Health first

2023 BEST PLACES TO WORK — SMALL EMPLOYERS WINNER

SmartEdge IT LLC, a Herndon-based business software development company, places a high premium on employee health and well-being.

SmartEdge pays 100% of the premium for its health care package and provides $50,000 life insurance policies for all full-time employees, benefits that start on the day a person is hired.

“Health insurance is very expensive these days, but we provide them with free health care,” says Raja Kilaru, president of SmartEdge, which made the Inc. 5000 list of the nation’s fastest-growing companies in 2020 and 2022.

SmartEdge’s clients include financial services firms, health care companies and even retailers such as Walmart. The software developer’s services range from business intelligence, data warehousing and application development to quality assurance. SmartEdge employs 30 people in Virginia.

SmartEdge employees initially receive two weeks of paid time off, as well as 15 company holidays and unlimited sick time. After one year of employment, workers can receive an unlimited number of paid days off. Plus, if overnight travel for work is required, the company provides monetary incentives or extra paid time off to compensate employees for their time.

When the company switched to remote work amid the pandemic, SmartEdge sent employees ergonomic chairs to make telecommuting more comfortable. As of December 2022, SmartEdge workers were still telecommuting, but Kilaru planned to move to a flexible, hybrid model in January. “They can log in at any time — they just need to accomplish the task,” Kilaru says. “We’re not going to micromanage.”

SmartEdge also places an emphasis on wellness. Each year, the company hosts a fitness challenge, encouraging workers to participate in physical fitness as well as meditation and yoga. SmartEdge IT also provides an annual meditation and yoga class for its employees.

“All of our employees are very happy,” Kilaru says. “We treat all of the employees like a family.”

Employees also have the opportunity to take paid time off to volunteer with local organizations, such as Loudoun Hunger Relief. The company also fundraises for
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Additionally, SmartEdge strongly encourages mentorship within the organization and empowers employees to continue their education. Each year, employees have access to up to $5,000 to pursue an educational program of their choosing. It’s often used by workers to earn an MBA or technology certifications. The company also hosts a variety of workshops dedicated to productivity, time management, diversity and financial education.

“We have a lot of long-term employees,” Kilaru says. “We’re training them and we’re retaining them.”

Holding onto employees isn’t a problem at SmartEdge, which has a 95% employee retention rate and salaries ranging from $110,000 to $150,000.

Overall, SmartEdge continues to be a place where employees want to work because they’re viewed as assets to the company, Kilaru says.

“It’s about teamwork,” he adds. “We help each other.”  

The 13th annual Best Places to Work list