How Fleetio fuels culture, connection and recognition—one brick at a time

Fleetio helps companies manage vehicles and equipment with less hassle and more clarity. But it’s not just about keeping fleets running smoothly. Fleetio is also committed to keeping its people moving forward.

That’s why Fleetio chose Chocolate Soup to help build a recognition program that fuels connection, celebrates wins (big and small), and makes every team member feel like they’re in the driver’s seat of their own career.

Making fleet management easier

Founded in 2012 in Birmingham, Alabama, Fleetio has grown into a leader in fleet management software. The company recently closed a $450 million Series D funding round and acquired UK-based Auto Integrate in a landmark deal, establishing Fleetio as a preferred solution for fleet maintenance.

Fleetio is used by customers of all sizes, ranging from fleets of ten vehicles to those with tens of thousands. Logan James, People Experience Manager at Fleetio, says the platform manages everything from maintenance reminders to alerting managers that an asset is down in the field.

“It can track virtually anything a fleet manager would need without having to use pen and paper. It is about fleet optimization. We're a top contender in the industry, and everyone here is constantly working hard to keep innovating and making lives easier for fleet managers,” James says.

From municipal governments to police and fire services to private companies, Fleetio makes managing assets simpler, faster, and more cost-effective.

“We even have employees that use it to manage their own cars just so they get those routine reminders,” she says.

Supporting a remote and people-first culture

Like many tech companies across the country, Fleetio’s team mainly works remotely. But what’s different is that Fleetio’s team has been working remotely since its start in 2012. 

“I like to say we've been remote first since before it was cool,” James says with a laugh. 

Today, the company’s 400 employees work across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and the U.K. James lives in Birmingham and splits her time between her home and the company’s headquarters.

“I do go into the office a lot, simply because I appreciate the community of being present with coworkers. It’s also nice to have the flexibility to work from home when I need to,” she says.

Building a company culture across office-based and work-from-home employees takes a lot of work, something James says the company has focused on since day one. 

“The big thing driving our culture, from a people experience perspective, is a mindset of always asking ‘how do we connect all employees?” James says. 

Fleetio recently renovated its Birmingham headquarters to become a meeting hub for its global teams. James says leaders are encouraged to host on-sites and events in Birmingham whenever possible.

“Birmingham is truly part of our DNA. Our founder is from here, and that local connection has always been integral to who we are. We encourage every department to come together in person once or twice a year to collaborate and strengthen those relationships,” she says.

Connecting is only part of the equation. Fleetio also likes to celebrate its team. At Fleetio, you can win a Tony, named after Tony Summerville, the founder of Fleetio. Each year, employees are recognized with a range of achievement awards at the Fleeties for their impact and contributions.

“The Tony Award was the big one this year! We also have manager-selected award categories for employees and peer-selected ones that are more like a senior superlative,” James says. “It’s a chance for us to be goofy and playful with each other. We work hard and take ourselves seriously, but not too seriously.”

Building a culture of recognition

Trying new things is a core part of the culture at Fleetio. James says they’ve built a workplace where people are encouraged to ask questions, take risks, and learn from the experience, even when things don’t go as planned.

“Some ideas are going to fail, and that’s okay, because that’s how we learn,” she says. “This is my first time in tech. I’ve worked in athletics, home health and hospice, and I’ve never experienced a culture like we have at Fleetio.”

That openness shows up in the little things, too. Fleetio’s people team is focused on creating moments of recognition that feel meaningful. One of their favourite ways to do that? Custom LEGO kits.

“We want Fleetio to be a place where careers are built,” says James. “We know that people grow, and sometimes that growth takes them beyond our walls, but while they’re here, we want them to know they’re valued.”

What started as a fun idea quickly became a full-blown movement. As the custom LEGO kits began arriving, Fleetio’s Slack lit up with GIFs, memes, and a healthy dose of FOMO. Ten-year veterans showed off towering builds. Newer team members—just a few bricks in—shared excitement about where they could grow from here.

“It’s truly had results that we just weren’t even anticipating,” James says. “And the fact that it motivates people and provides recognition, all through the simplicity of a LEGO brick. It’s a brick. That’s all it took.”

Work anniversary bricks are only part of the solution. Fleetio orders custom bricks to celebrate everything from a product launch to recognizing employees who participated in an internal hackathon.

“We get a lot of requests, but we want to make sure our team knows what’s ‘brick worthy’ and what’s not,” she says. “The Chocolate Soup bricks have become a motivator. It wasn't something we realized would be an outcome of introducing the program.”