August 2014

Intertech Named to Inc. 5000

For the ninth time, Intertech was named to the Inc. 500/5000 list of the fastest growing companies in America. Intertech experienced 77% growth in sales over the past three years. My thanks to our exceptional employees and dedicated customers. We are not possible without you.

Intertech Profiled as a Business Journal Best Place to Work

Intertech was profiled in the August 15th, 2014 Business Journal as a Best Place to Work.

As shared in an earlier post, this was our 10th time being named to the list. My thanks to our employees and customers… we’re not possible without you.

See the profile here.

Intertech Named to Best Places to Work for 10th Time

For the 10th time, Intertech was named one of the Best Places to Work by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal.

Earlier this year, Intertech was named #1 place to work by The Star Tribune in the 50-150 employee category and the #1 place to work by Minnesota Business magazine in the mid-sized category.

We are all humbled and thankful for our customers and employees. We are not possible without you.

Thank you.

Tom

Building a Winning Business – Checking in with New Employees

Successfully launching a new employee means checking in on regular intervals to see how things are going. I recommend checking in after the person has been on the job for 30, 60, and 90 days.

These are informal opportunities to ask how things are going and whether the employee has clear direction on what he should be doing. We also ask whether he needs any tools or training and, most important, whether there is anything else we should be aware of or anything he would like to discuss.

Check-ins provide a one-on-one opportunity for employees to share thoughts and concerns. They also continue to communicate to employees that they’re important and you want them to succeed.

Tom’s Takeaway: “Regular, informal check-ins with new employees let them know you are committed to their success. They also allow you to fix early problems before they fester into major issues.”

Download Available — D8: www.Intertech.com/Winning-Business

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Thoughts Since the Book

Most check-ins result in a “all things are well” conversation. While it may seem like overkill, the purpose of the check-ins is for those few occasions where all is not well and this dedicated, focused one-on-one provides an opportunity to fix an issue and keep an employee

Building a Winning Business – Onboarding New Employees

As anyone who has ever had an awkward first date knows, first impressions matter. Likewise, the amount of effort you put into effectively bringing someone new into your organization plays a significant role in whether or not he becomes a long-term employee.

At Intertech, we send a floral arrangement to a new employee’s home upon acceptance of our offer, with a note of welcome. The week before he starts, we send an e-mail explaining what to expect the first week
Beyond the obvious orientation activities—lunch, HR forms, and meeting other employees—set the tone quickly by telling the new person about your company’s history, particularly through anecdotes and personal observations. This can be more challenging at large and long-established corporations, but even in those organizations mentors can tell new employees about their own relevant work experiences to make the culture come alive.
At Intertech, instead of a PowerPoint deck that talks about our history, I take the new hire around town to see the company’s milestones (such as the 800-square-foot house where our firm was hatched in my early 20s). Before or after our driving history tour, I talk about the company’s strategic plan, where we’re headed, our communications guidelines, and, most important, how the employee fits into our future.

Tom’s Takeaway: “You only get one chance to make a first impression. Take the time and care to communicate with new employees, letting them know you’re confident that they quickly will become valued members of your team.”

Download Available — D7: www.Intertech.com/Winning-Business

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Thoughts since the Book

For some strategic hires, I’ve created an onboarding document that outlines our org chart, a breakdown of their team, key meetings, core responsibilities, logins/access to sites and systems. This document was sent prior to the first day and made for a rapid transition.