How hipages Group uses its Smart50 wins to attract top talent

Since its beginnings in 2004, hipages Group, an online tradie marketplace, has remained one of the nation’s great SME success stories. Over the years, it has been celebrated at The Smart50 Awards a number of times.

Of the accolades, Jodette Cleary, chief people and culture officer said hipages Group is proud to have been regularly recognised “in the humble company of other fast-growing organisations who are driven, innovative and dedicated to creating a fantastic employee and customer experience”.

Last year, hipages Group made the list and also claimed the coveted People Power Award, a special category introduced for the 2022 program. This year, a revised set of categories is opened to celebrate the wonderful ways Australian SMEs are performing.

“The impact of this external, esteemed recognition has primarily been to assist us to attract top talent to our business,” Cleary said.

“Candidates regularly mention our awards in the recruitment process as ‘proof’ we are a great place to work. Secondly, our current team gets ‘boasting rights’ to work for a great company and it helps to show them we are continuously trying to create the best possible environment.”

The hipages story

The idea for hipages came about organically, when co-founders David Vitek and Roby Sharon-Zipser were frustrated by the difficulty in sourcing top-quality local help. They decided to address this gap by redefining the directory concept for the information age.

“While technology was a substantial driver to enable this change,” Vitek said, “Roby and I had the insight that you need real service and great people behind that technology to make something great”.

Since those heady days of forging a new service to connect people with expert tradies, hipages has expanded to a team of over 290. And while its innovative mindset remains rooted in its ability to weave technology with service, the co-founders believe their continued success lies in their people.

Hipages has made the headlines in recent years, with an IPO on the ASX and a number of savvy acquisitions. Co-founder Sharon-Zipser also shared his advice for SME tech leaders earlier this year.

Final word on The Smart50 Awards

“The team at hipages would say that applying for The Smart50 Awards is a ‘must’ for any Australian businesses who want to showcase the phenomenal work they are doing,” Cleary said.

“It is a fantastic way to build your employer brand and gain recognition for your hard work.”

Entries for The Smart50 Awards 2023 are now open. Nominate your business here.