Binary Stream thrives on teamwork and learning

Dylan Parker had all the attributes that Binary Stream Software Inc. looks for in a new employee when he began working for the company seven years ago, but he had no experience with enterprise accounting software. That experience came with time.

“We look for the usual experience, education and skills,” says president and CEO Lak Chahal, “but alignment and culture fit are really important as well. Making sure the fit is right is in the best interest of the candidate as well as the team.”

Binary Stream provides scalable software solutions to handle everything from subscription management to complex leases in the healthcare, financial, hospitality, real estate, manufacturing and technology industries. Certified as a Microsoft Gold Partner, the Burnaby, B.C.-based company has grown to serve global markets, providing innovative solutions to its customers and a culture of teamwork and continuous learning for its employees.

Parker went to work part-time for the company after he served an internship in his second year of computer science studies at Simon Fraser University. When he graduated with a bachelor of science degree, he joined the company full time.

He was attracted, he says, by the environment, “where everyone works hard, wants to succeed and grow. There’s little or no politics here,” he adds. “Everyone works as a team. If there’s an issue, everyone works together to solve it.”

That approach was part of Chahal’s plan when he started the company in 1999, after emigrating to Canada from England. “If you come to work here you should feel safe, respected and encouraged to learn and grow,” he says. “After all, with knowledge-based workers, if you don’t keep up, you become obsolete in a short time.”

Even as the company’s 69 employees have dispersed to work from home because of COVID-19, the emphasis on teamwork and learning has continued.

“We hold a daily status update meeting to make sure everyone’s on the same page,” says Parker, “but instead of meeting every morning in the office, we do the same thing virtually.”

Management also conducts a weekly 15-to-30-minute pulse check that enables employees to raise concerns and allows management to recognize employee contributions to the company’s success.

“We didn’t want to lay anyone off,” says Chahal, “so that was a priority. Revenues did slow, but we decided to ride it out. Our goal still is to keep as many people employed as possible.”

In fact, he adds, the company has hired new employees during the pandemic as it pursues its ambition to become a global supplier.

In the meantime, employees have raised $4,000 during the pandemic for local food banks, which the company matched with another $4,000. The company also provided Christmas wish list items to two families of women and children fleeing violence.

Now the leader of an eight-member team focused on enterprise accounting software, Parker says his learning curve continues. “There’s so much to learn about accounting software, technology and platforms,” he says. “Becoming an expert in that is what I enjoy. After all, the more you learn, the more you can contribute.”