Fiona writes on workplace issues, including management, psychology, workplace design, human resources and recruitment. She is a former Work Space editor at The Australian Financial Review and has also covered property, technology, architecture and general news.
Published 11 September 2014 21:04, Updated 16 December 2014 11:32
Atlassian’s Sydney office is packed with perks, such as board and video games. Photo: Christian Ferreiro
SYDNEY
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY/SOFTWARE
408 EMPLOYEES
Being a great place to work is one thing, staying at the top of a job-seeker’s wish-list when you are doubling in size every 18 months brings a new set of challenges.
Software provider Atlassian is a regular at the top of the annual BRW’s Best Places To Work list, yet as it grows the influx of new people could dilute the company’s distinctive “no bullshit” culture.
Now on a recruiting drive to add 600 more employees this financial year, Atlassian (which has around 900 permanent staff around the world) is essentially recreating itself, says Atlassian chief people officer, Jeff Diana.
“Every 18 months to two years, you are essentially building a new Atlassian,” he says. That kind of renewal is common in companies of 50 to 100 people, but not for businesses with close to 1000 staff.
Diana, who joined the company two years ago, says it is not a matter of inculcating newcomers with an existing culture.
“You can never preserve a culture. What you can preserve are your values and your values can drive what you do,” he says.
“When I talk to new hires, I tell them we hired them to add to the culture. We want their experiences, their viewpoints, their perspectives, their talents. So, when I hear companies say they want to preserve their culture, I get worried because those things will always evolve with the great people you add.”
To help candidates decide if Atlassian is a good fit, the company is working on gamifying the process. Diana wants to present it like a dating game: “We’ll see how far we get with that, but I think that is a creative way to get people to self-select.”
Sweet tooths are welcome.Photo: Nic Walker
Diana says his task is to keep the Atlassian spirit small and entrepreneurial. “We typically keep our sites to a limited size, where we feel like we can know everyone in the building. I don’t see us building a mega-campus.”
The managing director of Great Place To Work Australia, Zrinka Lovrencic, says there is a big gap in employee engagement between the top 50 companies (84 per cent engaged) and the bottom 50 companies (67 per cent).
Lovrencic says she has been watching Atlassian develop over the past six years.
“Something they have really focused on is for management to be approachable and equipped to answer all employee queries,” she says. “Atlassian is by far one of the most transparent companies we have worked with, not only sharing all information, but also asking for input from their employees.”
Twenty per cent time: people can spend a fifth of their week working on their own projects.
ShipIt days: every three months, time is set aside for staff to work on whatever they want for 24 hours and present their idea.
Daily Pulse: Atlassian is working on a replacement for its Mood-App, which checks how people are going every day and quickly identifies problems.
Leaders unplugged: Atlassian’s executives have open-mic time with employees.
Simple performance management: based on a conversation, rather than number ratings.
Yes, there’s a pool table...
One per cent foundation time: to help out a charity of their choice.
Pre-start vacation: new hires are paid to take a holiday before they start.
HackHouse: graduates spend a week at the beach completing challenges, getting to know the company and having fun.
Democracy: drafts of the company’s financial year plan and strategy are published on the intranet for comment.
Office perks: a drinks fridge, boutique beer on tap, a pick’n’mix lolly station, table tennis, pool table, video games and board games.
...but a healthy commute is also encouraged at Atlassian HQ.
follow
Comments