Hartford Business Journal

54 HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | APRIL 17, 2023 Other Voices Why workplace culture matters By Christopher Luise E very business owner under- stands that their team is integral to the success or failure of their business. Over the past three years, a jobseekers' market has emerged, creating intense competition with more job openings than applicants. In this battle for talent, your company's culture separates the winners from the losers. With the right talent on your roster, it acceler- ates your growth and creates greater profitability. It takes a village No company or organization can build an inclusive, welcoming and rewarding culture in a day. It requires a commitment from every team member at every level — from leadership to the newest employee — to help create it. While perks like coffee bars, craft beers and free lunch Fridays may help show appreciation, they can't be the sole focus of your investment in culture. To create a people-first culture, leadership must listen to the team and take feedback seriously to make meaningful improvements. People need to connect with each other and build genuine relationships. An organization has a respon- sibility to ensure that every team member feels seen, heard and valued for who they are, and how they contribute to the success of the team. Culture boosts business outcomes A winning culture benefits both your employees and clients. Although your product or service may be exceptional, poor delivery can ruin your reputation. The people behind your business make all the difference when it comes to attracting clients, building a strong customer base and driving sales. When you have a passionate and dedicated team that feels understood and valued, they'll work harder, innovate more and develop creative solutions to improve processes and client service. This leads to better business outcomes for clients and the organization. Engaged employees become more effective as entrepreneurs and relationship managers when they truly believe in the company they are presenting to clients and prospects. With higher client satisfaction, organizations foster loyalty and generate more referrals, leading to growth and greater profitability. A culture of trust ADNET introduced our "respon- sible time off" policy — our version of unlimited time-off — over five years ago. We felt we needed to offer our team more flexibility and work-life balance, and we recog- nized that limiting their time off also limited what they could accomplish outside of work. Managing a high-performing team requires trust and empowerment. Balancing our team's freedom to take more time off while ensuring they meet our clients' needs is a challenge, but it can be properly managed with a culture built for people who trust each other and genuinely want the best for each other as well as for the organization. We also haven't required our team to return to the office for in-person work, and we have no plans to change that. They can work from anywhere they can be productive — and we provide the tools, technology and support to keep them engaged. You must be able to trust your team, and trust that you have the right people. If you ignore your business's culture, you risk losing top talent — and losing clients. Christopher Luise is the CEO of ADNET Technologies, a Rocky Hill-based IT management, cloud services and cybersecurity firm that has earned a spot on Hartford Business Journal's Best Places to Work in Connecticut list for 10 consecutive years. Christopher Luise MOVERS & SHAKERS Hartford law firm Shipman & Goodwin LLP has made two addi- tions to its Connecticut offices. Eric Del Pozo, the former assistant Solicitor General for the New York State Attorney General, has joined the firm's Hartford office as a partner in the litigation and appel- late practices. Sarah Kettenmann has joined the firm's environmental law prac- tice group in Stamford as an associate. Del Pozo defended New York's concealed-carry licensing law at the U.S. Supreme Court in NYSRPA v. Bruen, and was instrumental in crafting the ongoing defense of New York's updated gun-safety statutes. He's also handled cases related to telecommunications, healthcare reimbursement, insurer insolvency, coastal management, business and consumer fraud, tax enforcement, free speech and religious rights. Kettenmann maintains a regu- latory practice focused on federal and state environmental, health and safety laws. Glastonbury-based Fiondella, Milone & LaSaracina has announced the promotion of CPA Karlene Barry to partner. Barry has more than 20 years of public accounting experience servicing a variety of industries, with a concentration in closely held business and their owners. The Capitol Region Council of Governments (CRCOG) has appointed Caitlin Palmer as director of regional planning and development. She previously served as CRCOG's principal community development planner. Palmer has a master's degree in urban planning from Columbia University and more than 10 years of experience as an urban planner. She worked for the city of Hartford for six years, most recently as the chief of zoning administration, before joining the Capitol Region Council of Govern- ments in 2018. Trade group ManufactureCT has selected Barbara Dimauro as its new executive director. For 15 years, Dimauro worked in newspaper and magazine publishing with stints in circula- tion, marketing and advertising management before branching off on her own and founding Audi- ence Development Strategies, a company that partners with busi- nesses and nonprofit associations to develop marketing and business development plans. Dimauro is a native of western Massachusetts and recently moved to Avon with her husband and two children. About 70% of Hartford-based ManufactureCT's members are manufacturers. Bloomfield-based LiquidPiston, a developer of efficient engine tech- nology and hybrid power systems, announced that Peter Hartman has joined the company as vice president of engineering. In this role, Hartman will oversee LiquidPiston's engineering and product development efforts and help commercialize the company's X-Engine technology. Prior to joining LiquidPiston, he was the executive director of engi- neering for VIA Motors, a manu- facturer of fully electric commercial vehicles, where he helped grow the team from 35 to 120 employees while overseeing key functions of engi- neering and launching a new Tech- nical Center and headquarters. Todd Burton has been named senior vice president, chief retail banking officer of Thomaston Savings Bank. Burton joined the bank in 2011 and previ- ously served as senior vice president, senior retail banking officer. He oversees the bank's regional managers, mortgage loan officers and community outreach officer as well as serving as the bank's Commu- nity Reinvestment Act officer. Torrington construction manage- ment firm O&G Industries Inc. has hired Tiffany Firebaugh as its new chief information officer. Firebaugh brings more than 20 years of IT and busi- ness experience in the construction industry with a focus on using technology and inno- vation to improve production and overall business performance. Eric Del Pozo Sarah Kettenmann Karlene Barry Caitlin Palmer Tiffany Firebaugh Todd Burton

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