WHERE DO WE FIT IN? Get to Know Gabriel Duke, DevOps Engineer Not everyone in the technology industry got their start in technology. Just ask Gabriel Duke, one of our DevOp engineers at RTS Labs. For 10 years, Gabe worked as a line cook, but he has always loved tech. From building machines out of discarded components in his uncle’s computer shop to visiting hacking spaces in his free time, Gabe loved to learn about technology and software. One of his greatest passions is working with Linux, an open-source operating system. “I lived in a commune for a while and am really drawn to egalitarian ideals. This pushed me towards using Linux,” Gabe explains. “Open- sourced system means all the source is available to everyone. Anyone can read it, anyone can use it, and anyone can create with it. It’s not owned by some corporation that can lock it down. What you create with Linux can go back and be used by someone else to create something greater.”
It’s no secret that employees want to work where they feel valued and nurtured. You also know that turnover is costly — Glassdoor estimates that businesses spend as much as 21 percent of an employee’s pay to find their replacement. So how do you get good employees to stay? Glassdoor’s study points out the importance of employee development. According to Andrew Chamberlain, chief economist at Glassdoor, “Even after controlling for pay, industry, job title, and many other factors, we find that workers who stay longer in the same job without a title change are significantly more likely to leave for another company for the next step in their career.” Glassdoor’s findings corroborate the experiences of many business leaders. Chief Revenue Officer and longtime business leader Christian Valiulis emphasizes that employee development is essential to any company’s growth. Here are a few methods he’s identified to promote it within his company. Meet at least every month, without fail. Meetings are an opportunity for you to share where you’re at as a company, where you’re headed, and where your employees fit into that plan. Consider how your employees can be involved in such meetings. For example, at each monthly meeting, Valiulis has a different team member give part of the presentation. This builds their investment in the meeting, gives recognition to that employee, develops skills, and gives that employee an opportunity to try out a new role. Express yourself. You know how much your employees mean to you, but do they? It might be as simple as saying, “You are doing a great job.” When your employee tells you about their goal of writing a book, find ways to support it, even if it’s just checking in now and then to see how many pages they’ve written. If your employees feel that you’re interested not only in their professional development but also their personal development, they’ll feel more satisfied in their work. You’ll improve morale and retention. Give clear opportunities for internal development. If your employees feel like they can’t achieve their career goals at your company, they’ll begin to look elsewhere to reach them. In addition to highlighting how your company fosters employee development during the hiring process, make good on that advertisement by offering workshops, trainings, and opportunities for promotion. Valiulis suggests encouraging job shadowing between departments. It can help strengthen teamwork and show employees new opportunities within the company. The source of training doesn’t have to come from a faraway conference — look for internal opportunities where coworkers can learn from each other. Give Employees Opportunities for Growth
After a decade as a line cook, Gabe’s “big break” into tech would come when his brother, a developer,
referred Gabe to his former company. At this company, Gabe started in tech support before he moved to quality assurance. Then the small company was bought up by a large business out in Boston, and Gabe quickly discovered how difficult it was to communicate with managers in another state. Fortunately, it was around this time that RTS Labs came knocking. Our CEO, Jyot Singh, found Gabe on LinkedIn, and after getting to know him, he offered Gabe a job in DevOps.
“It’s crazy,” Gabe says. “I’d been doing this stuff as a hobby, then someone came along and asked me if I wanted to do it full- time and get paid! I wake up in the morning, and
I’m excited to go to work. I get to use the tools I love, like Linux, work with a group of great, like-minded people, and do work that I care about. It’s the best-case scenario, really.”
When asked what it is about technology that has kept him fascinated for so long, Gabe responds almost poetically.
“Technology is just one of my hobbies,” Gabe says. “I also enjoy photography, gardening, hiking, and kayaking when I can. These all sound different, but each one gives me a chance to get to know the world better. I don’t want to be separate from the world; I want to feel like I’m part of it, like I’m giving back to it, and the way I spend my time helps me get there.”
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