They were trapped.
The room was nearly dark, the scant light increasing the shadows rather than alleviating them. As the numbers on the timer continued their inexorable descent, the group searched fruitlessly for an escape route—a key to unlock a door, a hidden escape hatch, anything—growing ever more desperate. Meanwhile, they knew they were being watched via surveillance cameras and …
“Do you want a hint?” a voice boomed through the loudspeaker.
The group glanced around at each other. Nope. They didn’t want a hint. They were clever; they knew they could figure it out together. “Let’s take a look at this another way,” one member suggested.
And figure it out they did, with barely five minutes to spare. They tumbled out of the room to cheers, laughter and high-fives. They’d beaten the Escape Room challenge, and most importantly, they’d done it together.
The adventure was just one of the many team-building-style activities that associates at Vaco Orange County LLC have enjoyed over the years. Others have included company retreats, office parties and even “emergency happy hours” when times were particularly stressful.
But in the end, it’s not the bonding activities that make the difference at Vaco. It’s the culture that the company cultivates daily. A culture, as Managing Partner Jennifer McCasland describes it, based on “relationships, respect and trust.” It’s a culture, according to the people who live it every day, that has earned Vaco the top spot in the large business category on the Business Journal’s Best Places to Work list.
A Team
“At Vaco, we’re all A-players,” McCasland says. “We are high-energy, type A personality. We get things done. We also know how to work together.”
The recruiting industry has always been highly competitive, explains Director of Business Development Brigette Hopkins. “It’s even cutthroat at times.” Many recruiters try to claim ownership over any candidate in their database, whether they are a true fit for a position or not.
“The industry is difficult to understand unless you’re in it,” McCasland says.
There can be pressure simply to fill vacancies as quickly as possible and move on, she continues, rather than develop real relationships with both candidates and clients to make sure their needs are met, not just for the immediate period but for the long term.
At Vaco, executives say it’s different, and it was planned that way from the start. The founders, industry veterans Jerry Bostelman, Jay Hollomon and Brian Waller, had spent years working at a corporate recruiting behemoth where yearly turnover neared 70%. While they strove to find the perfect fit between individuals and companies, they realized customized client attention and team collaboration were largely absent in the industry.
To fill the void, they founded Vaco in 2002. Their goal was to provide exceptional client service and a place where like-minded “A-players” could attain their full potential, professionally, personally and financially. In order to achieve the goals, they needed to create a culture where people could trust, rely on and treat each other with respect.
“It starts at the top with our founders,” McCasland says. “Our goal is to make Vaco the best it can be. That means having the right people, people of integrity. It’s about respect.” After a thoughtful pause, she adds, “Look, this is a tough business. If there is a conflict, we need to have a conversation about it—an open, transparent conversation. That’s why respect is so important, and trust. We truly trust each other.”
Right Approach
The founders’ approach has proved the test of time. In the 15 years since the first office opened in Nashville, Tenn., Vaco has expanded to more than 30 offices throughout the country, including locations in San Diego, Orange County and Los Angeles. The company services an expansive range of industries, including health and life sciences, retail and consumer, manufacturing, entertainment and media, the public sector and IT.
“Our office is busy, always humming,” Hopkins says. “We work in a bullpen-type setting. There is a lot of energy. We’re all wearing headsets, talking with our clients and candidates. You’ll see us giving each other high-fives, laughing together, celebrating when things go well.”
Sabrina Barrios, who joined the company two years ago as a technical recruiter, says the culture is collaborative and supportive. “There is constant training, tons of encouragement, and pep talks to keep people motivated.”
She said she knew from the first interview that Vaco was different.
“The person interviewing me said that they want Vaco to be a recruiting professional’s last job,” she says. “I’d never heard anything like that before. It really demonstrates how deep the company commitment is to ensuring we have what we need.”
New hires are whisked away to “Vacology” school—a weeklong training period in Nashville, where, in addition to learning how to recruit and provide services, they learn what it really means to be part of the Vaco team.
Office and Beyond
Vaco managers and executives work to make sure employees know how much they’re valued. To retain them, the company offers performance-based incentive trips for them and their significant others. Past trips have included such exotic locales as Aruba and Panama.
For team members like Hopkins, it’s a welcome perk that she’s been able to take advantage of it. But to her, even more valuable is Vaco’s flexible schedule. As the mother of six, four of them high school age or younger, she often has activities, awards ceremonies and teacher conferences to attend. Rather than make her feel guilty about taking the time, Vaco actively encourages her to enjoy it.
McCasland says providing flexibility like that is just part of the Vaco philosophy. “One of the things that make people successful at work is being successful at home,” she says, explaining that a flexible schedule means greater communication and responsibility. “We all know we can count on each other. If someone is out of the office, they will still answer calls and emails and be available to our clients.”
Another Vaco value is support of the community, which encompasses a wide range of charitable organizations, from Builders for Babies to Mission Viejo High School softball, where a few of Hopkins’ children attend.
Better Together
Hopkins recalls a recent period when a major OC company client tasked her with filling several open positions. She did, thanks to the others on her team who plumbed relationships to find the perfect candidates.
“My contact told me that her boss said whenever they have an opening, they need to ‘call Bridget,’” she says. But, she adds, it’s not just her that makes such an assignment successful. It’s every person she works with. She knows they will do their best to make sure she has what she needs to deliver the people her clients need.
“You can’t be successful on your own,” Hopkins says. “You have to trust the team.”
