At GadellNet, our people are our priority. We’ve shaped our core values around our culture and our amazing team. We feel strongly that valued and engaged employees are happier, more successful, and provide our clients with best-in-class service.   

Our core value of Grow or Die, which may sound extreme, is our way of boldly emphasizing how important it is to invest in the growth and development of our team.  

“Growth comes in many shapes and sizes. When we built a core value around growth, we had a very wide view, encompassing everything from learning from our mistakes, taking on new challenges with intensity and purpose, and advancing technical competencies through certifications. We invest heavily in training & development to ensure we are always improving and serving clients better, which ensures we are able to recruit and grow new team members that share in this mindset.”

Brad Hettenhausen, CEO

As Director of Training and Development, I am dedicated to supporting our leaders and their teams throughout their growth journey – professionally and personally.   

Starting Off Right 

All incoming employees complete GadellNet 101 training. Part culturally-focused, part technically-focused, this training is designed to make sure all employees are equipped to take on their new role within our organization.   

All of our future leaders must participate in our internal Leadership Academy program before being considered for a leadership role within GadellNet. This six-month program is designed for emerging leaders who want to grow their leadership skills, challenge themselves, and gain new perspectives. The curriculum includes training on many topics, including EQ, Managing Conflict, Peer to Leader transition, DEI, and Six Sigma Methodology. GadellNet has graduated over 100 leaders in 8 sessions.  

Setting Goals 

The foundation of training and development at GadellNet is goal setting. To meet company goals, each team member sets sprint goals, career goals, and completes an Individual Development Plan (IDP). I hold annual IDP meetings with each employee to discuss short- and long-term career goals, training options, certifications, and beyond. The IDP meetings are a key component for many of GadellNet’s employees moving from entry-level positions to specialized departments at GadellNet and/or cross-departmental promotions.   

Budgeting Growth and Development

Aligning our employees’ goals with their growth is a massive part of my role’s responsibilities. To help employees meet their goals, they are each given an annual training budget of $2,500. This training allowance can be used in several different ways with the sole intent of supporting our employees’ professional growth and development. Some team members have used it for tuition reimbursement or to attend conferences, and others have spent the money on certifications and exams to reach their career goals.   

Incentivizing Growth 

As if career opportunities and development were not enough, GadellNet further incentivizes our employees with exam bonuses. Each time employees pass an exam that earns them a certificate or other notable milestone, they receive a bonus.   

Continuous Learning for Leaders 

Much like teachers, realtors, and other professionals, GadellNet’s leaders must complete continued education. We do this through our Leadership System Learning Path. These training courses focus on nine core processes that all leaders execute, regardless of hierarchy or department.   

Additionally, in-house training on special topics and processes are hosted by GadellNet regularly. Outsourced formalized programs are completed based on needs. As a Situational Leadership Certified Trainer, I have facilitated this training for our current leaders and will continue to do so for our future leaders.   

 Coaching and Mentoring 

Mentoring and coaching are provided for all GadellNet employees. Mentors can be internal or external resources. Our employees are encouraged to take time with mentors to build relationships. Coaching is also available through a more formal platform. We also encourage job shadowing for added visibility into different roles and to help with cross-departmental communication.  

Driving Results 

Our people are what make us different. We pride ourselves on promoting from within and growing individuals. Since 2020, 94 people have been promoted into higher-level positions (some experiencing multiple promotions). In the last three years, we have also added 110 people to our team. Our retention rate has stayed above 85% since 2020, through the Great Resignation of 2021 and we have maintained an average retention rate of 90%.  These great metrics are evident in our business success. 

We built a core value around growth and development for our team because we believe that a strong team is essential to the growth of our business.  Our former CEO believed, “GadellNet is a technology solutions provider, but the medium with which we convey and sell and speak to technology is through humans.”