Best Company I've Worked For - Communications Specialist Torch Technologies Employee Review

5.0
3 Feb 2016
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Disclaimer: This will be long-winded, but when I came to Glassdoor when I was applying to Torch I didn't see many reviews, so I want to help others in their research of our company. Torch is 100% employee-owned, and all employee-owners are encouraged to take ownership of their roles and responsibilities within the company. From what I've seen amongst my colleagues, this results in a more invested, motivated and cooperative workforce. Everyone works together for the best interest of the company. The culture at Torch is great. Everyone is incredibly welcoming; within the first week of working here I felt like everyone knew my name and knew and valued the role I would have in the company. Torch is very active in our community, and they give employee-owners several opportunities to give back. Torch Helps, a 501(c)3 started by employee-owners, provides several quarterly grants to local nonprofits, and that is entirely funded by employee contributions from their paychecks. Torch Gives, the service arm of Torch Helps, coordinates volunteer opportunities in the community. Torch sponsors several community events every year, makes corporate donations, and participates in events that help the community. Torch leadership truly cares about giving back, and that attitude is reflected throughout the company. It makes me very proud to be a Torch employee-owner. Torch offers an incredible benefits package. Not only do we receive employer contributions to our 401k, but we also receive employer contributions to the company Employee Stock Ownership Plan, and profit sharing/safe harbor. We have great health care including dental and vision, plenty of PTO, the ability to earn and use comp time, ability to borrow leave if needed, life and short term and long time disability insurance, tuition reimbursement, interest-free computer loans. There is a health program that you can participate in that pays you for your healthy habits. Further, Torch cares about employee morale and plans fun company-wide activities that are more than your usual company picnic and Christmas party- there are movie nights, a company tailgate, a kids Christmas party, a company golf tournament, ice skating days, Shakalaka events, and more. There are many more examples of how this company excels at making its employee-owners happy, and I can say that I genuinely love working for this company. I hope to retire here, and that is coming from a millennial- which says a lot. Another disclaimer, I have been here less than a year, so it is possible I am still in the honeymoon phase. However, I know many employee-owners who have been with Torch 10+ years and are still just as proud of and happy with Torch as I am.

Cons

Everyone says you gain the "Torch ten" when you start working here, and I have gained five pounds. They provide really great food for our lunch meetings. There are also candy bowls on ALL desks, and around Christmas everyone brings in tons of homemade goodies..

Explore other reviews about Torch Technologies

5.0
18 Jun 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Have a good ESOP program

Cons

Some contracts are a bit newer

1.0
9 Mar 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

• I was employed and able to gain my first year of experience. • Coworkers are generally supportive and easy to work with. • Mission work supporting the military can feel meaningful.

Cons

• Salary is not competitive. Compared to what people from my graduating class are earning in similar roles, the compensation here is noticeably lower. The ESOP is often presented as a balancing factor, but for early-career employees it doesn’t meaningfully close the gap in the short term. • Technology stack is behind current industry practices. Many of the tools and development approaches feel dated compared to what is commonly used in modern software environments. That makes it harder to build skills that translate to the broader tech market. • Limited technical leadership. Some managers have not worked as developers or engineers themselves, which makes it difficult to get practical guidance on architecture, tooling, or modern development methodologies. • Professional growth can feel self-directed. Much of the learning happens independently rather than through structured mentorship or technical leadership. • Shutdown policy created frustration. During the government shutdown, employees were not allowed to take unpaid leave and were expected to use PTO or go without pay. For junior employees especially, that policy was difficult to understand. • Contract uncertainty affects morale. With contracts approaching expiration, there can be a lot of uncertainty about future work and career continuity.

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