Center for Internet Security proud of its culture
Company says it strives to make its large remote workforce feel included
The Center for Internet Security likely flies under the radar for many, but its more than 400 employees have a deep connection to the East Greenbush-based nonprofit due to a strong corporate culture.
For a company where most employees work remotely and are spread across the country, a strong workplace culture is extremely important.
By proving this flexibility, CIS is “supporting work-life balance,” says Kristina Rankin, the company’s director of human resources.
Since most employees work from home or remotely on any given day protecting the IT systems and data of CIS’s government and business clients from cyber threats, the company’s leadership believes it has to work harder than the average firm to develop a strong identity and corporate culture.
It all starts with the Center for Internet Security’s Leadership Principles, a list of the company’s guiding ideas. It’s a onepage document, but it carries a lot of weight.
The CIS Leadership Principles are both lofty and pragmatic. The top line of the document includes: Set the Example; Take
Responsibility and Deliver Results.
But then there are others, such as: Empower, Command the Details, Promote Creativity, Debate and Commit, Be Humble, Honor the Team, Be Agile and, perhaps most importantly, Cultivate Inclusion through Diversity.
“The top priority is creating an atmosphere for all and for our employees to feel included and connected,” Rankin said. “It really helps. Everyone feels valued and included.”
What also makes employees feel included and empowered is the amount of training and education that CIS provides. In fact, the company says it spends $3,200 per employee on training and education.
That, along with a benefits package that includes five paid days off for volunteering, has translated into real results. CIS had a 91 percent retention rate as of 2023, which is a great number from a human resources perspective.
“That’s a testament to the environment we created,” Rankin said. “We’re pretty proud of it.”