If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
That old adage – or at least a derivative of it – is a priority for maintaining the workplace culture for the folks at OxBlue, an Atlanta-based technology firm that specializes in cameras for construction jobsites.
OxBlue, whose stated mission is to “deliver exceptional service and a quality product that improves project delivery and enhances team communications has formulated success since its founding in 2001 using a team of highly engaged employees,” Briana Phillips, OxBlue’s director of people operations, said with a smile.
Of course, it’s more involved than that. When people first join OxBlue, they’re naturally engaged, Phillips said, but that momentum can quickly fade if the onboarding experience falls short.
It can also be negatively impacted during the recruiting stage. So OxBlue stays in contact with potential new hires, advising them of where they are in the process.
“It’s really important to let the initial engagement grow and thrive and not mess it up,” said Phillips, who has been with OxBlue for 11 years. “If you walk around our office, we have signs posted that say the number one priority is taking care of clients, and the number two priority is everything else.
And for Phillips and her HR team, the employees are the clients.
“I want to make sure we’re supporting them fully, removing any roadblocks or distractions, so they can focus on what they do best: taking care of our clients,” Phillips said.
OxBlue believes that engagement is driven when employees can genuinely answer “yes” to questions like, “Are my expectations clear” “Does my job have purpose” “Does my manager understand me?” “Do my coworkers understand me?” and “Do I have a friend at work?”
“If those answers are yes, that’s when real engagement happens,” Phillips said.
Phillips talked with Corp! Magazine about OxBlue, its culture and a variety of other HR topics.
Corp! Magazine: Talk a little about what OxBlue does.
Briana Phillips: We provide camera solutions for construction job sites, making it easy to monitor progress remotely. With features like live viewing and time-lapse videos, it’s a reliable way to stay connected to the site, even when you can’t be there in person.
Our offerings include exterior cameras, solar-powered options mounted on mobile trailers, and interior cameras for full coverage.
Corp!: Is security the main purpose for the cameras or what are there other uses?
Phillips: Security is definitely a key feature now, but it wasn’t how we started. Initially, our cameras were all about visual project tracking, letting users log in to see what’s happening on-site in real time. We also create time-lapse videos, which are especially valuable for project teams who want to document progress or share milestones with clients and stakeholders.
Over time, especially during COVID, when job sites were often empty, we saw a growing need for security monitoring, so we expanded into that space. It’s become a major part of our offering, but our solutions still center around both visibility and accountability throughout the entire construction process.
Corp!: You’re based in Atlanta. How big is OxBlue?
Phillips: We have two locations in Atlanta … We sell cameras all over the world. We have around 170 employees. We recently expanded to two locations in Atlanta after outgrowing our main office. Our team covers just about everything, sales, accounting, production, development, HR, client support, marketing, you name it.
Corp!: When you started with the company, there were 32 employees, and now there are over 170. Why do you think you’ve been able to sustain that kind of growth?
Phillips: We’ve grown organically. In 2020, we were acquired by Hexagon, but we’ve been able to stay true to who we are and continue operating as OxBlue. We’ve been really disciplined, staying focused on sustainable, profitable growth by putting our customers first and always looking for ways to improve. It’s been all about staying intentional and getting better as we grow.
Corp!: What is special about the culture at OxBlue?
Phillips: Highly engaged people are what makes the company great. We define engagement as the voluntary effort of the team or employee to go above and beyond what is required of the job. When you have highly engaged people, they are more caring; they look at things differently. There’s a natural sense of curiosity where they go out of their way to understand and learn more about the company and then look at new ways to make it better.
We have different outlets for that creativity. I meet with employees a lot, and especially with new hires, I always like to tell them, you have a fresh set of eyes on all the things that we do. What can we do better? What are we missing? It’s the ongoing feedback and drive to continually improve.
Corp!: You say they’re highly engaged. What do you do to make sure that that’s the case? What do you offer them to keep them engaged?
Phillips: We put a lot of intention into the onboarding experience, which really sets the tone for engagement. I like to personally check in with new hires at the 30-, 60-, and 90-day marks to ask how things are going, from their recruiting and onboarding experience to whether they have the tools and support they need to be successful. It’s a way for us to stay connected, catch any issues early, and make sure they feel seen and supported right from the start.
Corp!: Are you guys in office or are you working on some kind of hybrid schedule?
Phillips: We operate on a hybrid schedule, typically with three days a week in the office. Each team has some flexibility, but managers usually set at least one or two core days when everyone is expected to be in together.
That said, we’ve always prioritized flexibility, whether it’s a family need, a doctor’s appointment, or something else, we trust our team to manage their time. The hybrid model was introduced post-COVID; prior to that, we were in the office five days a week.
Corp!: Was that the biggest change for you? How else did Covid impact your business?
Phillips: Business was actually strong during COVID, demand for cameras increased because people couldn’t visit job sites in person, so we stayed very busy.
We also started returning to the office fairly early. I was home for about two months, and then our CEO said, “The safest place to be these days for social distancing is the office so come on in.” While most of the company returned a bit later, I was already feeling pretty stir-crazy, so I came back in early.
Corp!: What is the big HR challenge these days for a company like yours?
Phillips: Honestly, things have been running pretty smoothly lately, knock on wood. Of course, we’re always keeping an eye on how to support growth while maintaining the culture and flexibility our team values.
Corp!: Are you having trouble recruiting talent? What is that like? Do you find yourself having to adjust benefit packages or any of that kind of stuff?
Phillips: Recruiting has actually been going really well. It was around 2021 when we decided to bring recruiting in-house, we hired a Talent Acquisition Manager, and honestly, it was one of the best decisions we’ve made.
Having someone who truly understands our business, culture, and values, and can genuinely speak to them, has made a huge difference compared to using outside agencies. Looking back, I just wish we had done it sooner.
Corp!: Describe your culture in a couple of words. If somebody says to you, what’s the culture at OxBlue? What do you tell them?
Phillips: I’d say it’s highly engaged and collaborative, people are really invested in what they do. And honestly, ever since I’ve been here, the word that always comes up is fun. So as much as I try to find another word, fun has to be part of it.
We have Fun Fridays, about once a month, we plan an event either in the office or out somewhere. It’s something we’ve been doing since before I even started, and honestly, I think everyone remembers their first one. Mine was at our old office, we had a seafood boil outside, and it was just such a great way to connect outside the usual workday and have some fun.
Over the last few years, we’ve switched it up a bit. Now we have a signup sheet, and different teams pick a month to plan their own Fun Friday, it can be whatever they want. We’ve done everything from a chili cook-off in February to bringing in a local ‘20s-style band, Blair Crimmins and the Hookers (they’re amazing). We’ve got a barbecue coming up, our annual ping pong tournament is always a hit, and we’ve even taken the team to an Atlanta United soccer game. Oh—and we do a talent show every year, which is always a mix of hilarious and impressive.
Corp!: There’s a lot of chaos coming out of the government and a lot of it is surrounding HR issues. Are you finding any of that chaos is affecting you guys yet?
Philllips: Not really, we stay focused on our values and continue doing what we’ve always done: taking care of our people. That’s always been our approach, and it still guides us, no matter what’s happening externally.
Corp!: How involved are you in the community and how important is that to the culture?
Phillips: It’s very important, and something we’re genuinely committed to. One way we give back is through the GROW program, which brings students and teachers into our workplace to help them build real-world experience and get prepared for life after school. It’s been such a meaningful partnership, for us and for them.
We try to be hands-on as well. Every year for MLK Day, we hold a volunteer event. We treat it as a “day on, not a day off.” One year, we partnered with a local school and helped paint murals on their walls. This past January, we worked with the school that our GROW students attend, we added a garden to their playground, painted a mural, and helped with other improvements. They recently sent us photos showing how the garden is growing, and it’s been really special to see that impact continue.
