License to Succeed

Eschewing metrics for a holistic, individual approach to employee management

Global Technical Talent President Vishnu Doraiswamy understands the pressure recruiters face. Having walked in their shoes — he started as a recruiter at GTT about 20 years ago — he focuses on each individual’s holistic success, a unique company model in the industry. In lieu of metrics to hit, each person has a clear understanding of their individualized goals and a process team to help ensure they succeed.

The company serves the New England region with 175 employees in three offices. The technical staffing provider serves Fortune 500 clientele, including Goldman Sachs, Bose and TD Bank, among other prestigious organizations. In a world that is constantly changing and a field defined by fierce competition for talent, GTT focuses on bringing the latest tools and innovations to the table to keep its competitive edge. Its technology-driven recruiting infrastructure enables the organization to fulfill client needs while continually looking for new, more efficient ways to source the best talent quickly.

But cutting-edge technology isn’t the only resource GTT uses to find top-quality candidates. “You can’t find external talent without internal talent!” says Doraiswamy. “We have extremely talented people who are good at what they do. Our technical and recruiting infrastructures come together to provide our clients with great service.” Now, as president, he wants to continue to foster the employee-focused corporate culture that has kept him at GTT all this time.

Leadership Attitude

The initiative to do away with metrics and micromanaging has created a structure where each employee feels empowered to do their best for themselves and the company. “There are no managers here — we have guides and mentors,” Doraiswamy explains. “We’re always looking for ways to grow each employee to the best possible level we can get them to. Getting rid of the focus on metrics has had a substantial positive impact on morale.”

With such a focused lens on each staff member’s individual style and strengths, teams feel freer and more empowered to accomplish their goals. And Technical Recruiter Caleigh Adler is grateful for this support system. “It’s a leadership attitude, not a boss attitude,” she says. “A boss goes over the numbers, but a leader will work with you when you need help or new ideas.”

Fun & Supportive Milieu

Six years ago, Adler, who was finishing her business administration degree, began applying for entry-level positions in her town, looking for the first step into a career path without a clear idea of what she wanted to pursue. “When I was hired at GTT, I wasn’t ready to jump all-in since I hadn’t graduated yet,” she explains. “I didn’t know anything about the industry going in. I just knew that I wanted a place where I could grow my skill set as an individual.”

During her first year with the company, Adler was tasked with growing the organization’s permanent placement section. “No one was making perm deals at the time,” she adds, “but I made 10 or 11 my first year. I’m very proud of that.” Now, with a little more tenure under her belt, Adler is becoming more client-facing, making sales visits with company executives and helping to secure new clients — and she has no plans to stop any time soon. In a notoriously stressful job, she delights in being able to make her own success. “I work hard and do my best, and I get to see the results!”

Adler’s success within GTT shows the organization understands what it takes to attract long-term talent. With so many competing staffing firms, an employee who feels undervalued, unappreciated or undercompensated at one agency could easily use their talents to leverage a higher-paying role somewhere else. In order to retain their people for the long run, GTT offers a competitive salary and opportunities for promotion within the company in addition to the supportive environment and personal development. The company also offers its recruiters a sizable candidate database, access to new technologies and partnerships with Fortune 500 clientele to facilitate the often-stressful recruiting process.

The organization also shows its appreciation for its team members in different ways including social events and semi-regular outings after work, and closing its offices early on Fridays in the summer if teams hit their weekly goals. Even its main location in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, is a token of pride located right in the heart of downtown, where its employees can enjoy lobster lunches on the water and stroll by quaint shops on sunny days. Although a more suburban location might come with a less-expensive rent, GTT believes its team deserves to enjoy everything downtown Portsmouth has to offer.

Team members savor the atmosphere differently. Operations Manager Stefan Saka tends to enjoy the view from his window while the rest of the team breaks for lunch. Although he can’t always join the others for an after-work cocktail, Saka still enjoys the amiable relationships among everyone in the staff, noting that in such a high-pressure industry, it’s important to have a relaxed, comfortable atmosphere where you can take a moment for yourself if you need it.

Communication Flow

Saka knows that motivation is important to help a team continue to reach for the stars. On top of the scenic company outings, he also keeps the team’s energy up with competitive programs for top earners, as well as prizes for daily sales winners, such as massage treatments from the nearby massage parlor. But even more important than the contests and treats, he says, is the transparency each employee can expect from senior staff. In his previous role as a retail manager, Saka often found himself frustrated by the lack of communication from executives, which left lower-level workers unsure that they were aligned with the right goals. GTT, on the other hand, believes that open communication is key for the success of the organization and its people. Frequent updates keep the staff abreast of new technologies, trends in the current market and the latest industry developments, so that there are no surprises.

Saka uses this open flow of communication to help his team increase efficiency, making use of available resources to increase overall productivity. “I helped my team learn to leverage the tools we already had in new ways,” he notes proudly. He got his staff up to speed on additional features in the applicant tracking system, linking data via lookups and utilizing pivot tables to greater effect. And as the individual productivity increased, systemic company productivity grew alongside it. “I love the level of thinking in my role,” he adds. “There’s better ways to do things every day.”

Doraiswamy agrees. “We’re a firm always looking for what is next out there,” he says. “We want to source the best talent, and in order to do that, we need the best recruiters.” By focusing on the individual success of each staff member, celebrating their accomplishments and supporting them in all areas, Global Technical Talent is helping to bring each person up to higher and higher levels — and securing the organization’s own bright future in turn.