SADA Systems Team Spotlight: Google Professional Services

As the Best Places to Work recipient for several years, SADA Systems takes great pride in creating a culture of inclusion and one based on our core values. Within SADA’s 200+ growing employee base, we have some amazing teams we’ll be highlighting in coming months. For our first Team Highlight, we’d like to share one particular team which truly embodies what our culture and core values are all about. From consulting services, project management, migrations and change management all the way to happy hours, weddings and cycling races – this team is one united front that has formed the strongest of all bonds and has taken their work and their personal lives to a whole new level. Make Them Rave and Do The Right Thing are at the foundation of everything our Google Professional Services team personifies.

SADA’s Google Professional Services (GPS) team has more than 10x the original size since 2016! They’ve managed to create a dynamic and cohesive unit comprised of both remote and HQ-based employees.

Google Professional Services

GPS is led by Nicky P, who started out at SADA Systems about 10 years ago as an intern! Nicky was originally tasked with building out our phone system, which we still use today (with some upgrades along the way). After his internship, Nicky worked as a Sales Engineer and was the first Google Apps Certified Deployment Specialist back in 2013. As the practice grew, and new team members were added across the country, Nicky’s objective was to provide a blended team environment regardless of the miles between them. He even created a signature GPS crest and a team manifesto. The team manifesto helps his team understand the importance of every role and how each role interacts with one another. Nicky has honed his management skills with Professional Development and leadership support throughout his tenure at SADA and his team is no exception to that.

Team Engagement

GPS has built a reputation for creating strong and long lasting relationships at SADA, beyond just work. How are they doing this? Well, it’s all about team engagement! They focus on team building activities, as half of their team is spread out between different time zones across the U.S. Their remote employee engagement is one to admire as they are consistently finding inventive ways to interact with one another. Building a strong personal friendships within their team, they hang out outside of work including dinners and travel together. Some bonds are so tight, team members have even taken part in each other’s weddings! The time they invest in one another beyond the workplace contributes to their success in the workplace.

The team has also inadvertently inspired a company wide “virtual coffee break” for all remote employees. It all started with their virtual happy hours, where both HQ employees and remote employees connected, to take a moment to catch up with one another and have a ‘virtual cheers’. This inspired SADA People Ops Team to create a monthly “virtual coffee break”, where we invite all remote employees across different departments to join in via web conferencing. Interesting enough, we found out one of our employees has a pet Iguana during one of these VCB’s. Wow!

Master Your Destiny

This year’s theme at SADA is mastering your destiny and that’s exactly what GPS has done. Starting off small, GPS took control of their future and grew to the team they are today. They have created internal bonds that can’t be replicated elsewhere and it’s made their team stronger. Not only are they excited about their work here at SADA, they have created a team dynamic that is one to admire.