When I started Connectria in 1996, who would have thought that three (3) simple words would have made such a profound impact. I had just left a company filled with rude and condescending individuals, and I knew I never wanted to work with people like that again. So “No Jerks Allowed” became our company mantra.
As we head into our 20th year in business with 150 employees and nearly 1,000+ customers, I’m proud of the culture we’ve built at Connectria. We’re a group of smart, hard-working, dedicated and passionate people who put customers, each other, and the community first. Where kindness is actually written into the way we work.
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that one of the most important things I can do to ensure Connectria’s long-term success is to make sure we’re taking care of our people, and that our employees enjoy coming to work every day. All of us spend more time working than just about any other activity we do in our lives. For the last seven years, it’s been my personal goal each year to make Connectria a great place for our employees.
That’s why I was so thrilled that Connectria was named as a 100 Best Places to Work in IT by Computerworld and a Top Workplaces winner by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. They were both based upon employee surveys, and we’ve won them two years in a row!
Our people cited Connectria’s benefits and perks including: our “No Jerks Allowed” culture; our comprehensive medical benefits; our contributions to each employee’s 401K regardless of their participation; our free fitness centers with personal trainers; free tickets to St. Louis Cardinals, St. Louis Blues and concerts; and the healthy foods and snacks we provide to our employees.
I had no idea how Connectria would do when I started it in 1996, but I’m very happy where we are today. I can’t wait to see where we are in another 20 years!