Online Business Systems Careers, Benefits, Review

CHECK OUT OUR CULTURE CREDO!

About Us

In the mid 1980’s, Chuck Loewen envisioned a company where business and technology professionals would have fulfilling careers and be treated like friends, and where clients would be treated with the utmost respect and ultimately see real value in our work. With perseverance and a strong commitment to excellence, Chuck embarked on a venture that would grow far beyond his initial vision. Online Business Systems was incorporated in April 1986 with one office, one “Onliner,” and a whole lot of determination. As the company grew, Chuck searched for and hired only the best and brightest who would share his vision and values.

Today, Online is bigger and the business and technology challenges we solve for our clients are far more complex … but not much else has changed. We still provide fulfilling careers and treat each other like friends; we still treat our clients with respect and give them real value; we still persevere and are strongly committed to excellence; and we still hire only the best and brightest.

In Our Offices and Communities

With six offices in Canada and the U.S. (Winnipeg, MB; Calgary, AB; Edmonton, AB; Toronto, ON; Minneapolis, MN; and Irving, TX), Online works very hard to maintain the strong culture we’ve enjoyed over the years. Onliners who have been with the company for 10, 20, or even 25+ years tell us we’re doing a good job. And 14 consecutive years on the “Best Workplaces in Canada” list backs that up.

Online encourages and supports a spirit of camaraderie and balances an exciting and challenging career with a healthy dose of fun. Throughout the year, Online sponsors events like staff meetings and golf tournaments for Onliners, and other events like holiday parties and family picnics where we can also get to know each other’s family members.

We are also encouraged to give back to our communities through involvement with charitable organizations such as United Way, Salvation Army, local food banks, Cancer Society, Habitat for Humanity and many others.

Do Great Work

It’s about challenge. It’s about succeeding where others have failed. It’s about leaving your mark. To do our best work as individuals and as a company, we look for the projects with tricky bits. The kind of work that requires acquiring a clear understanding of the business problem at hand, and paying close attention to the subtleties of the hard technical work in order to crack the nut. The kind of work that increases our credentials and proves we are up to even bigger challenges. We thrive on the challenges that push our creativity and resourcefulness, test our powers of reason and innovation, and make us pull together to succeed. We have little choice – the alternative is to do less than fulfilling work.

#OnlinerLife (Life @ Online)

It Just Keeps Getting Better

We are a work-in-progress, even after 30+ years in business. That’s because we are continuously striving for greatness. While the Japanese call this attitude of continuous improvement “Kaizen,” we prefer to call it “life as an Onliner.” It’s an attitude that creates a contagious energy that will challenge you to step up your game and make a difference. And as you strive to make that difference, we want you to know that you are more than a member of our team, you are becoming an integral part of Online’s DNA.

A Day in the Life

Day-to-day life at Online can bring a lot of variety based on your expertise and experience, and depending on whether you’re on an individual assignment, part of a large project team, or doing internal projects for Online while between assignments. In the bigger picture, what you do day-to-day and how you choose to do it can greatly impact how your career evolves and advances.

Welcome to the Jungle

Life moves pretty fast around here and technology and business don’t stand still for very long. It’s the nature of our environment. On any given day there is a lot to do, and sometimes it can be difficult to get it all done in the time allotted. We deal with these day-to-day challenges by working as a pack. As a member of the pack, everyone does their part to get the job done. But sometimes it also means doing a little extra to help somebody else out. And on the days you need some extra help, it’s comforting to know that someone has got your back.

Why We Work Here

Great Culture. Great Work.

Onliners choose to stay at Online because we are very careful to nurture our sweet spot that sits at the intersection of our culture and the interesting and progressive work that we do. To thrive at this spot takes a special mix of people.

We are committed to maintainning a work environment that supports the following:

Investment in and Development of our People

• Professional Development (PD) Program: Onliners are provided annual PD budgets (dollars and hours).
• Career Mentor (CM) Program: This program promotes the growth and development of our team members, as well as provides leadership opportunities for our CM’s.
• Lunch & Learns: Onliners make presentations to other Onliners on a variety of topics and areas of expertise.
• HBO (How to be an Onliner): Internal suite of education programs focused on ensuring Onliners have all the tools they need to grow as Consultants and as Onliners.
• Certifications: We recognize Onliners’ efforts through additional PD hours and dollars.
  
• Tech Communities: Onliners with common technical interest across all regions form communities to share ideas and knowledge.
• Practice/Competency Leader Program: This group provides guidance to team members on areas of specialty and/or technology.
• Ongoing Career Planning and Development: Career Mentors work with team members to lay the foundation for growth.

The Personal Touch – Ensuring our People Feel Connected

• Career Mentor Program: Career Mentors meet regularly with team members, individually or in team meetings.
• Tech Communities: This a venue that connects Onliners with similar skills/competencies.
• Focus Groups: We want to validate that we are on track or identify where we need to refocus.
• Checkpoint Interviews: We meet one-on-one with Onliners regularly to ensure issues are identified early on.
• Social Activities: Onliners enjoy social activities such as holiday parties, golf tournaments, and family events.
• Onboarding: We could automate, but we choose to keep it personal with face-to-face components.
• Open Door Policy: Our senior management/executive are available and approachable.
• Recruiting Process: Our process allows candidates to meet with several people in the organization, in person, to ensure they feel comfortable with us and think it’s a good fit for them.
• Onliner Referral Process: Internal referrals currently comprise over 50% of all hires. We know that Onliners only refer others if they are happy in their work environment.
• Project-Based Work: People want to work as part of a strong team and learn from others on a project.

Adaptable and Flexible

• We are not bound to any one technology/vendor when working with clients. We consider the needs of the client and then bring the best solution to the table.
• We support work/life balance within the confines of our business by allowing flexible work weeks, compressed work weeks, and telecommuting when we are able.
• Being a relatively flat organization allows us to be nimble and agile, and do the right thing. Policies and processes guide us, but logic and good common sense will always prevail.

Recognize and Reward Initiative and Ingenuity

• Culture in Action Program: Ongoing peer recognition and appreciation for Onliners who demonstrate our core values and culture.
• IDEAS site: Onliners can submit ideas for how we can improve processes, policies, or programs.
• New ideas/practices: Online invests in new ideas, often at the suggestion of one of our own team members.
• We offer opportunities for those who show potential and initiative to step into new roles – e.g., Practice Leaders, Competency Leaders, Team Leads on projects, etc.

You have to love what you do.

Let’s face it. Everyone has days at work where they want to pull their hair out. You’re likely to have a few of those days here as well. What’s going to keep you coming back day after day is the dynamic nature of the company – our great people, the great work, and the heights we have yet to reach.

Advance Your Career

We provide the tools to help you go places.

At Online we recognize the importance of Professional Development (PD) and offer all Onliners a budget of days and dollars. Our PD Program is a benefit that all Onliners receive, and is seen as a key tool in helping Onliners advance their careers.

Our PD program provides you the opportunity to invest in PD in a way that benefits your professional growth and the work you are doing for your client, while positioning Online for success. You can use your PD budget towards internally offered courses, industry seminars, university courses, certifications, books, professional association membership fees, magazine subscriptions and software.

As important as the right tools are, it also takes the right people.

Our Career Groups provide a focus for the people centered culture that is crucial to Online’s success. Culture drives the behaviours and actions of everyone in the company, and as the company grows, we want to make sure the culture stays the same. This is easier to do when you are one in a group of eight as opposed to one in a group of three hundred.

Career Mentors are leaders in the company who lead our Career Groups. They act as coaches and guides, helping you assess where you are today, understand where we are traveling as a company and, in that context, help you get the most out of your career at Online. It’s part of our culture where your concerns are heard, your opportunities are identified and all Onliners feel that they are being treated fairly and equitably.

15 years at Online and still going strong…