CRSC offers employees one-of-a-kind experiences

When Craig Oldman left a large multinational conglomerate to join Computer Room Services Corporation (CRSC) in 2012, he had more than well-honed skills and experience to contribute. His personal history also directly informs the supportive workplace culture he fosters as president and CEO.

“As the son of immigrants who left their home and made sacrifices so their children could benefit from better schools and opportunities, I want people to have not only a good job, but a good life, too,” Oldman says.

Established in 1989, CRSC is an industry leader in a distinct niche: it specializes in design, construction and facility maintenance services for cutting-edge data centres and mission-critical infrastructure — facilities where any service level interruption or power outage has serious negative consequences, from lost revenue to loss of life.

The Ajax, Ont.-based construction management company works with private and public sector customers throughout Canada and the United States. Projects range from mega campuses running AI workloads, to systems like those in hospitals where redundant electrical systems ensure life-saving equipment operates without fail.

Each project is site-specific thanks to a range of factors that must be considered. They can include budget, security concerns, proximity to the power grid, schedule demands, and supply chain logistics.

As a result, the experts in procurement, project management, site supervision and other disciplines at CRSC regularly deal with interesting and one-off technology, so teammates feel familiar even from afar, making eventual face-to-face interactions seamless and more enjoyable. challenges. So, too, do those in the skilled trades, especially electricians, HVAC technicians, and civil, architectural and building controls and automation.

Human resources manager Julie Burns, an established HR professional when she joined CRSC in 2008, says the company offers more than engaging work. Oldman, she says, “thinks outside of the box” when it comes to the well-being of his employees. “He’s an inspiring and generous man.”

During the pandemic, CRSC was considered an essential service provider and operated at full capacity. With a robust data centre emergency break-fix service division, it was armed with an emergency preparedness plan. But rather than require people to keep working in the office, Oldman instead made sure everyone had company resources to work remotely, including laptops, VPN tunnelling, cellphones, PPE, tools, and a cache of spare parts, Burns says.

CRSC, which has since adopted a hybrid work model, continues to build on systems that keep people connected, Burns adds. New employees are integrated through technology, so teammates feel familiar even from afar, making eventual face-to-face interactions seamless and more enjoyable.

While many companies support learning and training programs for their employees, CRSC also provides assistance to employees’ children for post-secondary education.

“It’s a huge help for students and their families,” says Burns, whose two children are among the nearly 90 students who have graduated from college or university thanks to the scholarship program that launched in 2016.

She says that CRSC contributes $2,000 toward tuition each year that a student’s enrolment is confirmed — $1000 up front, and then a match of the multi-year total upon graduation. Further, if a student's life takes a different path and they don’t graduate, repayment isn’t required. “We understand this is part of the new world we and they live in,” says Burns.

CRSC supports a cross-section of community groups, sports teams and charities though sponsorship and volunteering. Burns says it also matches employee donations to any legitimate, registered charity up to a maximum $10,000 a year.

In return, Oldman asks employees not to put limits on what they think they can achieve. “I don’t need your 2,000 hours,” he says. “I need you to do the best you can do.”

This article appeared in the magazine announcing this year's Canada's Top Small & Medium Employers winners, published April 8, 2025 in The Globe and Mail. This article was prepared with the financial support of the employer, which reviewed but did not write its contents.