It didn’t surprise us that employee experience roles, including Chief People Officer (CPO), topped LinkedIn’s list of fastest-growing job titles for 2022. While these roles may have dominated the professional networking site’s Jobs on the Rise report this year, we long ago made a commitment to an employee-centric culture. We brought in our first CPO this year, Kelly Demaitre, as we continued our investment in our Karsun team. Throughout this year, we continued our journey to building a culture where everyone can Grow with Karsun and Do Extraordinary.
Creating a Collaborative and Diverse Culture
This year Karsun won its second Best CEOs for Diversity award from Comparably.com. The rating site asks current employees to rank leadership, including our CEO Sundar Vaidyanathan, on traits associated with diverse and inclusive spaces. For the second year in a row, we also won a Best Company Outlook award from the site. Part of our commitment to an open, collaborative environment is facilitating small and large gatherings where Karsun team members ask questions and learn about the future of the organization. This includes our monthly Coffee and Lunch with Leadership programs. Hosted by the Karsun executive team, small employee groups share their experiences and provide direct feedback to the highest level decision makers in our organization for review and action.
Our executives also host recurring All Hands and Fireside chat events throughout the year. For the first time this year, those All Hands events included new Core Value, Do Extraordinary, and Team MVP awards. More than 20 people were recognized for their commitment to excellence, innovation, teamwork, integrity, and incorporating fun while doing extraordinary for Karsun customers.
Another unique fireside event was this year’s Celebrating Women Leaders session. In this moderated session, women leaders across our company shared their experiences managing large teams, growing their careers, and excelling in the IT industry. This is one of several events Karsun engaged in for Women’s History Month. In addition to the fireside chat, we also sponsored the Future of Work: Pandemic Pivot virtual conference for International Women’s Day and appeared at local events in the Washington, D.C. region, including the Women in Technology Career Fair.
In addition to special events, Karsun also launched new training and professional development programs this year. As our team members still hone their technical skills through bootcamps and other offerings included in Karsun Academy, we also offered new comprehensive management and people leader training. For those based near our newly reopened Herndon, Virginia office, we hosted offsites with opportunities to collaborate in person.
While most Karsun roles have the option to work 100% remotely, we are also proud that our local employees continually rate their experience working with us highly. For the second year in a row, Comparably ranked us a Best Company in Washington, D.C. and among the Best Companies for Perks and Benefits. Meanwhile, the Oklahoman named us among the Top Workplaces in Oklahoma. Comparably also described Karsun as a place where we solve interesting engineering problems, encourage flex work, and grew together as we overcame pandemic challenges.
Recognition for our commitment to flexibility and investment in valuable perks and benefits underscores the importance of a good workplace experience for our employees. At a recent All Hands, we announced new benefits for the coming year, including enhanced Paid Leave and new Parental Leave offerings. Maintaining this commitment to the employee experience is essential to our culture and growth. We hope you join us as we discover what’s next together.
Like Peloton bikes and sourdough starters, the pandemic-influenced remote work era might be coming to an end according to a recent Workforce Report from LinkedIn. The report tracked, among other topics, the ongoing conversation around return-to-office initiatives. Using data from LinkedIn’s Economic Graph team, the report found employers’ paid remote work posting dropped from 20% in March 2022 to just 14% in November.
While enforcing a hybrid schedule with a required number of days in the office per week or month increasingly becomes popular for some employers, we found our flexible approach allows our team members to select the workspace format that’s best for them while creating tangible benefits to our organization. Most roles at Karsun enable our team members to work either entirely remotely or in a hybrid approach if based near our Washington, D.C. region headquarters. This is enabled in part by Karsun’s consistent, ongoing commitment to building digital and in-person workspaces that support collaboration, experimentation, and innovation.
Karsun supports experimentation and collaboration no matter the location. Prior to the pandemic, our Innovation Center launched an online innovation radar where an employee, regardless of whether they were part of a remote or in-person team, could submit an idea for our in-house R&D team to build, test, and validate. Each month these prototypes were demoed at Innovation Town Halls, featuring presenters from across the organization. After we moved to a work-from-home format during the pandemic, we transitioned these to virtual town halls. We embraced this opportunity to record our town halls, building a library promoting ongoing innovation at Karsun.
Our new flexible workplace helped us grow in other ways. Karsun Academy, our professional development program, offered more recorded training, hosted virtual certification study groups, and increased our virtual lending library. Our employees’ skills and certifications grew even as the majority of us remained remote.
The report mentions the loss of tribal knowledge as a potential drawback to remote work. Nevertheless, we grew our open-source InnerSource Library, creating 35+ reusable assets for our team. At the same time, our Practice Advocates added new resources for delivery teams to connect with subject matter experts, research solutions, and hone best practices. We found our flexible, employee-first mindset helped us scale our enterprise and helped our teams grow with Karsun.
We also recognize connections outside of work encourage us to grow as a team. Virtual happy hours, fitness classes, and other employee groups continue even as we reopened our offices. Coffee with Leadership, a popular program where our co-founders chat with and get recommendations from small groups of employees, continues in a remote format. Our Herndon, Virginia offices also have the same pre-pandemic social spaces where teams can connect to play foosball, work out, brainstorm, or host a professional meetup. In this way, our teams connect in the way that works best for them.
When we celebrated our 10th anniversary at the end of 2019 and shortly before the pandemic, we reaffirmed our commitment to an employee-centric workplace. For us, that includes building flexible environments where our team members thrive. We’re proud to create a space where our teams can work together, create innovative solutions that transform government, and Do Extraordinary. These teams are still growing and imagining the future together. We are currently hiring for remote and hybrid roles at KarsunCareers.com.
As the Great Resignation gives way to the Great Return, 4.2% of employees returned to a former employer, per Bloomberg. That story lists culture, stability, and colleagues among the reasons team members return. While this is great news for people looking for a career that best suits their needs, it is also great news for employers.
An Opportunity for Employers
A recent Comparably Insider blog post included some of the employers actively seeking these boomerang employees. Among them, Karsun Solutions. Our teams are made up of collaborators, innovators, and experts who deliver what’s possible for government agencies. And since the start of the pandemic, 18 employees have returned to Team Karsun! Already empowered to Do Extraordinary, returning team members are familiar with our collaborative culture, innovative spirit and opportunities for growth.
In particular, they are likely connected with one of our five Practice Areas hosted by our Innovation Center. These employee-centered teams, headed by a practice advocate, plan training and professional development opportunities, sponsor talks by industry experts, connect teams to prototyping and innovation resources and maintain libraries with toolkits supporting best practices. Coming into Karsun aware of these resources creates an added synergy and helps us build greater technology solutions together.
Connecting and Growing Together
Many of these team members stay connected through their managers and leaders who are personally invested in their growth and development. Karsun invests in the professional development and growth of every team member. We embrace a career journey mindset and understand some of our team may leave us to pursue their next opportunity.
Nevertheless, when former employees start a new path, we stay connected. Social media aids in this connection. This pattern is not uncommon, as Fast Company notes a survey of 5,000 US and UK employees found that 75% of respondents were interested in maintaining contact with their previous employer after resigning.
At Karsun, this is often through the same professional development organizations we supported when they were a team member. We are a longtime supporter of industry development programs like those offered through the American Council for Technology and Industry Advisory Council (ACT-IAC). Many team members also participate in Meetups allowing them to maintain a connection with their colleagues regardless of organization.
Later, when these former teammates seek a career change, they reconnect with current Karsun team members and previous colleagues. Given the opportunity to our teams, we frequently welcome these returning employees. Whether following the Great Resignation or as a result of a different change in career, we find new and exciting possibilities to Do Extraordinary once our boomerang team members return.
Rejoin Our Team or Start Your Next Adventure
Karsun is actively hiring former and new team members to fill remote positions for teams supporting agency missions across the federal government. Recognized for culture and innovation, this is a fantastic opportunity to join an organization with over a decade of continuous growth. Open roles range from Full Stack Developer to Data Architect. Apply today at KarsunCareers.com.
About Karsun Solutions
Karsun Solutions modernizes enterprise systems enabling agencies to make the next technological advancement their next opportunity to elevate mission capability. IT solutions from Karsun are tailored to meet agencies’ unique needs and optimize operations. These solutions adapt and stay relevant with current trends while using secure, digital architecture built to last. It is a proven modernization partner whose expertise elevates agency capabilities and ensures every next opportunity is within reach.
Recently awarded Best Company Washington, D.C. 2022 by the employee rating site Comparably, we are hiring nationwide for remote roles. Headquartered in Herndon, Virginia our modern software development, cloud and data solutions teams are repeatedly recognized for culture. In 2021 we won both Comparably’s Best Company Culture (a nationwide ranking!) and Top Workplaces USA’s Top Workplace Technology.
A seven-time Inc. 5000 honoree we are also one of the fastest-growing companies in the country. We want you to be part of that growth! Our remote roles range from Architect to Software Developer in Test.
New Karsun team members not only join a rapidly scaling technology company, they also become enterprise modernization experts through resources provided by our Karsun Innovation Center. Every team member has access to emerging technology developed through our in-house research and development team in addition to workshops, brown bags and certification programs through our Karsun Academy professional development program. The Innovation Center also hosts dedicated practice advocates through our Data, Development, DevSecOps, Lean and Solution Practice Areas.
Join the 400+ experts that Do Extraordinary for government customers at agencies including FEMA, FAA and GSA. Apply for one of our 40+ open positions at KarsunCareer.com. No time to search? Check out our hottest jobs below!
- Developer (Front End, Full Stack, .NET, Drupal, ETL, Java/Webservices)
- DevOps/DevSecOps
- Business Analyst
- Data Engineer
- Lead Solution Architect
- UI/UX Lead
- Development Lead
- Technical Architect – Mulesoft
- Software Developer in Test
- Test Automation Engineer
About Karsun Solutions
Awarded for culture and driven by innovation, the Enterprise Modernization Experts at Karsun Solutions deliver innovative technology solutions to customers throughout the government. The Virginia Chamber of Commerce, Washington Business Journal and Inc. all recognize us among the fastest-growing companies in the Washington, D.C. region. Our modern software development, cloud, and data solutions are found at agencies including the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Aviation Administration, and General Services Administration. For the latest job openings visit KarsunCareers.com.
HERNDON, VA – Karsun Solutions, enterprise modernization experts transforming government agencies, announced it was awarded Best Company Culture by employee rating site Comparably. The fifth annual award ranked the top 100 companies nationwide as rated by their employees on Comparably.com. The award concludes a year validating Karsun’s investment in scaling its culture. It is the sixth culture award for the company which specializes in enterprise modernization transformation in federal agencies.
Best Company Culture is Comparably’s best place to work award and it is the culmination of a yearlong award series. In addition to Best Company Culture, Karsun received 2021 Comparably awards for Best Companies for Happiness, Best CEOs for Diversity, Best Washington D.C. and Best Outlook. To qualify for these awards, companies must meet a minimum threshold of ratings from employees that have left anonymous public ratings on their company’s Comparably.com page within a 12-month period.
In a competitive job market, we are proud our team members selected us for their career journey,” said Karsun President Terry Miller. “We’re honored by the ratings from Team Karsun on Comparably.”
“Everyone is valued, trusted, and gets a fair opportunity to grow,” noted one employee review. “New ideas are always welcome.”
Employee-centric and driven by innovation teams were invited employees to #GrowWithKarsun this year. The Karsun Innovation Center connects team experts and resources in its Practice Areas, professional development and training through Karsun Academy and the opportunity to experiment with industry leading prototypes developed by its in-house research and development unit. Popular employee programs include Coffee with Leadership, virtual wellness program, employee groups and monthly Innovation Town Halls.
Karsun anticipates hiring throughout 2022. These teams support customers at agencies including the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Aviation Administration and General Services Administration. It is currently hiring for hybrid roles based in the Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and Washington, D.C. metropolitan areas and remote positions nationwide. The latest job openings and career information are available at KarsunCareers.com.
About Karsun Solutions
Awarded for culture and driven by innovation, the Enterprise Modernization Experts at Karsun Solutions deliver innovative technology solutions to customers throughout the government. The Virginia Chamber of Commerce, Washington Business Journal and Inc. all recognize us among the fastest-growing companies in the Washington, D.C. region. Our modern software development, cloud, and data solutions are found at agencies including the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Aviation Administration, and General Services Administration. For the latest job openings visit KarsunCareers.com.
Media Contact: marketing@karsun-llc.com
After winning several new contracts in 2020 Karsun Solutions continued its rapid expansion. It recently ranked for the seventh year in a row on the Inc. 5000 list of America’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies. Sharing his plan to include employees in that growth Karsun Solutions CEO Sundar Vaidyanathan joined I Heart Radio’s CEOs You Should Know.
“When we grow, they will grow,” Vaidyanathan says in this short fifteen-minute snapshot into the growing IT modernization firm.
Throughout the interview, he underscores Karsun’s investment in a people-first experience. He discusses the company’s employee journey process which emphasizes key touchpoints throughout team members’ careers at Karsun. This journey mapping is integral to his vision for the future of the company.
Vaidyanathan explains how Karsun integrates core values into the employee experience.
With more than 270 employees based in the DC area and a total headcount including subcontractors topping 700 people, he recognizes Karsun’s growth comes as a result of the innovative work performed by its teams. Indeed, innovation, teamwork and fun are all core values supported through activities like company picnics, group recognition events and innovation center town halls.
To fuel this ongoing growth Karsun is currently hiring IT professionals across the country. Most positions are available both locally in the Washington D.C. region and remotely. From wellness classes to workshops on the latest technologies the company ensures teams stay connected regardless of location through its Karsun Konnect employee app. Current job openings may be found at KarsunCareers.com.
Listen in on M&T Bank Presents CEOs You Should Know.
About Karsun Solutions
Awarded for culture and driven by innovation, the Enterprise Modernization Experts at Karsun Solutions deliver innovative technology solutions to customers throughout the government. The Virginia Chamber of Commerce, Washington Business Journal and Inc. all recognize us among the fastest-growing companies in the Washington, D.C. region. Our modern software development, cloud, and data solutions are found at agencies including the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Aviation Administration, and General Services Administration. For the latest job openings visit KarsunCareers.com.
HERNDON, VA – Karsun Solutions, the Enterprise Modernization Experts, today announced it was named among Best Places to Work in Washington DC by Comparably. The 15 companies selected for the honor were all highly rated by current D.C. region employees on the anonymous public rating site. Serving agencies throughout the government Karsun is among the fastest-growing private companies in the region surrounding the Nation’s capital.
Best Places to Work in Washington DC is one of several annual awards presented by Comparably.com, a compensation, career and culture monitoring site. To qualify, companies must meet a minimum threshold of ratings from employees that have left anonymous public ratings on their company’s Comparably.com page within a 12-month period. To leave a rating, employees can visit comparably.com/companies, search for their company, and click on the “Rate your Company” button.
A Technology Industry Top Workplace, Karsun invited employees to #GrowWithKarsun this year. Currently, completely remote its virtual workforce initiatives allow all team members to participate regardless of location. Both its mentorship and wellness programs were recently featured on Comparably. The mentorship program includes the Karsun Academy professional development program, integration with Innovation Center Practice Areas and access to a community of modernization experts. In addition to its popular virtual wellness programs featuring live personal training and meditation sessions, team members may also participate in intimate Coffee with Leadership meetings with senior leadership, celebrate team wins on KarsunTV and join monthly Town Halls.
In March it was named one of the fastest growing companies in the D.C. Metro area by Inc. Magazine. In 2020, it announced several new contracts serving the General Services Administration in addition to work supporting the Department of Homeland Security and Federal Aviation Administration. This includes work in Modern Software Development, Cloud Solutions and Data Solutions. To meet the increasing demand for technical talent Karsun is also currently hiring for roles based in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and remote positions nationwide based in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and remotely. The latest job openings and career information are available at karsuncareers.com.
About Karsun Solutions
Karsun Solutions is a fast-growing, innovative, enterprise modernization firm. The Virginia Chamber of Commerce, Washington Business Journal and Inc. all recognize Karsun Solutions among the fastest-growing companies in the Washington, D.C. region. A Technology Industry Top Workplace, its teams deliver modern software development, cloud solutions and data solutions to customers at federal agencies. As an established firm, it possesses a DCAA Approved Accounting System, a CMMI Level 5 – DEV appraisal and an AWS Government Competency.
HERNDON, VA – Karsun Solutions, the Enterprise Modernization Experts, today announced it was awarded Best Company Outlook by Comparably. Those companies selected for the award were rated highly by current employees on measures related to future growth, stability and opportunity. Eligible companies were rated on Comparably, an anonymous public rating site. Serving agencies throughout the government, Karsun is among the fastest growing private companies in the country and recently named a Technology Industry Top Workplace.
Best Company Outlook is one of several annual awards presented by Comparably.com, a compensation, career and culture monitoring site. To qualify, companies must meet a minimum threshold of ratings from employees that have left anonymous public ratings on their company’s Comparably.com page within a 12-month period. To leave a rating, employees can visit comparably.com/companies, search for their company, and click on the “Rate your Company” button.
Recently named one of the fastest growing companies in the D.C. Metro area by Inc. Magazine, it also recently announced new contracts serving the General Services Administration in addition to work supporting the Department of Homeland Security and Federal Aviation Administration. This includes work in Modern Software Development, Cloud Solutions and Data Solutions.
Karsun anticipates further growth inviting team members to #GrowWithKarsun this year. Its mentorship program, also recently featured on Comparably, includes the Karsun Academy professional development program, integration with Innovation Center Practice Areas and access to a community of modernization experts. To meet the increasing demand for technical talent Karsun is also currently hiring for roles based in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and remotely. The latest job openings and career information is available at karsuncareers.com.
About Karsun Solutions
Karsun Solutions is a fast-growing, innovative, enterprise modernization firm. The Virginia Chamber of Commerce, Washington Business Journal and Inc. all recognize Karsun Solutions among the fastest-growing companies in the Washington, D.C. region. A Technology Industry Top Workplace, its teams deliver modern software development, cloud solutions and data solutions to customers at federal agencies. As an established firm, it possesses a DCAA Approved Accounting System, a CMMI Level 5 – DEV appraisal and an AWS Government Competency.
HERNDON, VA – Top Workplaces USA named Karsun Solutions to its 2021 Technology Industry Top Workplaces list. The award program uses an annual nationwide survey. Top Workplaces USA honors those companies rated highest by their employees to the list for their respective industries.
“We are honored to be recognized by our teams as among the top workplaces for tech employees,“ said Terry Miller, Karsun Solutions President. “It affirms our vision for an innovative workforce coupled with an employee-centered culture.”
In addition to the Top Workplaces recognition, Karsun Solutions is a six-time Inc. 5000 fastest growing company honoree. The enterprise modernization experts, it delivers innovative modern software development, cloud solutions and data solutions to agencies in the federal government. In 2020 the firm announced several new contracts serving the General Services Administration.
As it grows, the Karsun Innovation Center enables its employee-centric culture. Its three-arm model invites employees to #GrowWithKarsun. The center supports team member success through in-house research and development resources, the Karsun Academy professional development program and its five specialized practice areas.
“Karsun is entering our next stage, and we’re looking for people excited to take on new challenges,” said David Kimmelman, Director of Talent Acquisition at Karsun Solutions.
In 2020 Karsun Solutions adapted a remote collaboration work environment enabling many team members to support customers from any location. The Karsun Konnect app, created by its Innovation Center, allows teams to access shared resources, schedule remote training and participate in virtual wellness events. As a result, many of its newest positions are remote while allowing others to be specifically targeted for the Washington, D.C. and Oklahoma City metro areas.
“We are currently hiring for numerous roles throughout the company including DevOps, Java Developers, SW Test Engineers, Tech Leads and Architects, Business Analysts and many more,” Kimmelman added. “You can find these jobs and others at karsuncareers.com.”
About Karsun Solutions
The Virginia Chamber of Commerce, Washington Business Journal and Inc. all recognize Karsun Solutions among the fastest-growing companies in the Washington, D.C. region. Its teams deliver modern software development, cloud solutions, and data and analytics solutions to customers at government agencies including the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Aviation Administration, and General Services Administration. It possesses a DCAA Approved Accounting System, CMMI Level 5 – DEV appraisal, and AWS Government Competency.
When our leadership revealed its vision for the next decade at the start of 2020 they could not anticipate the challenges of a global pandemic. Nevertheless, even then Karsun had already created the infrastructure to allow our teams to grow remotely together. This year we celebrated continued recognition as one of the fastest-growing companies in the country. As we scaled in this remote environment we also affirmed our commitment to team member development welcoming new intern cohorts, sponsoring professional development programs, and introducing virtual training programs.
Longtime Programs Adapt to Virtual Work
Through New Remote Program Interns Grow with Karsun
Through our Karsun Innovation Center (KIC) Internship Program each of our interns has a voice in the future of our company. These interns support the Research and Development teams rolling out new tools and processes across our organization. Interns learn and grow during their time with us. Shadowing team members in our Innovation Center and customer delivery teams, they participate in cross-functional projects, sharing their insights with teams across the company.
Coffee with Leadership Goes Online
Launched in 2017, Coffee with Leadership is a longstanding monthly tradition at Karsun. During this open discussion, executive leadership hosts a small gathering with frontline team members. In this open forum anyone may share their experiences, make suggestions or discuss opportunities to improve work at Karsun. This year saw a transition to a remote format for Coffee with Leadership and the addition of a second monthly Brunch with Leadership group expanding the diversity of feedback across management levels. We included these breakfasts in Karsun’s new remote environment to ensure all employees have the opportunity to contribute to our vision for growth.
DataOps NoVa Launches Virtual Series
Hosted by Karsun’s Data Practice, DataOps NoVa is a monthly Meetup designed to introduce best practices and tools to the data, analytics, and IT community. Its DataOps 101 series was among the last of Karsun’s in-person training events at our Herndon, Virginia headquarters. This first series included discussions and demonstrations from DataOps vendors and an introduction to data encryption using middleware components presented by our Innovation Center.
After taking a short break from in-person events, the Meetup returned virtually in August. The new series will cover topics like data fabric, analytics foundations for MLOps, and vendor demos. The new format also allowed the team to expand outside Virginia hosting data experts from around the world. These new virtual sessions are published on the DataOps NoVa Meetup Page.
Karsun Leaders Grow Through Industry Groups and Fellowships
Karsun Executives Recognized as Industry Leaders
As Karsun celebrated its tenth year in operation and its tenth year supporting the American Council for Technology-Industry Advisory Council (ACT-IAC) our President, Terry Miller, was recognized in part for his leadership within the organization. In March 2020 Miller was named to FCW‘s prestigious Federal 100 list. This list includes 100 men and women who personify what’s possible in federal IT. He also served as the 2019 Industry Chair of ACT-IAC’s highly regarded Partners Program. This training and professional development curriculum pairs “rising star” leaders from government and industry. New under Miller’s leadership, the group formed three challenge teams to provide direct solutions to government agencies (GSA, NASA, SBA). He is also a graduate of the Partners Program and was the Chair of the Management of Change (MOC) event in 2013.
Also early in 2020, the College of Engineering Guindy Alumni Association of North America (CEGAANA) named Karsun CEO Sundar Vaidyanathan its 2020 Chairman of the Board. Sundar is committed to making the organization a self-sustaining entity. His ultimate goal is strengthening collaboration between students, the college and the alumni network.
Satish Alluri Graduates from Selective Fellowship Program
Meet Satish Alluri, the Deputy Program Manager for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Grants Management Modernization initiative. He graduated in 2020 from the selective ACT- IAC Voyagers Professional Development fellowship. In September we spotlighted this longtime Karsun team member. Over the course of his career he grew from a Senior Business Analyst to a leader in both our DHS FEMA and GSA programs. Learn how Satish grew with us here.
Karsun Concludes 2020 with Virtual Team Recognition Events
Both our FEMA and KIC celebrated successes transitioning from in-person to virtual work through team recognition at the end of 2020. While our FEMA program hosted team lunches, our Innovation Center recognized our Karsun Academy and Practice Area mentors during an Innovation All Hands event in November.
As an organization Karsun Solutions also celebrated with a holiday lunch in December 2020. Every team member had lunch delivered to them as Karsun looked back on contract wins, team events and other small victories throughout the year. It was a final opportunity for our leadership to say “Go Team Karsun! Thank you for all your hard work!”