“Five Powerful Strategies to Retain Top Notch Technical Talent” Tamsin Jolley, President of Decagon Devices Jeff Young, Chair & General Manager, ATA Engineering.
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““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
Top Small WorkplacesTop Small Workplaces 20082008 Top Small Workplaces Top Small Workplaces WinnersWinners
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.”
What the Jobs look likeWhat the Jobs look like
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
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
“We don’t try to be something we are not.In everything we do we consider our culture.”
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?
Designing and Engineering Cool StuffDesigning and Engineering Cool Stuff
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
Questions?Questions?
www.decagon.com www.ata-e.comwww.ata-e.com
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
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