Trust #5. Create an Environment of Trust
5) Create Environment of Trust 5) Create Environment of Trust
Consensus decision-making: challenging but pays offConsensus decision-making: challenging but pays off
Post spin-off assumption of super-fast decision makingPost spin-off assumption of super-fast decision making
Individual employee-owners empowered to participateIndividual employee-owners empowered to participate
The investment pays off:The investment pays off:
– Employee-owners educatedEmployee-owners educated– Positioned as future leadersPositioned as future leaders– Employee-owners “buy-in” to the decisionEmployee-owners “buy-in” to the decision– Implementation is smoother and fasterImplementation is smoother and faster
#5. And…More Trust #5. And…More Trust
ATA is a fun place to work! People are ATA is a fun place to work! People are enthused & committedenthused & committed
Turnover of 1-2%Turnover of 1-2%
Strong financials=Strong financials=– Significant tax savingsSignificant tax savings– Profitable every yearProfitable every year– Return on revenue exceeds industry Return on revenue exceeds industry
3 of last 4 years3 of last 4 years– Revenue exceeds plan last 3 of 4 yrsRevenue exceeds plan last 3 of 4 yrs
ROI Impact on BusinessROI Impact on Business
Apr 15 Apr 15 Exiting Gracefully – Options for Transitioning OwnershipExiting Gracefully – Options for Transitioning Ownership Corey Rosen, Executive Director & Co-founder, Corey Rosen, Executive Director & Co-founder, NCEONCEO
May 27May 27 Two Perspectives on SuccessionTwo Perspectives on Succession Paul Silvis, Founder, Paul Silvis, Founder, Restek CorpRestek Corp; Michael Foley, CEO,; Michael Foley, CEO, Reflexite CorpReflexite Corp
June 17 June 17 Radio Flyer- The Story of Transforming an American IconRadio Flyer- The Story of Transforming an American Icon Robert F. Pasin, President and CEO, Robert F. Pasin, President and CEO, Radio FlyerRadio Flyer
Upcoming 2009 WebinarsUpcoming 2009 Webinars