Meaningful Elements of Employee Retention

With today’s unemployment rate at a record low, employers are seeking ways to attract and retain the best talent in order to stay competitive. While companies may strive to strike a balance between compensation and benefits, it is essential to note that employee retention is often driven by opportunities for growth within the company.

INTUITIVE has a well-established culture of providing employees with exposure to all aspects of the workflow, from beginning to end. For example, our Design and Engineering team members benefit from their colleagues’ knowledge and experience, communicate directly with clients, and are given the freedom and support to work on multiple projects simultaneously.

Both current employees and job candidates see INTUITIVE as a place that fosters a culture of learning, collaboration, and excellence.

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Innovative Approaches to Utilizing Core Capabilities

John Shields, an electrical engineer in his third year at INTUITIVE, has always been impressed by the company’s approach to foundational engineering. He first learned about INTUITIVE at a job fair while studying at Auburn University. Unlike some larger companies that limit new employees to a single area of focus, he noticed that recent graduates are given the opportunity to explore various areas of their discipline. Shields appreciates this flexibility and the chance to gain experience beyond a singular scope.

“Of course, they don’t throw new employees into big, challenging programs immediately,” said Shields. “I started with small, shorter projects, then moved on to bigger, more long-term ones,” Shields remarked that he was assigned to work closely with a principal engineer for his first 4-5 projects to learn from their knowledge and experience. “It was only later I realized I’d been partnering with Ray Kendall, a professional engineer who’s been with INTUITIVE for more than 20 years.”

It’s this exposure to high-level expertise that makes INTUITIVE different. As an employee, you are not siloed, you are given a variety of resources that includes access to those who have come before you and paved the way through innovation. Beyond the involvement with experts, you are also deeply involved in your projects from beginning to end. “We get to see our designs through from start to finish,” said Shields. “I get to start building an idea of how something will work, I build the components and circuit boards, then build it in the lab and run tests myself. It’s a much more tangible process than you might see at other companies.”

At INTUITIVE, our engineers are connected to their projects. Beyond this, they desire to learn, grow, and challenge themselves, even in new areas outside of their degree. To encourage this mindset and methodology, we continually connect newer employees who are just beginning their career with those who hold many years of experience and an abundance of wisdom. This seamless connection builds a stronger workforce to support our customers.

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Creating Opportunities for Growth and Innovation

Jacqueline Bryant, a mechanical engineer, has witnessed the positive effect of this engineering method on the company’s clients.

“Because I’m working on two to three projects at a time – compared to other companies, where I might have a single project for four years or longer – I’m able to be part of the design process, I can be involved in the analysis, and I can be the engineer onsite at integration,” said Bryant.

“Our customers get a more thoughtful integration in the model we use because I am actively thinking about how my design decisions impact the analysis and manufacturing phase,” added Bryant. “Of course, all good engineers do that anyway, but we are able to be a seamless part of the process.”

Bryant went on to note that our corporate structure is relatively flat. “Without significant hierarchy, I get to work on a lot of similar taskings as someone with more experience, so I can go to them for advice or help.” Working with individuals of all levels fosters both professional and personal growth, as well as the development of diversification and independence.

“This is largely what led me to stay here after my internships—because I knew how the company operated,” said Bryant. “I knew I would have the freedom to do all the different aspects of the job and choose my specializations. I know if there’s something I decide to pursue now – even if we don’t have projects in that area -- I am encouraged to learn to do these things because that allows us to pursue that kind of work.” By dedicating resources and opportunities that allow our employees to grow, we create connections to our customers that drive mission success, no matter the project.

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Embracing Collaboration for Success

In larger engineering companies, it’s common for less experienced engineers to be grouped together to support a single team and progress through a narrow channel of experience. However, electrical engineer Ben Lehe had a different vision for his future.

“At INTUITIVE, we are all given opportunities to succeed or fail on our own. The possibility of failure is part of building trust within a team,” said Lehe. “Of course, our teammates are there to share their expertise and provide back-up to less experienced engineers. We learn to rely on one another’s expertise, and we keep getting chances to succeed.”

Lehe added that by having a diverse team that includes experts in electrical, mechanical, systems, and aerospace engineering, everyone collaborates to produce top-quality work. “I may fail on parts along the way, but there’s a very consistent collaboration from all areas of expertise and experience to help me get back up, learn, and move forward,” said Lehe.?

We recognize that our employees cannot grow alone, they need support systems across the company to reach their goals. This is not only true for employees just joining the organization, but also leadership and executives.

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Making #TheINTUITIVEChoice

If you’re reconsidering your career path due to the current job market, consider joining an organization that prioritizes employee success, ethics, diversity, and giving back.

We take pride in our reputation for excellent service, from small tasks to large implementations. Our cutting-edge organization is built upon committed problem solvers, community involvement, and advanced technology.

When it comes to investing in your growth, are you making #TheINTUITIVEChoice?