Simple guide on how to be a good Applifter
Hi there, we are glad you've decided to be one of us. We hope we won't disappoint you and that you'll find Applifting to be a nice company to work for. You are going to find a few guiding principles that will help you to have a positive work experience. If you follow these simple principles, other Applifters will love working with you.
Our company culture is built on the following basic assumptions:
- Applifters are good and fair people
- Applifters are motivated to bring value to others
- Applifters want to take responsibility for things that matter to them. (They are also aware of the appreciation, respect and decision power that comes with it.)
- Absence of happiness means no performance
We are informal with each other. What you can do and what it's like to be working with you is what is important. (In contrast, it is not important what you look like, what your past is and whether you are a girl or a guy). We work together and most of us like to meet other Applifters in personal life.
One of the main reasons we hired you is that we think you will be a good fit for our culture. If you find out you do not like working with us, no big deal. Just say it. This is why we have a probation period in the work contract :-).
It is important to speak to other Applifters about things you do not like. Ideally, talk directly to the person who can do something about it.
If you have a conflict with another Applifter, do not hold it inside. First, try to resolve it in private between the two of you. If this fails, find a colleague you both trust to help you resolve the situation.
Only with honesty and sincerity will we be able to keep Applifting a place where it is a joy to be working and where we can talk openly.
If you are approached by someone with constructive feedback, appreciate his effort. Don’t be too defensive and try to comprehend how your colleague is trying to help you. Think about what you could improve based on this information.
If I make a promise to a fellow Applifter, to a customer or to a partner, I always try to keep it. It is important that others can rely on you. It is always better not to give a promise than to give one you think you might not be able to keep. Learn to say no or learn to specify conditions under which you are able to deliver on your promise.
It is OK to promise to "try and have a look at a task the same day"; however, if that does not work out, let the other party know and offer a deadline that you can stick to this time. Report the failure to keep your promise in advance. (Fail fast.) Should you, despite all your efforts, have a hard time finishing a task on time, let the other party know in time, so that they can make plans accordingly.
Do not be afraid to ask for help or advice.
When someone does a good job, I say so in front of the others; however, I know that insencere praise is way worse than no praise, so I think twice before giving it.
The fact that I share others' achievements contributes to good atmosphere in Applifting.
Conflicts / tension between people present a natural element in any organization, Applifting being no exception to the rule. It is the way of approaching them that lets you distinguish between an organization people love working for and a place where people do not get along at all.
In Applifting, this type of tension is regarded as an opportunity for personal growth and for deepening relationships between colleagues.
The following procedure is applicable to any conflict type, ranging from failure to keep promises and breaking this Codex all the way to a professional / technological dispute or personal problems with a colleague.
Should there be some tension or a problem between me and another Applifter, first of all I handle it directly with them, face to face.
If I do not know how to go about it, I follow these instructions.
If we fail to solve the problem with the person concerned, we choose a person we both trust and ask them to mediate the conflict.
Should we fail to choose a mediator or to solve the conflict even with the mediator's help, we turn to the Council of Elders.
A conflict is a private matter and should only be made public in case all these mechanisms fail to work.
An Applifter should not avoid dealing with a conflict with others. If they feel uncomfortable, they can ask the Council of Elders for help.
I do not use emotions as a weapon against the others. I do not lie, distort reality, spread defamation or conspire.
If I notice an Applifter behave in a toxic manner, I point it out to them in private.
Freedom - I work as much as I want, where I want and when I want while respecting the agreement I made with my team members**
When you start a full-time position in Applifting, we expect you to work 7-8 hours a day. It's easy to change that. If you want to work less or more than that, just talk to your team leader and come to an arrangement that will suit both you and your team.
There might come a time when we as a team need to steel ourselves and do some extra work to meet the deadlines. Sometimes you yourself will feel the need to make more effort and sometimes you will be asked by your colleagues to put in some extra work. We greatly appreciate you helping us in those times. Let us know if you work overtime regularly! These situations should be exceptional. Not that your overtime is not rewarded: your extra time is always rewarded by your standard wage. Nonetheless, we would be devastated if you burned out because of constant crunch time.
Some people literally breathe for Applifting. (Vráťa, Filip and others ;-) ) Those guys and gals regularly work more than 8 hours per day; sometimes because they really enjoy it and sometimes because it is needed and they want to spare some other Applifters overtime work. Nobody asks you to be that involved. It is completely alright to work for 7-8 hours and then go home. We respect that, for some Applifters, there is a strict line between work and free time.
We prefer to work together in one place and during roughly the same work hours. (That's the way we enjoy our work the most!) But in the end, we do not care if you do your work early in the morning, at midnight or during normal work hours. We just need you to be able to coordinate the effort with others. Talk to your team about what their expectations are. Ask them what kind of work you can do alone and which tasks are better done together with a team.
Your freedom in this matter goes hand in hand with your maturity. If you are effective and deliver on your promises while being remote, it is not a problem. We will gladly work with you even if you are in Japan. :)
I do things as best as I possibly can. I continually work on my improvement.
I know the standards and best practices in my field. I perform my craft according to them. I do not make compromises in things that matter. If I am asked by a customer or by a fellow Applifter to cut corners, I make sure he/she knows what is being asked. If you are asked to take shortcuts in an essential matter (security, performance of a critical application part, UX of a key functionality...), defend the right way of doing it even if it means challenging another Applifter or a customer.
Seek knowledge proactively. If you have a feeling that you do not completely know the best practices in your field, it is always a good idea to consult a more experienced Applifter.
"Learn or die"
I constantly work on myself and my craftsmanship. I keep up with trends. I am not afraid to go beyond my primary field and expand my horizons in order to better cooperate with my colleagues. (A front-end developer can learn something about backend, a graphic designer can learn to prepare assets for mobile developers etc.)
I also work on my soft skills so as to be a more mature personality. I try to develop my humanity. It is in my interest that people around me like working with me and that I treat them the way I would like them to treat me.
"Teach or die"
I am proud of my skills. I like to share my expertise with others, be it in the form of workshops, meetups or simple one-on-one mentoring. I know that sharing knowledge is essential for my own success and the success of Applifting. It is invaluable to have a competent colleague that can cover your back in your time of need.
| Version | Date | Change | Author | Corresponding CZ version |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| v0.8 | 2020/10/08 | Translate feedback acceptance | Filip | v0.7 |
| v0.7 | 2019/09/19 | Translate conflict and toxicity | ZWG | v0.6 |
| v0.6 | 2019/03/11 | Proofread | ZWG | - |
| v0.5 | 2018/12/12 | Translate | Vráťa | - |