Irvine, Calif. — “More and more companies are realizing the benefits of transitioning to a virtual model and in a few years virtual work environments will be the norm” says Kim Shepherd, CEO of Decision Toolbox, a nationwide provider of project based hiring and on-demand Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO).
“Decision Toolbox has been a 100% virtual workplace since 2003, “explains Shepherd. “We’ve adopted the term ‘cloud culture’ to describe our own unique virtual environment.”
“The key to sustaining performance, productivity and profit in the ‘clouds’ is to continually focus on and build out your culture. Keeping people truly connected and not feeling like islands can be tricky — especially as you grow. This is where real creativity comes in. At DT, we’re constantly adding ‘sticky factor’ to our cloud culture. We have weekly team meetings, virtual water coolers and chat rooms, internal newsletters, unique on boarding and training processes, annual all-staff meetings — and the list goes on — all designed to keep employees connected, engaged and drinking the DT Kool-Aid,” says Shepherd.
According to Shepherd, below are the five key tips to building a successful cloud culture company:
1) Lose the office — ok, that’s an obvious one.
2) Get some strong technology in place to track your metrics.
3) Hire “A” players who can be trusted to perform and manage themselves — keep top-grading as needed.
4) Stay focused on your culture — act as though you have sticks and bricks — get creative to keep everyone feeling connected and engaged.
5) Implement top-down leadership — this is not for the faint of heart — you need a bold, visionary leader in place who lives, eats and breathes the cloud culture.
“Going virtual truly is so much more than working from home. A successful transition requires a commitment to continually sharpen the saw and to aim for far more than having a virtual workplace — a true cloud culture, “concludes Shepherd.
About Decision Toolbox (DT)
Founded in 1992, Decision Toolbox provides scalable and easily integrated recruitment solutions for a 7% cost per hire on average while incorporating rigorous quality controls and a twelve-month candidate guarantee. Armed with the very latest tools and a team of seasoned US-based Recruiters and Sourcers, Decision Toolbox is an on-demand recruiting department for one critical search, for large projects, or a complete RPO/RPI solution. Decision Toolbox has taken a leadership role in almost every aspect of recruitment, introducing an RPO offering in 2000, four years before it became industry practice. DT is recognized as a “Thought Leader” by organizations such as SHRM, PIHRA, and the NHRA, and was awarded the Alfred P. Sloan Award for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility in 2009 and 2011. DT is a Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) certified company, the Gold Standard. WBENC Certification validates that the business is 51 percent owned, controlled, operated, and managed by a woman or women.