The next phase of your career is right around the corner, and Built In Chicago is here to help. After all, the first quarter of the year is typically considered the best time to find a new position, so now’s the time to tune into the scene.
Whether you’re looking to move up in your current field, broaden your skill set or simply take stock of an ardently dynamic industry, there’s no shortage of Windy Cindy startups making waves in the local tech environment.
Even if you’ve dawdled on your New Year’s resolutions, the following five companies may be just the inspiration you need to jumpstart your search and underscore the abundance of reasons to be excited about the Chicago startup arena.
What they do: CNA provides insurance solutions for tech-enabled businesses around the world, offering products like computer insurance, hacker protection, cloud coverage and cybersecurity insurance.
Notable perks and benefits: All employees at CNA have access to programs to further their career development, such as specialty courses, training and learning programs. The organization has also adopted a bottom-up leadership style, which gives employees from all levels the chance to step up and take charge within the company.
View from the inside: For CNA Senior Vice President and Chief Data & Analytics Officer Santosh Bardwaj, the way the company tackles leadership questions has done more for his organization than simply bring teams together. “For an initiative to be successful, you need all employees engaged in the transformation,” Bardwaj said. “By using a bottom-up leadership approach, you not only encourage employees to lead but also empower them to get involved beyond what their official title may suggest.”
What they do: With Qualtrics’ software, companies can record and store customer conversations, simplify data with various analyses, and integrate popular applications. Rather than juggling multiple tools and platforms, Qualtrics unifies these capabilities for more streamlined workflows.
Notable perks and benefits: Qualtrics makes sure employees take time to recharge by offering each of their employees $1,500 annually to spend on a “bucket list” adventure. The company also has a blog series that highlights the different ways employees have used their bonuses, including a family trip to Disney World, becoming a dog owner and launching a podcast.
View from the inside: Providing employees with a bonus that’s tied to an action is a great way to incentivize taking well-deserved time off, Global Head of Product Marketing Kate Hodgins said: “We prioritize making great experiences for our team members through flexible schedules, generous time off, and providing an experience bonus to all employees so that they can make their own memories and cultivate great experiences with their family and community.”
What they do: Freight forwarding and logistics company Flexport provides companies a technology platform they can use to ship their goods by land, sea and air.
Notable perks and benefits: Flexport refers to itself as an employee-forward company, offering flexible paid time off; 100 percent covered health, vision and dental insurance; 401k; performance bonuses; and access to stock with a 10-year tax option to allow employees to reap the rewards of their talent.
View from the inside: Not only do employees have access to countless cultural activities and career growth opportunities, they also have the chance to share their talents on an international scale. As one employee put it, “It’s exciting to know I have the ability to make global trade easier for people everywhere.”
What they do: Renowned for products under the Cat brand, Caterpillar uses data, technology, advanced analytics and AI capabilities to help their customers work more safely and efficiently, equipping workers with the tools to maximize productivity at construction sites.
Notable perks and benefits: Whether working virtually or in-person, employees at Caterpillar are always looking for ways to have fun and grow as a team. Group dinners, coffee chats, ax throwing, chess club and virtual happy hours are just a few of the activities the company hosts to help colleagues connect around the world.
View from the inside: Employees participate in reverse mentoring — a program that gives junior women the chance to mentor senior male leaders, providing novel perspectives based in real-world interactions. “We create a positive employee experience by treating each other with respect, trust and dignity,” Senior Digital Consultant Darilynn Criss said. “Ultimately, innovation is born when people with different opinions, experiences and backgrounds come together to serve our global customers and communities.”
What they do: Ocient is a data analytics startup that works to build a SQL-compliant platform to process large amounts of data.
Notable perks and benefits: Employee retention is critical to long-term success for founder and CEO Chris Gladwin. The length of employee tenure at his previous venture, Cleversafe, far exceeded that of comparable companies, and he’s brought a similar mentality to Ocient by offering benefits like generous parental leave and flexible work schedules to gain and retain loyalty.
View from the inside: Interns at Ocient often find themselves back with the company following graduation. “My decision to return to Ocient as a full-time employee was motivated by the quality of the mentorship I received,” one intern said. “At Ocient, I found that the senior engineers were always willing to take the time to introduce parts of the system that I was not familiar with.”
