Total quality of life: high-tech firm is high-touch when dealing with employees.

• Author: Hughes, Leah
• Position: CAROLINAS IT

When Mark Cavaliero started Carolinas IT in 1996 at the age of 27, businesses were just beginning to accept technology networking as common practice. Cavaliero saw a window of opportunity to implement the business plan he'd been developing off and on for four years.

Today the Raleigh-based company has 56 employees and generates $9.5 million to $10 million in annual revenue. It offers cutting-edge cloud services, network support, and network analysis and design. In 2007, the company established a 24/7 help desk for customer support.

Its location near Research Triangle Park is both an asset and a challenge: The company competes for talent with some of the top IT companies not only in the region, but also in the country.

"(That competition) forced us to take a hard look at what our (employee) package offers," Cavaliero says. "How do we give an employee a total experience that's a positive thing? How do you make sure your company is not just a stepping stone, but a place they come for a career? It's more than salary; it's total quality of life."

In an effort to turn a profit as quickly as possible, a company may cut corners, such as keeping the staff small to minimize costs, whereas in the long run, that model isn't the best. Overworked employees burn out. They find another job. And then the company must invest time and money in finding and training replacements. Although it doesn't happen in all cases, Cavaliero has seen several companies sidetracked by the stress of providing a return to investors "Turnover is more expensive than training them and properly staffing," he says. "I would rather have my investment on proper staffing, employee investment, rather than squeezing them until they find something different."

One of Cavaliero's keys to encouraging employee longevity is adequate staffing.

"So many tech companies squeeze every bit, every second, every penny out of their employees," he says. "Were not trying to squeeze every bit of life out of people. In the long run, that's not the most effective way to operate."

He also entices and sustains employees with valuable benefits. Education is a big part of Carolinas IT's package. The company encourages and pays for technicians to receive certifications and continuing education. Employees have access to an online library of reference materials and a "virtual sandbox" where they can practice technical processes. A library of technology equipment is available for them to check out and gain...