Two scenes unfold with vivid clarity.
“Deep within the mines of planet Hoxxes IV, a glittering amethyst pillar pulses ominously. Our team of space miners approaches, exchanging quick commands.
‘Installing turrets! Both passages covered! Calling down another supply drop.’
“With a collective ‘let’s do this,’ we spring into action. Chaos erupts, but our plan unfolds flawlessly — bug guts fly, crystals are mined, and we emerge victorious. Mission success.”
Jonathan Walker, software engineer at Avaneer Health, isn’t describing the newest sci-fi blockbuster. Rather, the details offer insight into how the healthtech company has built a thriving, tight-knit team, both for engineers on Earth and their space miner alter egos.
“Same team, back on Earth, and the challenge is just as daunting,” he continued. “‘This is our largest data load ever,’ our lead announces. ‘A significant portion of the U.S. population.’
“My teammates respond:
‘New channel mappings in place. Response logs active. Consumers reset. Ready to ingest.’
“We rally again. The load kicks in, millions of workflows cascading through our network.”
Walked explained, “One scenario is from an online game the team plays on the weekend, and the other is a very real milestone in our company’s capabilities. The parallels are striking. Our team shows the same teamwork, leadership and trust in both. Our culture’s uniqueness lies in its organic development. No expensive team-building needed; our bond formed naturally, creating a small but mighty team.”
“One scenario is from an online game the team plays on the weekend, and the other is a very real milestone in our company’s capabilities. The parallels are striking. Our team shows the same teamwork, leadership and trust in both.”
While the mines of Hoxxes IV might not be their usual work environment, for the engineering team at Snapsheet, an insurance tech company, building personal connections is also key to long employee tenure and shared success.
“Here, everyone is more than just a name; you know who they are and what they do, and they know the same about you,” Senior Software Engineer Anva Kondakciu said. “There are many events like desk yoga, an annual in-person gathering in Chicago, virtual games, various Slack channels for different interests and a book club where we can connect. They’re always looking for ways to make the environment not just productive but also enjoyable.”
While both Avaneer Health’s and Snapsheet’s teams are primarily remote, the companies have invested in supporting tight-knit engineering teams. Those strong relationships not only make work more enjoyable on a personal level, they also create an increased sense of ownership and mutual reliance within the team.
“The close-knit setup builds a real sense of responsibility because you’re always working directly with people who depend on you and whom you depend on,” Kondakciu said. “It makes it easier to collaborate and solve problems across teams since you can quickly reach out for help or input. There’s a positive work environment where everyone is aware of each other’s contributions.”
Built In Chicago learned more about how Snapsheet and Avaneer Health build and sustain engineering teams committed to excellence.
Snapsheet is an insurance tech company that leverages technology to streamline claims processes.
What makes your engineering team culture so special?
I figured out that the engineering team culture at Snapsheet was special during my first week. Everyone was incredibly motivated to help out and took the time to understand your questions and any potential onboarding issues. There was a genuine desire to support one another and reach our goals together. Whenever a problem arose, the team was always ready to dive in and wouldn’t give up until it was resolved. It was comforting to know that you never had to tackle challenges alone.
Share the story behind a project where you worked well as an engineering team or supported one another.
We recently tackled an important project aimed at making our platform more customizable for clients. My team was responsible for developing standalone libraries that encapsulate reusable logic and applying these libraries to the platform to implement the highly anticipated features.
We wanted our code to be scalable, readable and up to our standards, while still delivering the features in a timely manner.
To do so, we ensured our tickets during planning and our pull request descriptions during implementation were detailed, especially with comprehensive testing steps. This helped us better understand each other’s tasks, quickly address edge cases and allow more time for discussions on improving code quality.
We stayed aligned on issues and worked together to quickly solve any blockers. Finally, we prioritized what needed immediate attention over what could wait.
Looking back, I truly believe that clear communication and a solid understanding of our individual and collective responsibilities were key to working well and to the project’s success. It never felt like anyone was carrying the load alone. Instead, there was always a sense of collaboration and mutual respect.
“It never felt like anyone was carrying the load alone. Instead, there was always a sense of collaboration and mutual respect.”
Despite being fully remote, our engineering team here feels much more connected than at larger companies I’ve worked with. In larger environments, communication often flows from the top down, which can make it tricky to see how important your individual efforts are within the bigger picture of the company.
Avaneer Health is a healthtech company focused on improving healthcare data exchange and collaboration.
Share the story behind a project where you worked well as an engineering team or supported one another.
Recently, we tackled a challenging proof of concept for a new product slated for a national conference showcase. The time window was short, and the project complex. It required integrating with almost every tool and application we had. We were looking at a mix of front-end, back-end, messaging systems, APIs and deployment infrastructure. It easily could have become a mess of dependencies and bottlenecks, but we completed it in just two weeks with plenty of time to spare for iterations before the conference.
There was no “that’s not my job” mentality; we embraced a “whatever it takes” approach. When someone hit a wall, we’d pair up to tackle it. If one avenue was blocked, we’d pivot to another approach. We rapidly overcame obstacles and kept the project moving forward. Our collaborative spirit meant we were often finishing each other’s thoughts and code implementations.
What could have been a slow, frustrating slog became a showcase of our team’s capabilities: trust, adaptability and overcoming roadblocks with collaboration. Our success proved that when we blur the lines between roles and support each other unconditionally, we can achieve remarkable results.
“Our success proved that when we blur the lines between roles and support each other unconditionally, we can achieve remarkable results.”
What is unique about your engineering team compared to others that you have heard about or worked for? Why is this important to the kind of work you do?
For me, it’s about making a positive impact on people’s lives — a fundamental aspect of any role I commit to. I thrive on being challenged and inspired to tackle problems that are bigger than any one person.
At Avaneer, I have the opportunity to do all of this and more. We’re pioneering new ways of transacting healthcare, solving some of the most persistent pain points that have plagued the industry for decades. Witnessing our system come to life and the power it holds for so many in the healthcare space is truly inspiring, and I’m proud to be part of it.
Moreover, I’m part of the best engineering team I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. The synchronization between team members is extraordinary, and I know I can rely on the strength of my teammates to succeed together. It’s not just about individual success; it’s about what we can achieve as a team. While that might sound idealistic, it’s profound to experience it in reality. I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished and excited to see where we go next and who will join us on this journey.
