Dog-friendly and activity-heavy approach pays off
Sugar Land company boasts low turnover and engaged workers
Going to the dogs works well for HCSS Software, and for its employees.
“Some days 20 people bring their dogs to work, and more are doing it every day,” CEO Mike Rydin said. “If your dog is here, you don’t have to worry about it.”
HCSS, the industry-used name for Heavy Construction Systems Specialists, ranked No. 3 among midsize Houston-are companies on the Chronicle’s Top Workplaces list, compiled by Workplace Dynamics.
In the 30 years since forming HCSS, Rydin has found keeping employees engaged on the job is good for his business of selling software, training and 24-hour live support to the building industry.
“Our employees stay a long time,” Rydin said. “We seldom lose any, so they are much more knowledgeable .”
The company’s Sugar Land campus includes a basketball court, a gym with treadmills and weights, a 200-meter all-weather track, a short outdoor trail with a man-made hill, showers and a washing machine, all for use by the 200-plus employees.
“The activities are the best,” one employee reported to Workplace Dynamics ,“( including) weekly workout sessions by professionals .”
“I had a goal of 80 percent of the employees being fit in five years,” Ry din said .“We got to around 70 percent. Anybody can find a workout partner for every type of workout.”
There also are kennels so not all of those dogs employees are bringing to work are roaming at the same time.
“I used to let all of them out at once,” Rydin said. “Now there are too many.”
More than exercise and dogs landed H CS Son the Top Work places list.
“The motto is ‘the other fellow first,’ ” one employee said. “Everyone is supportive of each other.” A program called “The Collaborative Way” encourages employees in con- flict to work it out in a session the next day. That can be hard to face sometimes but it works, said Rydin, who remembers having to do it.
“I didn’t like doing it,” he said, laughing. “But when you have to go apologize, you do think twice. And the employee really appreciated it.”
There also are flexible workhours, a work-at-home day every two weeks and casual dress, within reason.
HCSS also offers compensation benefits including an employee stock ownership plan and profit sharing.
“I want the employees in the same boat as I am, so we are all trying to grow the pie,” Rydin said. “They benefit just like I do. We are all working together to build the company.”