Reflecting on Our Anniversary: 14 Things We’ve Learned Over 14 Years
2005 sounds like it was such a long time ago, and yet the years seem to have flown by. We’ve met a lot of people and accomplished many things during that time. As we reflect on the last 14 years during our anniversary, we can’t help but think of all the important lessons we’ve learned.
1. Ways to foster true partnerships
Whenever a business engages with an outside service, especially when that service involves people and technology, the stakes are high. We’ve learned how to move past simple business agreements and foster reliable, strong partnerships with the companies who rely on us.
2. How to find the right job
The technologists who trust us with their careers do so because we know that being qualified for a job doesn’t mean it’s the right job. Over time, we’ve learned how to properly vet opportunities to ensure they are perfect matches for a professional’s skill set, personality, and desired career growth.
3. The power of giving back
Most companies understand that volunteer efforts are necessary to be a well-rounded organization. However, through our Karma Days – organized volunteering at places like Laradon School, Food Bank of the Rockies, and Foothills Animal Shelter – we discovered that giving back is powerful and personally rewarding. It leaves our employees changed for the better.
4. What building a strong culture really means
Creating an environment where team members thrive means more than just pats on the back. It means offering unique perks that keep everyone feeling balanced and appreciated. Whether it’s implementing Powder Days that let employees hit nearby slopes, summer hours that help them beat traffic, or one of our other initiatives, a strong culture means rewarding our valued team the way they deserve.
5. Overcoming obstacles takes collaboration
Even the best-run businesses face setbacks and issues that often arise without warning. By creating an open forum for our team to be heard, we’ve been able to crowdsource solutions to any obstacles that BridgeView IT or our clients face.
6. It’s necessary to listen and adapt to employees
Many of BridgeView IT’s best ideas have come from our staff. That includes internal activities like Powder Days as well as processes that improve our client and candidate experiences. Being in tune with our team and taking action on their suggestions has helped bring mutual wins to BridgeView IT.
7. How to encourage teamwork
Bringing people together for a common mission does something that few “how-to” articles mention. Early in the BridgeView IT journey, we saw that creating collaborative friendships in our staff created coworker relationships that improved the employee experience and the level of service we provided our clients and candidates.
8. Why core values matter
From the very start, we knew we needed a driving force for BridgeView IT. This had to be something that improved life for anyone who interacted with our company. Establishing four core values and actually living by them is why we’re still thriving 14 years later.
9. Vacation time means completely unplugging
We’ve all been there: you’re lying on a beach, out to a nice dinner, or sharing a special moment with your loved ones when an urgent work email hits your phone. We recognized the dangers that contribute to burning out, and that’s why we encourage all employees to take their vacation time and totally unplug during that time.
10. Remote work is important
Fourteen years ago, roles, processes, and home networks just weren’t primed for remote work. Since then, all these factors have evolved. Offering remote working options to our employees improves work-life balance while keeping them productive and fulfilling their potential.
11. That there’s nothing to hide
Building trust means being open and honest in every relationship, whether it’s with the team, clients, or candidates. While this mentality drives every interaction, one notable way we live this motto is by sharing a State of Company report on a quarterly basis.
12. Discovering what’s important
As we’ve grown, adding talented individuals to our team, we’ve also found that different people hold different causes close to their hearts. Understanding and supporting these causes, whether they are registered charities or something more personal, is important to us.
13. Things can (and will) get better
While we feel lucky for our early success in launching BridgeView IT, we recognize that it’s in large part due to our mentality of continuous improvement. No matter how big the win is, we know there is always room to get better. The same holds true during tough times; we know there’s always a brighter sunrise on the horizon.
14. It’s always about people
People are the reason BridgeView IT exists. Whether we’re trying to fill a role, place skilled talent, or help a team member through a bad day, the end goal is always about making a positive impact on someone’s life. While we knew this from the start, each day over the last 14 years has made us believe in people more and more.
