This Blog was written by Michelle Quigley, Product Consultant
Contributions to this blog were made by JJ Conoscenti, Product Analyst.
Contributions to this blog were made by JJ Conoscenti, Product Analyst.
I started at Solstice about a year ago, and to be honest, the first week was a little overwhelming. After leaving a more traditional corporate culture, I was surprised by the complete difference I saw even in the first few days working here. There were no cubicles, everyone was in jeans, a Zumba class was being taught in the lunchroom, and people wore costumes to the office on Halloween. One of my coworkers was even dressed head-to-toe in a gorilla suit. It all seemed fun, but I really wondered how anything could get done here.
The First Few Days
During my first week I truly got to know my coworkers. Aside from the flood of LinkedIn requests from Solstice employees on my first day, as I built strong relationships with my coworkers, I realized what interesting, fun, and motivated people they were. I experienced the engagement and relationships that have formed within the firm by watching the collaborative environment unfold, whether in front of my eyes or within our internal Google+ community (like to the left).
More importantly, they really got to know me and made me feel welcome too. They tied a “New Solstie” balloon to my chair and countless coworkers came to shake my hand, introduce themselves, and ask if I needed anything.
That Thursday (and every Thursday) we have a company-wide meeting and the new hires share a little bit about themselves. Before the meeting starts, these new hires will walk around with a beer cart introducing themselves and passing out drinks. During the meeting we ask our new hires to introduce themselves and answer silly questions about their favorite Disney princess, sports team, video games, 90s group ... you get the idea. It was after my first week I really realized that becoming a “Solstie” was about much more than entering a new job, it was about entering into a family.
The First Few Months
After the first few months we had a Quarterly Meeting where our CEO and executive team talked about the direction of the company, our new clients, and goals for the quarter. At the end of the meeting (and every quarterly meeting) promotions were given by a number of mentors who will talk about their mentee’s successes and present them with an offer letter for their new job. It really sheds some light on how great it is to hear about the various ways people are helping their teams and delivering outstanding work for their clients. It’s also motivating to see your friends get rewarded for their hard work.
One thing that is apparent here is that Solstice sets us all up for success. We have in-house trainings available to us every week to promote continued learning and knowledge sharing. We also have a self-directed training budget of $5,000 each year that we may use for classes, books and supplies, or conferences. There is no shortage of ways at Solstice that we can all feel empowered and continue to grow in our careers.
Why does Company Culture matter?
While culture may not appear in a company’s annual report, in many ways, it truly is the glue that holds a successful company together. Culture is defined as the identity and personality of an organization, and it can be a strong asset or a huge liability. Culture has a huge impact on an organization’s goals, so the success of an organization is directly impacted.
The four main impact areas are Employee Retention, Productivity, Quality, and Reputation. An “A” culture enhances the employee experience, which increases employee loyalty and retention. Similarly, your employees will be more productive, efficient, and effective, increasing happiness within your organization. These more productive employees will in turn produce higher quality work, because when employees are committed to your organization they are committed to its success. And overall, all of this reflects on your company’s reputation. A good reputation can ultimately win over potential employees and clients alike.
Why are we still here?
As you know, the tech space is a rapidly growing career field, and the LinkedIn inboxes of Solstice employees are flooded with new job opportunities all the time. And yet, we’re still here. Solstice boasts a 96% retention rate as of last quarter. So why is that?
Leaving Solstice would mean more than leaving just a job. It would mean leaving friends, compromising a healthy work-life balance, moving away from a culture of innovation, and probably putting on dress pants again.
Solstice has created something really special, a combination of challenging and rewarding experiences, that all employees have the opportunity to share in. One of my coworkers said it best,
"My favorite thing about working at Solstice is how dumb I feel. I know, that sounds wrong. But everyday I am surrounded by super inspired and intelligent people that keep me on my toes. The good news is once I am outside these walls I realize how smart I feel out there in the world thanks to the unique challenges I face here every day." - Angelique Rickhoff
Learn more about our culture, life at Solstice, and how to join our team here.
