Incompetence Isn't a Fire-able Offense - Anonymous Inte Q Employee Review

For the record, Inte Q’s company motto is “Making Smart Marketers Smarter” – which requires outstanding, motivated and engaged employees to execute. We are a true partner with our clients. We do a deep dive into each of our clients’ businesses to better understand their marketing objectives and strategies and how we can best impact their business. Our client relationships, which in essence are the relationships between our Associates and our clients, have a huge impact on how successful we are in these endeavors. Inte Q provides meaningful marketing intelligence – both data and human-centric. This intelligence is only attainable through wise, genuine and driven employees. Our culture is sustained by self-starter personalities who would rather be proactive than reactive. We’re disposed towards action, and as a result, we do have a fast-paced environment. However, we also take the time to appreciate our collective efforts and successes – we have Inte Q Adventures (off-sites that have sent our employees kayaking on the Fox River, a downtown architecture tour, hiking at Starved Rock, etc.), we offer a truly flexible schedule and we are respectful of the fact that “work/life balance” is more than a buzzword. We live it – employees even get their birthday off! Over 50% of our employee populace has been with Inte Q for over 5 years. Any organization would and should be proud of such a statistic. Do we need to make improvements? Of course! Any company who might suggest otherwise isn’t being honest with themselves. We take a pulse survey every year with our employees for where such improvements should be made. They tell us, and we do as much as we can to address issues they identify. A testament to our culture is how open we are – with our financials, with our client prospects, with our future plans. Associates at Inte Q are co-creators in our destiny. Things don’t happen to them, they only happen with them. Our hiring process continues to evolve to filter out candidates who look good on paper but who may not have the full competencies of both technical AND interpersonal skill sets to be fully effective at their roles. No interview process is 100% perfect, however, and when we do have an employee who needs training or course correction, we have an Associate counseling and improvement protocol we follow. Inte Q does not, nor can it to be successful, tolerate mediocre or below standard performance from any employee. While our preference is rehabilitation – and we always try to correct issues before taking more drastic action such as termination – we do not suffer poor performing employees for long. Every employee is essential to our business, and if someone can’t pull their weight they are coached, counseled and monitored for a defined period of time. If improvement is not made, we part ways. This has been proven time and again and is evidence by our personnel files. Yes, pop is a quarter in our kitchen. But our Associates are truly priceless!