Moving into the end of Q3, things are starting to get pretty busy, as while doing all of the "normal" business activities, things are also looking to be finalized within the three month period, as that is the schedule the company uses in order to earn bonuses, which I quite like. Spreading it out across four periods means that more work gets done, the work is better quality due to the smaller pieces and, it is actually easier to accomplish, at least for me.
And, even though the bonus is smaller than yearly, collecting it over a three month period still makes it significant enough to actually do something with it, which by the time I get this one (assuming completion), will go into the countertops for the kitchen, which makes it "free" - as it isn't coming out of the base salary that is earmarked for other things.
Of course though, it isn't free and the work I am doing should return more for the company than I get paid for developing it, but since I can't do this work in another context without a company, it is extra income and, it is still pushed into my normal hours (mostly), rather than being extra work.
I did some calculations today and found that I am spending over a day of my time each week working on hitting these key targets, whilst still meeting my role needs. Plus, because these targets are development of my role and its resources, me doing it is helping to make my role more effective, whilst also being able to help and enable others to improve their effectiveness and efficiency. It does mean that my days are fuller and I have to interact with far more people than I did earlier, which is the point in many ways, and also has its pros and cons.
But, I think the pros outweigh the cons in my case, and it is only partially due to receiving a bonus, as it gets me better connected with different people in the organization in professional ways and as such, I am able to better complete my work and, earn social capital along the way.
One thing that I like about the company is that 80% of the people hired have been recommended from people already working for the company, meaning that there are already internal ties, as well as " your friend is my friend" acceptance. But, bore than this, it indicates trust on all sides, both of the person being hired and for the company itself. Vouching for someone comes with risks, so does recommending a company to work for, especially one where you are already employed.
But, when things go well (and there is a decent vetting process and qualifications have to be met), it means that the atmosphere becomes far more personal and friendly, giving rise to opportunities to have a bit more fun, even in the presence of less known people, as social cues can be taken from those who have stronger histories. This has worked well for the company and it is considered one of the best places to work in Finland, even by those who are recruited through headhunting.
Now, I am no corporate whip either and I value my independence and self-sufficiency, but I also see the benefits of collaboration at scale, especially when what is being produced is valuable. For a startup that is formalizing out of its startup stages and into an established company, it is important to recognize that independence and skillset, nurturing it at least until the processes are working seamlessly, but also recognizing that at some point, the culture will change enough that some people will no longer be suited to the situation.
This has happened over time, but what I have found also interesting, is that many of the startup crew, went on to other startup crews that support the company anyway - again, this shows some faith in the product and the leadership, essentially proxying the future and pegging it to the company.
A lot of people spend so much time trying not to work that they don't necessarily recognize the benefits of work, beyond the paycheck. As someone who spent almost two decades working by myself, I recognize that there is value in being part of a team, and value for the team to have someone who is potentially more independent than themselves. And luckily for me, most of the people I work with, are the types of people I could have a drink with and chat about random interests too, which I believe indicates that for the most part, the culture is working well.
And, now that we are starting to gather in-person more often, I am hoping that the disconnection of the last two years starts to wane and people reconnect to work and play a bit more together, whilst hitting targets and getting rewarded, whilst improving conditions for all stakeholders.
But, I am glad I have my business on the side too, because working alone is empowering also.
Taraz
[ Gen1: Hive ]
