Employees collaborate at Singlewire Software’s Madison headquarters. The company believes that teamwork and idea-sharing are at the core of its success, helping it deliver important, innovative threat-notification solutions that address customer needs.
Terry Swanson sees the workplace culture at Singlewire Software as a three-legged stool.
“It’s when the strategic direction is tightly linked with the product,” said Swanson, Singlewire’s CEO. “If your cultural core values are embedded in your vision and mission statement and your strategy, you’re creating a recipe for a good, healthy, fun place to work.”
Singlewire, which has been named to the Top Workplaces list four times, develops software solutions that enable organizations, including schools and corporations, to detect threats, notify people, manage emergency incidents and protect their people.
“Culture is a bottom-up type of thing, and everyone is engaged and committed,” said Swanson. “It stinks when you read about an active shooter incident, so when we step back as a team we can say, ‘Hey, this is a pretty good thing we’re doing here. We’re trying to save lives.’”
Singlewire, with 155 employees, emphasizes trusting staff members and promoting collaboration.
“We trust the individual’s judgment, their collaboration,” he said. “We don’t get hung up on organizational hierarchy. We trust that people can work out the best path to problem resolution. We give them the tools they need to do that.”
Swanson also values employee communication and is about to implement regular roundtables, where 15 invited employees from across the company talk openly about the business, issues and problems.
Singlewire leaders meet with every new hire to convey the company’s culture, history and strategic goals.
“We want them to know that we’re passionate about our customers, so we’re going to rally around you and support you,” Swanson said. “The real message is, ‘We want you to be comfortable working here.’”
The company also goes out of its way to organize social events, such as new-product celebrations and an annual homecoming picnic, which brings together remote and on-site staff.
Employees collaborate at Singlewire Software’s Madison headquarters. The company believes that teamwork and idea-sharing are at the core of its success, helping it deliver important, innovative threat-notification solutions that address customer needs.
