MX, a fast-growing firm, nurtures a play-hard, work-hard vibe

MX Technologies emphasizes a core value — “exuberance for life” — on its website and in recruitment materials, and it lives up to that attitude with energizing benefits and perks.

The 11-year-old financial data aggregation firm, based in Lehi, Utah, relies on workers to maintain a brisk growth pace, which will likely accelerate this year following the company’s recent win of $300 million in venture capital for further expansion.

Even during the pandemic, MX’s headcount increased by about 10%, as its customer-permission data-sharing platform serving 2,000 financial institutions and corporate customers saw more activity in consumer money management.

To attract and keep its 555 employees, MX encourages a playful attitude by devoting the first floor of its offices to entertainment and comfort with video games, Ping-Pong, a pool table and a lounge area.

The staff of MX
MX focuses on keeping its employees happy — it keeps a supply of snacks, video games, bicycles and even offers subsidized massages.
MX

The shelves and refrigerators of a large breakroom are fully stocked with snacks and beverages — including the popular candy zone.

Employees are encouraged to take off on bicycles, skateboards and a golf cart when they need to clear their minds.

A “secret library” is walled off a short distance away to provide a quiet place for employees to escape and rest, with comfortable couches, dim lighting and two “crash pad” beds in the corner.

And employees can get subsidized rubdowns in the nearby massage room.

Other benefits are solid. MX offers employees unlimited time off and holidays, free health insurance and generous parental leave. For its 401(k) policy, MX matches 100% of the first 3% and 50% of the next 2% employees contribute. The company, based about 25 miles outside of Salt Lake City, also provides reimbursement for public transportation.

Bonding is a vital element of MX’s working ethic. Typically each team has a daily “stand up” meeting to check in and set goals for the day.

Various MX teams have organized outings including a trip to Lake Powell, staying at a cabin at Sundance, taking a cooking class and honing their golf skills together. There are also companywide holiday parties, a big summer party, a large Halloween bash and movie premiere nights when employees take over a theater.

Since the pandemic began last year, several of these activities have been adapted for remote working.

When employees were confined to their home offices because of COVID-19, MX began holding its daily team meetings by Zoom. The company also introduced a new MX Pulse Sentiment survey twice a month to measure and monitor employees’ mental well-being while working remotely, and started a newsletter to reinforce connections and updates.

Growth continued apace throughout 2020, and to bring on new employees, MX devised a new, fully remote onboarding process. To get all workers on the same page, MX added a series of multimedia announcements called “Grow MX” to promote best practices for mindfulness, time management and communication.

For those essential workers who still needed to come into the office for certain tasks, MX added hand sanitizing stations throughout the office, and contracted with an outside firm to provide routine deep-cleaning and sanitization of the offices.

Throughout the entire pandemic, MX has donated the delivered thousands of smoothies and bagels — goodies that ordinarily would have gone to workers — to local fire, police and medical teams.

Even MX’s human resources department reflects a different view of personnel.

“At MX we work hard to have the right benefits and perks to keep our employees happy,” said Chad Beals, MX’s director of talent acquisition.

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