Hartford Business Journal

www.HartfordBusiness.com • March 9, 2020 • Hartford Business Journal BPTW 5 BEST PLACES TO WORK IN CONNECTICUT Small/Medium Cos. Saisystems International builds a values-based workplace By Liese Klein Special to the Hartford Business Journal A lways do your best. Always do the right thing. Always give back to the community. These were the values that Manoj Wadhwani's parents instilled in him and his two sisters in childhood, and he discovered them anew when he started working for the family technology company, Saisystems International. "It was inter- esting to reflect on how we got to where we are," Wadhwani said of the company, which has 45 employees at its Shelton headquarters. "The same values that my sisters and I grew up with, that our parents taught, were basically the same values with which the company was run." Immigrants from Pune, India, Ra- mesh and Sunita Wadhwani founded the company in 1987 as a mail-order distributor of computer hardware. By the new millennium, Saisystems had pivoted to offering technology ser- vices in health care and other sectors and opened an overseas division in Pune. Manoj Wadhwani joined his par- ents' company in 1999 and now serves as president of Saisystems Health. For Tina Gjuraj, Saisystems' HR coordinator, the company's empha- sis on mission is inspiring and helps make it a great place to work. "The values truly resonate within the office, they've become everyday terms for us," Gjuraj said. "It shows in our work behaviors as well as out- side of the workplace as well." The fact that two of the core princi- ples are described with Sanskrit terms — dharma for "doing the right thing" and seva for "service" — is no obstacle to their adoption by workers, she added. "These are human values, these are not necessarily Indian values," Manoj Wadhwani said. "The con- cepts are universal." Employees earn cash awards and recognition for actions that reflect on the company's values, winning bracelets and getting featured in the company's internal communica- tions. Community service also gets prioritized with monthly volunteer projects and visits by staff to local schools to teach financial literacy. In addition, the company's anniversary date, Oct. 17, is set aside as a day of community service at all locations. Another core principle, unity, helps bring the staff together at a higher level than simple teamwork, Wadhwani said. "It's unity in thought, word, mind and deed; making sure teams are unified in focus, goals, approach and communication," he said. The company's strong record on retention of skilled workers reflects the positive impact of a values-based workplace, Wadhwani said. Nearly 35% of the growing firm's staff have served for five years or more, he said. "We walk the talk, caring for em- ployees," Wadhwani said. "It is evident in every decision we make." Want to advance your career, improve your job prospects, make a difference in the world, or gain new business knowledge? UConn's graduate business programs will get you there. Learn more at grad.business.uconn.edu. Part-Time Full-Time Executive MBA PROGRAMS SPECIALIZED MASTERS Accounting (Online) Business Analytics & Project Management Financial Risk Management Human Resource Management RANKED 2 ND Saisystems International Headquarters: Shelton Industry: Technology Website: www.saisystems.com Twitter: SaisystemsTech Top executives: Ramesh Wadhwani, CEO WE'RE GROWING! Join our award-winning team. We're on the look-out for well-rounded, dedicated people to become part of our top-ranked, rapidly emerging company. Visit coopsys.com/career-opportunities For 7 consecutive years!

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