Why Did the Banana Go to the Doctor?
You might wonder what kind of headline “Why did the banana go to the doctor” is? But the answer is that it wasn’t peeling well.
If your hypertension started acting up after reading such an obvious pun, I’m sorry. On the other hand, if you smirked just a little, you’re probably already a pro at exchanging dad memes on WhatsApp, and shouldn’t mind all that much. Yup, you’re officially not allowed to be called youth anymore.
But wait, what’s age got to do with fruit? Except for increasing intolerances (goodbye watermelon), not much, albeit there is a connection between age and coping with work-life stressors. Or to put it simply, if you’re at a stage where dad jokes become an acceptable form of communication with friends, you’re probably at an age most susceptible to experiencing burnout.
Ah yes, the magic word that everyone and their grandmother seems to slip into every work-related conversation.
With the emerging awareness of the long-term effects that the “new normal” brings, when we know it’s getting more and more difficult to compartmentalize life, and draw a straight line dividing work from leisure, the real question becomes how can a company benefit its employees and minimize work-related stressors.
The answer seems simple, right? By listening to what employees have to say and following their feedback to provide a healthier and stable work environment.
Thanks to joint efforts of our Team Leads and People & Culture department, our company-wide turnover rate has been consistent in the past few years and stands at 14%.
A “Nope!” kinda day. We all have them.
Let’s talk vacation. A common ground for most employees, there can’t be enough days where you can, with full company support, shut out everything work-related. For our juniors, the good news was the extended minimum from 20 to 23 days, upon which they can build their vacation time. Each year spent working with us adds up vacation days as well.
Not to forget our hard-working parents who get additional vacation days for each child. Raising little precious devils (or angles, if you will) takes a toll on all parents. We wanted to acknowledge this as much as possible and added paid days off for the first day of kindergarten and the first day of school.
Do-not-disturb time
Our seniors expressed a desire not to be disturbed while off work, with a strong underlying message that do-not-disturb time may last as long as possible. Some of them were even willing to trade a raise for more time off. We heard them loud and clear and raised a new maximum to 30 vacation days.
But sometimes, there are those random days, when you’re just not productive and can’t tell which way is up. There’s even a name for it – the Nope! days.
To battle the possible resulting stress we’ve implemented the policy of flexible working hours and an option to work from home.
No, this has nothing to do with the work-around-the-clock idea that often accompanies the notion of flexibility. We’re all about nearshoring and having our teams work in the same time zone as clients. Unless there is a figurative, or literal, fire to extinguish no one will call you outside working hours. Maybe to share that dad joke I opened up with… but that’s beside the point.
To sum it up, nobody really cares how or when you work, as long as you get the job done.
If despite all you’ve been binge-watching the Witcher, Brooklyn Nine-Nine or Bridgerton all night (everyone has their kicks) and can’t seem to get a hold of yourself, there’s the option of taking a day off.
Again, we’re all human here, nobody will look twice at you, but we may ask for a recap… of Witcher, not Bridgerton.
Is taking care of your health considered a perk?
Yes and no. If a company offers a set of health benefits to its employees then it’s officially a perk. Should every company incentivize their employees to take care of themselves? Also yes.
Basic logic dictates the happier the employees the happier the company. There is the truth behind the age-old saying you can’t enjoy your wealth if you can’t enjoy your health. Not sure about the age-old part, could be one of those feel-good quotes in nice cursive that’ll jump you on every google search… But, the truth behind it is solid.
Our employees can choose between different health and well-being packages, ranging from fully paid bi-annual physical check-ups, supplemental health insurance or DNA analysis, to various wellness and travel packages.
A little sweat never hurt anyone.
This is what we say to all our new employees when guiding them from the basement to the third floor of our Zagreb office while onboarding. We do have a working elevator but never show it to them. For health reasons, of course.
All joking aside, for all those flirting with a more active lifestyle that doesn’t include four flights of stairs, there’s Multisport. If you’re into mountains and hills, fresh air in general, we do have an enthusiastic group of mountaineers that would be happy to recruit you into their ranks.
While on the subject of offices.
Decorate your cubicle day…
…is what we don’t have here. I was amazed at how many people posted online about how decorating their cubicles made their office time more bearable. The amazement wasn’t related to the fact they decorated them, but to the fact cubicles still existed. How are they not extinct yet, along with floppy discs or CRT monitors… or CDs… really, who still uses those, right?
Open space is also something we don’t have.
What we do have, for all of you that actually decide not to work remotely for a day or two, is a dog-friendly environment. We don’t care if you have a Yorkie or a Great Dane, they’re all welcome here.
Should I mention a big kitchen space with a continuous supply of coffee, tea, juice, fruit, and snacks? The coffee machine has a mind of its own, and more lights, sounds, and moving parts than should be legal, but delivers great coffee in the end.
Not to forget a comfy couch. A very comfy couch to take a break on.
The list goes on.
Sitting on the mentioned couch, I’ve written a lot about all kinds of benefits, perks, and extras that make work life here more comfortable, giving them a context and a familiar face of sorts. For all of you who-wants-to-know-more junkies, the full list of Notch perks is neatly listed on our website so go and check it out.
Why would you do that you ask?
Well, if you work here, go and educate yourself on what you have a right to. If you’re not yet part of our merry bunch but landed here by the grace of the almighty SEO or LinkedIn gods, go and check out our open positions as well.
