In a cybersecurity market where talent is scarce and headhunters are plentiful, I-TRACING posts an 8% turnover rate — three times lower than the industry average. Behind that figure lies a conviction shared across the entire leadership team: company culture isn't just one HR topic among many, it's a driver of performance.
Context
I-TRACING is an IT services firm specialized in cybersecurity, present in several countries and home to more than 700 employees. In just a few years, the company has grown from a few dozen to several hundred talents, driven by double-digit growth. An ambitious trajectory that imposes a constant challenge: preserving a strong sense of belonging despite geographic dispersion, hybrid work, and continuous internationalization.
"Culture isn't an option, it's a lever for performance and international expansion."
Justine Garcia, HR Director, I-TRACING
Challenges
The IT services market suffers from an average turnover of 20 to 25%, fueled by a salary war. For I-TRACING, the question wasn't only about recruiting the best talent, but retaining them over the long term, in France and abroad.
The central challenge identified by Justine Garcia, HR Director of I-TRACING: building a company culture that's truly shared and embodied by everyone.
"Retention isn't just about keeping people. It's about making them want to stay."
Justine Garcia, HR Director, I-TRACING
The solution
I-TRACING has been using Teamstarter for six years. This isn't an HR gadget trialed for a season: it's a tool embedded in teams' daily lives, with an average adoption rate of 90.4% over the entire period and 98% over the last six months. More than 80% of employees actively engage with it every month!
What really changed was the shift from a one-off-event logic (a ski trip) to a culture of ongoing initiative. With Teamstarter, more than 100 projects now come to life each year, led by employees themselves, on their work time.
The examples speak for themselves. During Covid, the Hong Kong teams organized a filmed charity trail run to stay connected with their colleagues remotely. The Paris Marathon inspired a project launched from France, then replicated in Montreal to build a bridge between the two sites. These initiatives don't come from a central communications unit: they emerge from the ground, funded by the budgets allocated by the company, led by those who want to make them happen.
Other levers complete this approach: management evaluated on its cultural role, a leadership team and HR function deeply involved, and regular rituals — structured onboarding with mentoring, a monthly Morning check (breakfast), live news with leadership, and more.
The results
- 8% turnover, three times below the market average (20–25%).
- Strengthened attractiveness and retention: internal life helps bring talent back and attract new profiles.
- More than 100 collaborative projects launched in a year — about two initiatives per week.
- A consistent culture across all sites and countries, and stronger cohesion, thanks to initiatives that are both local and cross-cutting.
Conclusion
The I-TRACING case shows that a strong company culture isn't a luxury reserved for very large organizations: it's a strategic, measurable, and profitable investment. By giving every employee concrete means to take initiative, the company turned retention into a lasting competitive advantage.
As Justine Garcia sums it up: making people want to stay starts with making them want to get involved. And to get involved, you first need the means to do so.
