Top Workplaces: RighIT Solutions wins first place for small company

Prior to launching his own firm, Sandhu had been a top executive at the $10 billion information technology company Computer Sciences Corporation, but the last several years of his tenure were uneasy, marked by layoffs and reductions in benefits to appease shareholders.

“It was a pretty negative experience from a people perspective,” Sandhu said.

He and Bhansali vowed to conduct business differently under a new banner. Today, the Reston-based RighIT Solutions operates under the motto “happy employees equal happy clients.”

RighIT Solutions does much of the same work as larger, more recognizable firms, such as IBM — IT advising and strategies, enterprise data and content management. But their focus on employee well-being sets them apart in the marketplace.

RighIT Solutions strives to offer their employees the best benefits among all their peers. Sandhu said employees can choose from more than 25 health insurance plans, and the company is one of few to pay 100% of premiums. The company also offers a generous retirement savings plan, fully matching employees’ contributions of up to 6% of salaries.

“Our attrition rates are very low,” Sandhu said. “That’s the type of brand we are trying to build.”

This focus on attracting and retaining the best among IT professionals translates to a better and more secure client experience, Sandhu said. Because of such a loyal and experienced workforce, RighIT Solutions can conduct business a bit differently than its peers.

In a typical, larger IT company, Sandhu said, a client requesting a particular service might be given several experts to undertake and maintain the project. After a period of time, the project and the professionals working on it become out-of-sight, out-of-mind.

RighIT Solutions’ model is designed to be much more engaging and responsive, Sandhu said. Every time the company works with a client, the task is assigned a project manager who is an industry veteran, often with two-plus decades of experience. Clients are encouraged to communicate frequently with the project lead, who checks in often to head off any potential issues.

“We prioritize very tight communication with our clients,” Sandhu said. “Before issues even happen, we have already mitigated them.”

The business model and the revenue it generates has attracted notice. Last year, RighIT Solutions was listed as No. 1,446 among Inc. magazine’s annual list of the 5,000 fastest-growing, privately held companies.

“The clients love it,” Sandhu said. “As consultants, we are selling our services, but at the end of the day it is the people who are delivering.”