Vyopta Named A Top Austin Workplace By American-Statesman

With the workplace as we’ve historically known it transformed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the shift to remote work, Vyopta’s honor as a top Austin workplace is a testament to the company’s value of culture and support for employees. The award as one of the Austin American-Statesman’s Top Workplaces 2020 resulted from an anonymous third-party survey of Vyopta employees based on criteria such as alignment, execution, and connection.

With employees moved to working from home at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, CEO Alfredo Ramirez said the award as a top Austin workplace confirms the importance placed on keeping employees connected, engaged and inspired.

“Vyopta being selected as a top workplace in Austin is a great honor that our team has bestowed on us. All of this is clear evidence of the camaraderie and achievements of our organization,” he said. “Much like the rest of the world, Vyopta is experiencing unprecedented times that are unlike any other in recent memory. I would like to thank and congratulate our team and express my gratitude and pride to be leading such an outstanding group.”

Culture in the workplace has become a crucial ingredient for success in the technology industry, especially in hot competitive tech markets like Austin where companies are always working hard to find and retain talented workers.

According to the Austin Chamber of Commerce, in 2019 there were more than 173,000 tech jobs in Austin, representing 16.4% of the local economy. Last year tech jobs grew by 7.7%, emphasizing that the constant demand for new workers is making it important for companies to create great workplaces.

Principles Key For A Top Austin Workplace

Ramirez said there are three keys to making Vyopta one of the best workplaces in Austin.

“To make it through the current environment that has changed radically from both a business and personal standpoint, I’m proud that all of us at Vyopta demonstrate the following traits:

• Resilience:  The team has responded to change and disruption both at work and at home. In the face of adversity, our team members juggle the need to care for family and loved ones requiring attention during the day and adjusting their work schedule to perform their individual duties for Vyopta.

• Persistence: We had a mantra to focus and work on the things that you can control both at home and at work.  In doing so, we were able to stay focused on our goals and execute on the Vyopta mission.

• Commitment:  The team has an incredible spirit of determination and dedication to loved ones, the Vyopta customer and the Vyopta team.

With the growing possibility of an end to the pandemic at some time in 2021, Ramirez said Vyopta will continue to support and inspire remote workers, while also planning how to re-establish a great workplace culture once the company can gradually bring people back into the corporate space and maintain its reputation as a top Austin workplace.

“As we embark into 2021, we will continue with everyone working remotely until a vaccine/treatment is available for the general population.  We are also changing our requirements for office space to support a flexible hybrid work schedule of remote and in-office work, which supports a safe work environment,” he said.

“As much as we believe in support of remote work among virtual teams, we believe that having a corporate headquarter to welcome virtual team members in Austin throughout the year is important for achieving and maintaining high camaraderie, morale and engagement.  I have full confidence that our team will adjust well as they return to the office after many months of being apart.”

The effects of the pandemic have been widespread throughout the Austin tech ecosystem, with companies having to work to preserve and grow their culture while also managing growth or cutbacks caused by changes to their business.

Amber Gunst, CEO of the Austin Technology Council, said maintaining culture through the transition back into common workspaces will be important to stay attractive for current and prospective employees.

“You see these companies that provide services to keep us connected and keep our lives moving forward and they’re having to hire a lot of people to keep up with the demand for what their product needs. They’re trying to get those people trained, get them onboarded, find out who they are and make sure they’re good people,” she said. “There’s a lot you can do from a virtual basis but I think companies are now looking at plans to return to their office sometime in 2021 and looking at how to integrate those people from a personal stand point where they’re now part of the culture there since most companies’ culture has shifted at least a little bit in the work from home environment.”

Want to join our award winning team? Check out our open positions.

Chad Swiatecki is a business writer and journalist whose work has appeared in Rolling Stone, Billboard, New York Daily News, Austin Business Journal, Austin American-Statesman and many other print and online publications. He lives in Austin, Texas and is a graduate of Michigan State University. Find him online on LinkedIn.