Instant messaging and project management apps might sound like standard office equipment, but for a defense contractor, updating those systems is a bigger decision than it looks. Margarita Howard, sole owner, CEO, and president of HX5, has overseen that shift as part of a broader push to connect with digital-native employees entering the workforce.

HX5 is a Florida-based, service-disabled veteran and women-owned defense contractor supporting NASA and the Department of Defense, with more than 1,000 employees spread across 34 states and 90 government locations. The firm’s work is STEM-focused and often requires security clearances, which limits how far any technology update can go.

Meeting Employees Where They Are

Howard has said that “Gen Z thrives in digital-native environments,” a belief that has pushed HX5 to bring in instant messaging platforms and interactive project management tools that mirror what younger staff already use outside of work. The goal, she has explained, is to make the day-to-day experience feel current without compromising the strict security standards HX5 must maintain.

That effort matters because Gen Z workers, born between 1997 and 2012, are expected to make up close to 30 percent of the workforce by 2030, according to research from Johns Hopkins University. Many of them grew up with rapid feedback loops and constant connectivity, a contrast to the slower, more deliberate pace typical of government contracting.

Balancing Familiarity With Compliance

Margarita Howard has been careful to note that every new tool at HX5 still has to meet federal security requirements before it reaches employees. That review process can slow adoption compared with a typical commercial tech company, but Howard sees it as a necessary tradeoff. For HX5, staying relevant to younger applicants means updating the tools people use every day without ever loosening the rules that protect the programs those tools support. Visit this page for additional information.

Learn more about Howard on https://homebusinessmag.com/success-stories-lifestyles/defense-contractors-margarita-howard-adapts-gen-z-amid-competition-stem-talent/