Our second full-time employee started this week, making us a team of 4! As we start to grow, it’s time to talk a little more about the kind of company we want Gradient Works to be.
A dear friend used to call our last company, Union Metrics, “a startup for grownups.” We still believe in that concept, but we need to take it further. Gradient Works needs to be a startup for all grownups. We’ve done okay, but we can do better.
We will build an even more equitable company this time around. That means hiring a more diverse workforce, ensuring our employees are fully empowered and well compensated, and creating an inclusive space where everyone can be their true authentic self - at work and outside it, no matter their race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or religious beliefs.
At Union Metrics, we employed many women across the company, but could have done more to hire more people of color. It is our responsibility to build that pipeline, and we are committed to doing so at Gradient Works.
We want a workplace that encourages a life outside work, one that is truly inclusive. That means family-friendly policies and benefits. That also means acknowledging that a family takes many forms, so family policies need to extend beyond outdated definitions of children, spouses and parents.
When it’s safe to do so, we may have an office again. But it probably won’t look like offices used to. We know that sometimes people want to work from home, and sometimes they don’t. We'll be remote-first and will make sure everyone’s work environment is comfortable and productive, wherever it is. We’ll have physical and virtual spaces for collaboration. And we’ll never run out of cold brew coffee.
We are committed to employee-friendly compensation. That means paying employees in real money at competitive rates - not just in free lunch and equity. And we’ll make sure employees actually have time (and can afford) to exercise their options should the time come, so that everyone who helped build the company is able to share in a positive outcome.
We support our local communities, and will spend time and money as a company to help those who need it. We believe in dedicated volunteer time, finding more opportunities for mentorship, and taking time off to vote.
We understand that mental health is as important as physical health, and both are essential for a happy, productive team. We’ll do our best to provide benefits that support a full range of health care options.
We believe in producing the very best work we can. We take pride in craftsmanship. We hope that the work we do here is the best work we’ve ever done. We will treat our customers well, making sure their experience with us is better than their experience with any of our competitors. And we will always be striving to make our product, our team, and our customer experience better.
All of these values drive us as we build Gradient Works. We believe these are the right things to do, morally and financially, and we will build a stronger, better company when we adhere to these values. As we grow, we’ll share more about our philosophy, as well as job openings as we have them. We look forward to building this together with you.
We did okay last time, but we can do better this time. We will do better.
