The web development firm - which is receiving its first Employees' Choice Award this year - is defined by its three pillars of being caring, driven and focused on learning, so much so that they are often among the first topics of conversation with a prospective hire.
"People are used to coming in and talking about their pure technical skills, but when you start digging down into what they value, they often self-select," says Mr. Waddington. "The conversation around values tends to attract the right people, and the word spreads about it."
A natural consequence of this careful hiring process is that RealDecoy has a very consistent set of people who are eager to drive the kind of workplace initiatives that are usually the responsibility of management, whether that means charitable campaigns, lunch-and-learns, social gatherings, or newsgroups to discuss how to improve client experiences.
As such, the company usually has to deal with fewer human resource problems, which means that it doesn't have to rely as much on stringent policies and safeguards, Mr. Waddington says.
It's not surprising, then, that RealDecoy most often hears positive feedback about its learning programs, given the focus on hiring people who are driven and excited to develop themselves.
For example, the firm includes team development managers among its ranks whose role is entirely about unlocking workers' potential by developing their skill sets and ensuring that they're positioned correctly for both work projects and growth opportunities.
As well, RealDecoy has an intensive "onboarding" process that requires new hires to learn actively and quickly present it to their seniors, rather than simply going off with a manual, allowing rookie staffers to get up to speed in a third of the time it takes the competition, Mr. Waddington says.
It all adds up to an interactive, involved environment where employees are constantly challenged by their work, with a strong and energetic team spirit.
"We see people's involvement as part of their overall life journey, and focus on things like their goals and how work fits into that," adds Mr. Waddington.
Consequently, even in a tough labour market, retention isn't a problem for RealDecoy, "as long as we're talking to those things, walking the walk, and treating people as people, not just as resources."
Founded: 2001
Employees: 107
ECAs: 1
Clients: Foot Locker, Home Hardware, Toronto Public Library, Canada Council for the Arts
