Why is MessageGears a Best Place to Work?

What does it mean to be a “Best Place to Work”? Even while being named to the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s Best Places list the past couple of years, it’s not a puzzle we think you can really solve. It means different things to different people. And getting on these lists, while gratifying from a validation standpoint, can’t be the goal.

Hopefully, though, that’s the result of a steadfast commitment to building the type of company we want to work for, of creating an environment that’s conducive to a variety of jobs and personalities, and doing our best to ensure the people we surround ourselves with from day to day are professionally and personally fulfilled in what they do.

Because what really matters is the people, not the walls or the desks or the lists. So we chatted with a few of our co-workers to find out what matters the most to them about being with MessageGears.

The ability to make a change
Nick Ziech-Lopez, Product Owner, Cloud Infrastructure Team

We believe that one of the advantages to working at a startup has to be the ability to truly empower each and every member of the team to feel like they have a stake in the direction of the company and its success. It’s been part of our DNA from Day 1, and Nick is one of the leaders of that culture of determination and change.

At MessageGears, one of our core values is “We have a bias to action.” Failure is always an option; it’s far better than sitting on your hands and not doing anything. We’re competing against very large companies, and our ability to be nimble is an important asset. Team members are encouraged to take bold steps that can help us serve our clients better. Every single one of us matters, and we all can make a difference.

Unparalleled healthcare benefits
Will Devlin, VP, Marketing

There’s nothing more important than the health and welfare of the members of our team and their families, so we’ve taken a step very few companies of any size — much less startups — have taken. We offer more than 30 medical plans, 10 dental, and 5 vision plans where we cover 100% of the employee cost and 80% of dependent costs.

We understand that you aren’t just an employee number at MessageGears, and we know how much of a burden health costs can place on the average American family. So this is an obligation we’re glad to take on for our team, to provide them with a level of peace of mind and comfort that everyone in their family has the coverage they need.

The empowerment culture
Syleah Allen, Enterprise Account Executive

We believe it’s essential as a company to provide our team members with opportunities to grow their skills and nurture their strengths. That’s just part of the culture here. Because we’re a startup and everyone is contributing, that means the opportunity will be there for you to do something that maybe you haven’t done before, and to try on a few different hats.

For Syleah, one of those new hats has been the one of the public speaker, representing MessageGears at conferences with a skillset she didn’t even know she had when she arrived here. And she’s far from the only one. If you want to do something, we’re here to support that. Leadership looks for new team members with grit, people who want to hustle and become better at what they do. It’s fun to watch them thrive when given the chance.

So, why is MessageGears a Best Place to Work? Like we said, the reasons for that will vary from person to person. We just hope we can continue making this the type of workplace where people want to come back to each day, and to see them be fulfilled in doing so. And if that ends up getting us on a fun list every now and then, we won’t complain.