Why Introhive Made The List Of Best Places For Hybrid Work In Canada
Introhive’s commitment to creating a flexible work environment for its employees has earned it a place on the 2022 list of Best Workplaces for Hybrid Work in Canada. And, the Atlantic region has natural advantages that CEO Jody Glidden says make it compare favourably to exotic locations like Miami Beach, where he is based.
“In this last year or so, more tech is coming to the Miami area, kind of like what’s happening in New Brunswick,” says Glidden. “We’re starting to see people can work anywhere now so you’re seeing more migration to places that people would just like to live.”
The “employee experience” platform Great Place to Work has developed a list to recognize the companies that have shifted to a hybrid work model – being able to work from home and the office – during the pandemic. The inaugural list is based on direct feedback from employees at the hundreds of organizations they surveyed.
Trish Rueda, Introhive’s Senior Director of People, says the Fredericton-based software company, which now employs more than 400 people, has had the foundation of a hybrid workplace since it was founded in 2012.
In Atlantic Canada, where nearly half of its workforce is based and many from across the country have relocated to, the company has offices in Fredericton, Saint John and Halifax. But it also has employees working remotely in other Canadian provinces and international offices in Miami, London and India.
Wherever Introhive employees work, collaboration and flexibility are key features of their successful work environment. The company has built a global community, rather than one siloed by office locations.
“In Canada, we had remote employees pre-COVID, and then in the United States everybody was remote, so we’ve really always had a hybrid workplace,” says Rueda.
She adds that hybrid workplace models offer employees benefits on multiple levels, from being able to spend more time with their families to encouraging diversity of cultural perspectives and input in the workplace, which benefits individuals as well as the entire team.
“You have more flexibility with your personal life, and that leads to more engagement and productivity at work. It helps the employees feel respected, appreciated and less stressed.”
Rueda says the company has seen increasingly positive feedback from employees through engagement surveys since March 2020. This, she feels, reflects the unity and collaboration within Introhive’s teams with the growth of the hybrid workplace during the pandemic.
“Our 2021 employee engagement survey ranks us in the top 10% of 200 emerging technology companies,” she says.
The hybrid working model has also positively impacted Introhive’s onboarding of new employees. Rueda says the company scored high (96 per cent) on engagement and satisfaction for new hires. She added that employees are happier with more flexibility to balance their work between home and office and are just as high performing as they were in an office environment.
“It’s not just the human side of it; we’ve done a really good job of maintaining the productivity and employee satisfaction amongst our teams,” she says. “We haven’t seen a dip in productivity in any department.”
Post-pandemic, Introhive plans to continue with hybrid and flexible workplaces and hire remote workers to complement the employees based in their various offices.
Atlantic Canada is high on the list of places where people want to live and work, and now the company has a hybrid model that can meet the needs and wants of its labour force, many of whom no longer gravitate to larger centres.
Just ask Glidden, who grew up in Fredericton and knows what communities like this in the region have to offer.
“I love the people; our Global Headquarters has such a great local community vibe,” Glidden says about Fredericton. “I love what the location offers, particularly the waterfront. It’s so nice to have the trails they’ve preserved all the way along the water for walking and biking. In most places, people buying up all of the waterfront and people can’t get access to it. That’s one of the great things about Fredericton.”