What Does it Mean to be a “Great Place to Work?”

Last week LogicMonitor was honored to be included as one of Inc.’s annual Best Workplaces, a list that measures “American companies that excel in creating exceptional workplaces and company culture.”

It’s incredibly gratifying for us to show up on a list like this, alongside previous recognition we’ve received such as Built In Austin’s 2022 Best Places To Work Awards and Glassdoor’s Best Places to Work in 2022 list. It is a testament to how hard our teams have worked to create an inclusive, rewarding culture.?

It has me thinking - what really goes into creating a great place to work? Not just for LogicMonitor but for any organization?

I’ve been lucky to be at some truly great places to work before becoming CEO at LogicMonitor. My time at Salesforce and Slack, and learning from the leaders there, have shaped how I think in major ways, and I’ve tried hard to bring that into LogicMonitor.?

But to be clear, it’s not just about me. LogicMonitor was a great place to work before I became CEO, even before I first came here as President. I could tell it would be a great place to work; that’s why I left Slack for this exciting opportunity.?

So, just what are the factors that separate a good place to work from a great one??

1. Authenticity

Embracing authenticity is central to who I am as a leader and as a person. If you know anything about me, you know that. But I truly believe in this day and age authenticity is the key to building relationships that last, relationships that are rewarding and satisfying - not just for employees but everyone who needs to work together: customers, partners, everyone in our ecosystem.?

An authentic company is one that acknowledges both wins and losses. It doesn’t hide from hard conversations and facts - it owns up when something hasn’t gone as planned. The leaders of such a company act like humans. They have emotions. They get upset sometimes. They admit when they are wrong.?

It’s also about enabling people to bring their whole, authentic selves to work. People who work with me might see my family in the background on Zoom. They know part of my daily routine is going to afternoon sports practices to watch my daughters.?

In an authentic organization, people know the real you, and you feel comfortable and confident being yourself.?

2. Passion?

I’ve always been an athlete. Winning is an amazing feeling that I have tried to strive for my entire life.?

I grew up playing a lot of soccer. When I got to college, I wanted to keep playing - but we didn’t have a soccer team! To play, I had to create a team and convince people to play for it. It wasn’t easy, but I was committed to doing it because I was passionate about soccer.

True passion is inspirational. This is as true in soccer as it is in enterprise software. When you watch Marc Benioff speak, there is no doubt he is passionate about Salesforce and the work he does. And Marc provides an example of passion that goes beyond his business - he cares about social good and the impact Silicon Valley makes in the world.?

Throughout my career, my path to success has been to get as close as I can to the customer and what they want and need to be happy. That’s my passion and the passion I see reflected at LogicMonitor. Any type of work is satisfying when you can believe in what you’re doing.?

3. Rewarding

Authenticity and passion are important, but intangibles. You know when they are present but you can’t measure them. One thing you can measure to create a great place to work are benefits.

The reality of the Great Resignation is that someone who goes looking for a better offer will probably find it. It’s no longer enough to just offer parity when it comes to pay and benefits. You have to look closely at your people and what they need - strong parental leave, healthcare, flexible work environments.?

You must invest not only in offering rewarding ways to work, and rewarding pay and benefits, but in ways to challenge yourself and your teams to constantly re-evaluate what it means to provide a great place to work.?

What does a great place to work look like for you?