Strong Employee Loyalty as an Atlanta Startup Strength

When thinking about startup strengths for Atlanta, everyone knows the common ones like low cost of living, great Georgia Tech talent, abundant young professionals, and general excitement in the community. There’s another Atlanta startup strength that needs more coverage: strong employee loyalty.

Here are a few thoughts on strong employee loyalty as an Atlanta startup strength:

• Part of Atlanta’s Southern culture is a focus on people and relationships, which results in more emphasis on the team and less on jumping ship to the hotter startup down the road
• Tech talent is at a premium and there’s a real shortage of software engineers, making strong employee loyalty more important than people realize
• Training a new employee often costs 10 – 20% of first year’s salary, making it an expensive proposition that increases the value of employee retention
• Referrals are the best source for new hires and loyal employees are more likely to recommend friends

Of course, things like a great corporate culture, awesome mission, and competitive wages are a pre-requisite for strong employee loyalty regardless of location. Strong employee loyalty is an Atlanta startup strength compared to the top high tech centers in the country.

What else? What are your thoughts on strong employee loyalty as an Atlanta startup strength?