A scaling Ottawa cybersecurity firm and a top employer

4 mins | 1000 words
By: Katie LeClair

“Hands down Field Effect is the best company I’ve ever worked for.” – Andrew Milne, CRO, Field Effect

Field Effect is a B2B cybersecurity company that prides itself on protecting Canadian companies from cyber threats. They provide advanced, integrated cybersecurity threat detection, incident monitoring, and compliance, in one platform, for SMEs and IT service providers. Their leading-edge tools and services empower businesses of all sizes to build and run resilient networks. For Field Effect, cybersecurity is about getting the basics right – really understanding your network, understanding your threats, and reducing vulnerabilities by knowing where and how to defend against intruders.

Today, their solutions are trusted by organizations worldwide.

When asked how the company has been able to penetrate the cybersecurity market (a global market worth $173 billion) and become the organization businesses turn to to keep their data safe, the response was, “the best people build the best products.”

There is no doubt truth in that response – it’s reflected in the company’s team from the longest-standing leaders to the newest additions.

Field Effect’s founder, CTO and CEO Matt Holland’s impressive career specializing in intelligence tradecraft for top-secret projects has made him one of the most sought-after cybersecurity developers in the world. COO, Andrew Loschmann’s major role in crafting Canada’s Cyber Security Strategy, has led to his undisputed authority in the field of cybersecurity security where his work is held in high regard. But impressive resumes and extensive backgrounds don’t stop with them. Field Effect recruits the best of the best, even while hiring at full speed during the pandemic.

Their formula is a winning one. In a competitive industry, Field Effect has consistently been able to attract and retain experienced cybersecurity leaders. How?

“Our company culture is based on trust, openness and transparency. We give our entire team visibility into the company roadmap and set clear goals for where we are headed. We’re building the boat and sailing the boat towards success – but without everybody knowing which island we’re heading to – it would be impossible to reach our destination.” – Matt Holland, CEO, CTO, Founder, Field Effect

Trust

Field Effect believes in its people.

From the moment they’re hired, each employee is treated as a professional set on a path, empowered to be the master of their own domain.

There’s a consensus at Field Effect that a leader’s responsibility is to remove “blockers” or barriers to success. For example, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit and remote working became the new normal, the first question asked was, “What can we do to help you do your job better?” The first action taken was to equip all team members with the proper home set-up, including a work chair, monitors, headsets and more.

Openness

The future of Field Effect is well-documented, outlined and shared within the company.

Employees know what the future of the organization looks like. Starting with the CEO-down, from sales and marketing to finance and product development, everyone is kept on the same page. And when it comes to the company’s status, the senior team shares honestly. They’re transparent and deliver clear messaging and reporting that includes the good, the bad, the ugly, and the brilliant.

Transparency

Keeping employees up-to-date and in the loop is something Field Effect does best. Regularly scheduled weekly calls ensure a flow of information. Most impressively, the company has been able to cultivate an environment where employees are confident in their value to the organization and comfortable speaking up or asking questions.

“Our Friday company calls are with the whole team [currently 70 people], and no one is scared to pipe up, ask a question or express their opinion. From the CEO to the co-op students, everyone is equally respected on our team.” – Jane Harwood, Director of Marketing, Field Effect

Beyond open communications, executives’ actions often speak louder than words.

When COVID-19 sent everyone home, the senior leaders were concerned about their employees – people they work to connect with regularly. So, to keep morale high, they hired local restaurant North & Navy to cook the team dinner and then personally delivered the meals (for employees and their partners) and a bottle of wine to each and every front door, from Kingston to Montreal.

 

Their can-do and get-it-done attitude materializes in their work and in how they show up for their team.

Their eNPS Benchmark

Field Effect’s employee Net Promoter Score is 72. What stands out most about their ranking is their response rate: 91% of employees at Field Effect completed the survey.

Their eNPS benchmark is consistent with their Glassdoor rankings, which has all 10 reviews of the company rating the Field Effect a 5-star employer.

Field Effect’s number of employees has doubled in just six months and is on pace to triple by the end of 2020, a trend anticipated to continue into 2021. The company is incredibly proud of the team they’ve built and emphasized the pride and love they have for Ottawa.  This scaling firm is on a rapid growth path and has committed to expanding operations and their headcount here in the nation’s capital.

“Ultimately, we have huge goals set out for the company to achieve over the next few years. We will continue to hire and grow the team to achieve these goals.  We have the roadmap and a clear direction, and now we’re building the team we need to be successful.” – Matt Holland, Founder, CEO, CTO, Field Effect

To learn more about Field Effect, and the career-building opportunities with the company, visit their career page at www.fieldeffect.com/careers.