🏠 How small businesses can offer top-tier employee benefits

by SherlockTalent

Gold bars, cryotherapy, and mortgage buy downs: an entrepreneur explains how to up your employee benefits game and retain more workers.

Talent wins the day. And when small business owners invest in talent through top-tier benefits, they lay the groundwork for consistent, scalable growth and stronger financial performance over the long haul.

The biggest challenge small business owners face is figuring out how to provide a robust and industry-leading set of benefits without going out of business. 

When you get past the 401k, employer-sponsored healthcare and PTO, does your benefits package actually pass the smell test with today’s workforce? According to a recent study by Prudential Financial, there’s a wide gulf between what employees say they want from the workplace and what employers are actually providing. While 86% of employers believe they are offering modern benefits, only 59% of employees agree. And the gap is even wider with younger workers. Another survey from MetLife finds 89% of employees believe their organization could strengthen trust by improving their benefits packages.

Read the complete Fast Company article BY Nick Martin: https://www.fastcompany.com/91401005/how-small-businesses-can-offer-gold-star-employee-benefits

🌉 $90K+ Senior Network Eng. – Cisco Meraki/Microsoft Env On-Site

by SherlockTalent

Apply to this job

This role is for an onsite Network Engineer who will own the reliability, security, and performance of a mid-sized organization’s network environment. The position centers on managing a Cisco Meraki-based infrastructure (MX, MS, MR) across LAN, WAN, and Wi-Fi, while supporting a Microsoft-focused ecosystem that includes Active Directory and Microsoft 365 services. The engineer will handle day-to-day operations, WAN connectivity, VPNs, wireless performance, and network security controls, while ensuring the network is optimized for collaboration tools such as Microsoft Teams. The role also involves monitoring, troubleshooting end-to-end network issues, maintaining documentation, coordinating with vendors and ISPs, and participating in on-call and after-hours maintenance rotations.

The ideal candidate has at least three years of hands-on network engineering experience, strong networking fundamentals, and direct production experience with Cisco Meraki environments. Success in the first 90 days is measured by improved visibility and stability, validated Wi-Fi and failover performance, up-to-date network documentation, and a clear roadmap for upgrades and security improvements. Preferred skills include Meraki certifications, security-focused networking, 802.1X and NAC experience, basic Azure networking exposure, and light automation or scripting. The position is primarily onsite, with occasional travel to other locations and some after-hours work required.

• Role Overview
  • Onsite Network Engineer responsible for network reliability, security, and performance in a mid-sized organization.
  • Primary technologies include Cisco Meraki (LAN, WAN, Wi-Fi) and a Microsoft-centric environment (Active Directory, Microsoft 365, Teams).
  • Acts as the hands-on network owner, managing daily operations and driving infrastructure improvements.
• Key Responsibilities
  • Manage and optimize Cisco Meraki infrastructure (MX, MS, MR) across LAN, WAN, and wireless networks.
  • Maintain WAN connectivity, VPNs, failover policies, and uptime monitoring.
  • Ensure wireless network performance, roaming stability, and secure access for users and guests.
  • Maintain network security controls including firewall rules, segmentation, IDS/IPS, and access policies.
  • Support Microsoft 365 performance and collaboration tools, including call quality for Teams.
  • Monitor network health, troubleshoot complex issues end-to-end, and perform root-cause analysis.
  • Maintain network documentation, standards, and change management processes.
  • Coordinate with vendors, ISPs, and Cisco Meraki support, and participate in on-call rotations.
• Required Qualifications
  • 3+ years of hands-on network engineering experience in a business environment.
  • Production experience with Cisco Meraki environments.
  • Strong fundamentals in TCP/IP, VLANs, routing, DNS/DHCP, VPNs, and Wi-Fi.
  • Experience using troubleshooting tools such as packet captures and log analysis.
  • Familiarity with Microsoft-based environments and cloud application performance dependencies.
• Preferred Skills
  • Meraki certifications or equivalent practical experience.
  • Security-focused networking experience, including segmentation and secure remote access.
  • Experience with 802.1X, RADIUS, and certificate-based authentication.
  • Basic Azure networking and hybrid identity exposure.
  • Scripting or automation skills (PowerShell or Python).
• Success Metrics (First 90 Days)
  • Improved monitoring visibility and reduced recurring network issues.
  • Verified Wi-Fi reliability and WAN failover performance.
  • Up-to-date network documentation and operational standards.
  • A clear roadmap for upgrades, lifecycle planning, and security improvements.
• Work Environment
  • Primarily onsite with occasional visits to other locations.
  • Some after-hours maintenance and on-call rotation required.