If you’ve ever been stuck in a job with a poor culture, you know how much that can impact your day-to-day life.
It doesn’t just derail your productivity at work, it can impact your mental health and wellbeing outside your daytime work hours. Few people look forward to going to work when they are surrounded by a toxic work culture. The stress and anxiety created within these types of workplaces can be all-encompassing.
That’s why it’s so important to get a good understanding of a company’s culture before submitting a job application. Few things are worse than going through the multiple steps of a job interview only to find out the culture is not what you’re looking for.
If you’re considering applying to one of our current job openings, you may be wanting more insight into what it’s like to work at Formstack. We could tell you all about our culture (and great perks!) in a more traditional blog post, but we think it’s better to hear it from our employees in a more authentic and personal way.
Below, you’ll find a post originally written and shared on LinkedIn by Shakil Kamran, our Salesforce Growth Manager. He shares openly about what his first two weeks were like and what makes Formstack’s culture so special.
Did you know? Instagram is a great place to see Formstack’s culture play out. From how employees use their half day Fridays to pics of ‘Stacker’s pets, it’s a great way to get a feel of our culture in a simple snapshot.
Working at Formstack: Reflections on My First Two Weeks
“If you look at the people in your circle and you don’t get inspired, then you don’t have a circle. You have a cage.” - Nipsey Hussle
I just wrapped up my 2nd week here at Formstack, and to say it was “awesome” or “incredible” would be an understatement. Honestly, it has been life changing, and here’s why:
My 1st week was HR stuff–onboarding and completing the logistical stuff. Which, by the way, the whole onboarding process was very straightforward and seamless.
My 2nd week was life changing. Not only was it inspiring, but it was actually life changing. We went to a company retreat for some R&R (rest & recuperation), and as Zak Pines mentioned, not only did we do some team bonding and have business discussions, but we did a great vision board exercise. (More on this later.)
Shakil, far left, shares a great breakfast with the Partnership team during their Small Hands retreat.
As a “newbie” in any company, one of the first things you think about is culture, team acceptance, and environment –especially when you meet your team in person.
Culture
You think about what the culture is like? Do my values truly align with theirs? Am I a culture fit or a culture add?
Team Acceptance
Will I mesh with my teammates? Will they like my persona? Will they accept me for who I am, or do I have to act like someone I’m not? Will the higher ups see the value in me, or will they subconsciously judge me based off my appearance or the things I say?
Environment
Am I a value fit or a value add to the team and the organization? Am I in the right circle or environment? Will these people help me grow, and can I help them grow as well? Can we grow and learn together? Do I belong in this environment?
As I was boarding the plane to go to Small Hands, the company offsite meeting, these were the questions I was asking myself. When I landed though, most of these questions answered themselves when I met some of my teammates. The rest of the questions were answered throughout my time there with the team and others.
Related: From Captains to Tacos, Here’s How to Build Company Culture on a Remote Team
Everyone made me feel like I was already a part of the team (which I technically was since I started a week earlier), but more so, they made me feel like I belonged.
Over the course of the week, as I got to know more about my team and met others in our company, it was clear that I’m surrounded by some of the most talented, influential, intellectual, hard working, and, most importantly, empathetic human beings I’ve met in a long time. It sounds cliché, but I’m being very honest.
All of that was proven when we did our vision board. Everyone was vulnerable and susceptible to learning more about and growing themselves. We carved out personal and professional goals. I looked around the room, and all I saw was a room full of 'Stackers that were inspired by each other. And I was one of them.
Is the work culture Shakil describes above one you’d like to be a part of? See all of our open roles here to start your journey to becoming a ‘Stacker.
