EquipmentShare Named to Forbes List of America’s Best Startup Employers for Fourth Straight Year

EquipmentShare is one of just three Missouri businesses to be recognized and attributes recognition to its ‘People First’ culture.

COLUMBIA, Mo. — EquipmentShare, an equipment rental and technology solutions company serving the construction industry, was named to the list of America’s Best Startup Employers 2023 by Forbes and Statista. On the list of 500 companies, EquipmentShare is one of just three Missouri-based businesses and is the only construction retail business. This is the fourth consecutive year EquipmentShare has been included on the list. 

EquipmentShare leaders credit the company’s success to the people at the heart of the business — their employees.

“We want great people at EquipmentShare, so we empower them to be the best by putting them in roles where they can succeed,” EquipmentShare CEO and co-founder Jabbok Schlacks said of the company’s employee culture. “Our goal is to make sure our people are in roles where they can grow, make a difference and feel like a valuable part of the company. That’s a huge portion of what we do and why we do it, and it’s one reason why we’ve grown so quickly.”

Founded in 2014 and incorporated in 2015, EquipmentShare employs 4,000+ team members nationwide and currently operates more than 160 locations across the United States. The company is headquartered in Columbia, and EquipmentShare announced in November 2022 a plan to expand the main campus and employ an additional 500 in the mid-Missouri area.

EquipmentShare continues to invest in its employees with initiatives like continued education and training. All employees are empowered to advance in their field with tools like EquipmentShare University, hands-on technical training and industry training on the latest equipment provided by OEM partners. It also has an employee wellness program that has proven to help employees develop healthy habits. The program includes gym membership stipends, contests and daily health goals. The most popular perk, according to employees, is the Family Dinner Night stipend. 

“We want to be a different kind of company — a company where people come first,” Schlacks said “At EquipmentShare, we care about holistic wellness. We work in a really busy industry, and we want our employees to know we value their time with family. Our Family Dinner Night program gives every employee a monthly stipend to spend on a meal with their families. We want our team members to know we care about them … so dinner’s on us.”

EquipmentShare works to be a valued member of the cities it calls home. Every employee is given 16 hours of Volunteer Time Off. In addition, each branch is given $2,500 annually to give to local charities.

EquipmentShare is committed to providing a safe environment and People First-focused workplace. In order to be a People First company, the team developed a plan to increase the focus on safety even more. In 2022, EquipmentShare rolled out the “7 Seconds of Safety” initiative, which encourages everyone to pause and think of the safest way to complete any task.

“To be the best in the industry, we have to be the safest in the industry,” said David Adams, director of human resources and administration. “Our most important asset is our people, and we will do everything we can to ensure they are safe at work so they can go home to their families each day.”

EquipmentShare continues to grow and is actively recruiting for a variety of roles in equipment sales, branch management, driving, technology installation, maintenance and service, software engineering and more. It also has a robust apprenticeship program and summer internships. Learn more about EquipmentShare’s company culture. Explore career openings and apply for a job at EquipmentShare.

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