After touring the Las Vegas headquarters of online shoe and clothing retailer Zappos in 2008, Steven Martorelli said he was inspired to build a business with a similar workplace culture.
The visit exposed Martorelli to an office with a gym, free lunches and a board tracking metrics such as longest time spent on the phone with a customer. More importantly, he saw employees who enjoyed coming to work.
So when he founded Turnkey in 2009, the Meriden-based business services company was designed to “create happiness,” he said.
Turnkey has 17 full- and part-time employees in the U.S. who help businesses set up and manage credit and debit card payment processing and point-of-sale systems. The company also offers offshoring services, recruiting workers in the Philippines to perform administrative and operational tasks for clients.
Martorelli says it’s not just the speakeasy-inspired office space, meditation room with a massage chair or a pay-to-read book club that sets his company apart. Instead, he points to an overarching philosophy he calls “Remarkablism.”
To support what he describes as a “journey of physical, mental and spiritual growth,” Martorelli created a voluntary initiative known as the Remarkablism Challenge. The program blends elements of longevity science and positive psychology.
“Codified habits are turned into a game where you get points for doing good things,” Martorelli said. “The work stays the same, but the employee makes a commitment to more responsibilities outside of it.”
Employees set personal goals that can range from losing weight or reducing debt to completing a long-term passion project, such as producing a full-length film.
Participants compete for a prize valued at up to $2,500, which can be used for a dream vacation or to fulfill a bucket-list goal. A People’s Choice award recognizes what the company considers the most significant life transformation.
Martorelli said he measured employee happiness before and after the challenge using a 10-point scale. He said the company’s average score rose from 5.6 to 7.7.
He also said an iPhone app is in development — not for sale, but to encourage others, including clients, to take part in the Remarkablism Challenge.
“Because I’ve been designing and optimizing this” Martorelli said, “employees love to be here. It is a great office and this is taking a culture of well-being to the next level.”
Employee loyalty
Michael Pucci, Turnkey’s marketing director for the last eight and a half years, said the company’s culture stands out for its emphasis on collaboration and personal development.
“There is a lot of effort for personal growth and wellness,” he said.
Through the Remarkablism Challenge, Pucci said he walked 3,000 miles and earned a project management certification.
He said flexible schedules and unlimited time off make him more willing to adjust his work hours when needed.
“I’m willing to be there for a company that is willing to be there for me,” Pucci said.
Pucci said the company’s approach goes beyond surface-level morale boosters.
“It is not a static, inhuman metric. There are personal conversations about `how can we make this better?’” Pucci said.
Meantime, Martorelli said he questions the term “work-life balance,” calling it a “silly notion.”
Instead, he believes that when employers support workers’ efforts to improve their well-being outside the office, the benefits ultimately carry over into the company’s success.