Collective Idea, the Holland, Michigan software design and development firm announced its office expansion with a grand opening celebration in mid-June, showcasing its modern, high-tech workplace in the heart of downtown Holland at 44 E. 8th St.
Daniel Morrison, CEO, says the firm’s office space is almost 4,400 square feet, which is double the previous space and adds more functionality. “The biggest addition is more breakout space,” he says. “We’ve added three small conference rooms for one to four people to meet or have video calls, phone booths for private conversations, and a second large conference room. Our main workspace is an open plan, so the addition of more quiet spaces was a design goal. We also have more open space to spread out during the day.”
The expanding space is needed to accommodate the growth. “In the last six months, we’ve brought on two junior software developers, one senior software developer, one designer, one marketer, and two interns. We’ll likely be growing the team by one or two more people before the end of the year. Depending on the need, we may add more.”
“We’re always on the lookout for good people, even when we can’t hire them,” Morrison continues. “We also don’t limit ourselves to the local market. We currently have four employees in other states, and we’ll grow that segment.”
Like many local companies in the tech sector, recruiting and retaining talent remains a priority in order to stay competitive. Morrison says his firm takes a very employee- and family-centric approach to creating a corporate culture. “We work very hard to treat our people well and empower them,” he says. “We keep salaries competitive and have a great and growing benefits package that takes great care of them and their families. For example, our health insurance plan currently has more of our employees’ children on it than it does our actual employees. We focus not on silly perks, but on cultivating a good work/life balance. We do all of this because we want to build a company that will be around longer than any of us.”
‘A rising tide lifts all ships’ is a perfect adage for Morrison’s perspective on the importance of growing the technology sector in the region. “We have a real opportunity to give West Michigan a national reputation as a tech hub,” he says. “There are a lot of talented people and companies here already doing amazing things, but we just need to be better at talking about it to the wider world. As a great place to live, we’ll be able to attract and retain a lot of people to this area. There is such a great entrepreneurial spirit in West Michigan, and if we keep that momentum going, we’ll show that tech hubs aren’t just on the east or west coast.”
To learn more about Collective Idea, you can
visit their site here.
Writer: John Rumery, Innovation and Jobs News Editor
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