Being recognised as one of Australia’s Best Places to Work is something we’re proud of at EdgeRed — but more importantly, it’s a reminder that strong culture doesn’t happen by chance. It’s built through consistent leadership choices, made day after day.

For leaders building data and technology teams, culture is often treated as secondary to delivery, growth, or innovation. In reality, it’s the foundation that makes all of those things possible. At EdgeRed, our approach to leadership is grounded in four principles: empowerment, empathy, people first, and fun.

Empowering our team

We believe the best ideas come from people who feel trusted to make decisions. That’s why we empower our consultants, analysts, and engineers to take ownership of their work and drive outcomes.

We know that with autonomy comes the possibility of mistakes… and that’s okay! We foster a no-blame culture where missteps are seen as learning opportunities, not failures. This approach helps us move faster, stay innovative, and build confidence across the team.

When people feel safe to experiment and supported to grow, they bring their best thinking forward. That’s what keeps us sharp in a rapidly evolving data and technology landscape.

Leading with care and empathy

Culture is also about how we treat one another. At EdgeRed, we put care and empathy at the centre of our relationships, both internally and with our clients.

Inside the team, that means checking in on each other, celebrating wins, and backing each other when challenges arise. With our clients, it means listening first, understanding their unique pressures, and designing solutions that genuinely meet their needs.

As Co-Founder Monica Ly puts it:

“A high-performing team isn’t built on pressure alone, it’s built on trust, empathy, and the knowledge that someone has your back. When people feel supported, they have the confidence to push boundaries and deliver outstanding results.”

People first – always

Our philosophy is simple: do the best by our team, and do the best by our clients. We don’t see those as competing priorities, they reinforce each other.

When we support our team to thrive, they deliver better outcomes for clients. And when clients succeed, it creates opportunities for our people to grow and take on new challenges. It’s a cycle that drives sustainable success.

That approach has helped us achieve something we’re proud of: exceptionally strong retention. People choose to stay at EdgeRed because they feel valued, challenged, and supported… and because they enjoy the work they do and the people they do it with.

Celebrating culture and having fun