Tonia Patt
Vice President of the People Team, Two Six Technologies
Two Six Technologies’ year-over-year employee retention is a significant achievement, with the company retaining employees at a rate that exceeds the industry average in an increasingly competitive market.
Under the leadership of Tonia Patt, the People Team evaluates everything through the lens of its impact on TST employees. The team established a rigorous process to ensure people always come first, often rethinking initiatives to better align with company values. This includes the internal communication strategy, which ensures people leaders have time to understand and respond to changes before sharing information with the broader team.
Thanks to Patt’s efforts, the company now has an employee retention rate of nearly 90%, and 40% of new hires come from employee referrals. This significantly contributed to Two Six’s expansion, growing from under 200 employees in early 2021 to nearly 850 by August 2024.
“Tonia’s expertise and focus on meaningful interactions within Two Six has greatly benefited our company culture and the lives of our employees,” said Amy Dalton, chief performance officer at Two Six Technologies. “We are very fortunate to have such a dedicated leader guiding our people strategy.”
Why Watch
The People Team is laser focused on creating opportunities for employees and leaders to invest in their careers. It developed and launched custom training programs in business development, program management and financial management.
Patt’s team not only focuses on employees after they join Two Six but also on ensuring communications with potential candidates and new hires feels authentic. The team gathered feedback from candidates to improve interview training and implemented tools to make sure everyone, inside and outside the company, felt respected and valued, avoiding the impression that hires were just “seat fillers” for government contracts.
Patt and her team create opportunities for employees to connect and involve their families. Successful events include Bring Your Child to Work Day, an annual family picnic, corporate fun runs, charity events and team happy hours.
Fun fact: Patt is married to a real magician.