Feel Good or die tryin' – SolveQ unique benefits

On February 6, 2003 Curtis James Jackson III, a rapper better known as 50 Cent, dropped his debut studio album called “Get Rich or Die Tryin’”. It was a tremendous success. The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart with 872 000 copies sold during the first week! It was covered in Platinum six times. It’s clear that it resonated with people all around. I think the success can be contributed to a number of factors. One of them is the overarching massage popular in the “rap game” – which is the focus on money. But in this pursue, is it all about the money (dum dum da da dum dum), and if it’s actually a question of getting rich OR die tryin’?

I don’t think so…I mean what is money or riches without health and fun times. Obviously it’s good to try to achieve both, maybe even buy a Bugatti if this is your ambition. In the IT industry, there are all around salary raises and the constant “playing chicken” with the competition in terms of company benefits. I see that the idea of wellbeing at work is somewhat lost. Not completely, of course, but it’s skewed toward coming up with things that sound nice, are surprising or even shocking. Many times they don’t have a common theme or any greater idea behind them. It’s just business and marketing.

Two grand ideas

At SolveQ we are trying to change that! We want to create a comfortable space for software engineers, developers, consultants, testers and other IT folk alike. You can expect that alongside market matching salaries we offer something more – a package of 2 grand ideas. The first one related to well-being and being healthy. And the second is an effort to do our part in making our environment feel a bit better one step at a time. If you’re looking for such a place to rest your head, we have a room for you at our software home!

It all starts with a Vision

The hardest step in any journey is the first step. But before you embark on an epic adventure it’s worth your while to think about the destination or at least a general direction you want to go. In business that beacon of light you want to see ahead of you is your Vision for the future you would like to see. It should be a projection of a perfect world you envision. It might seem like some wishy-washy “bs”, but as long you stick by it however you can, it will not be.

As the SolveQ team grew over the last two years, we started to improve and change tactics in many areas of the organization. We felt that it’s time to reimagine what we actually want to do and what binds our merry group of people together. We gathered many ideas on why people wanted to join, and why they wanted to stay. What will drive and what could inspire them. To put into words just that, from a diverse group of people, is kind of hard. That’s why we coined our Vision&Mission statement as follows:

“We are the partner of choice for Clients and Employees. We create software for a better modern world”

It’s quite a bold statement – I know. However only with a grand idea we can start this journey to realize it and that’s the first step of that voyage!

SolveQ Creed – The Way We Operate

I’ve mentioned that we wanted to understand better why people are with us, and try to define what it means to be a SolveQer. There were many ideas, which couldn’t be crammed into one or two sentences. So we figured out that we might have more sentences. Smart, right? 😊

This is how our Creed was formed. Seven rules for operating in our space. Seven principles that we will uphold. Seven things all of our squad members should understand and translate into action. Here’s the list:

1. We are all equal and feel comfortable at SolveQ
2. We all feel that we grow with SolveQ
3. We aim to be an eco-friendly company by acting responsibly daily
4. We want to do projects which do not harm our world and reject those not aligned with our Values
5. We put our people first and care about each other
6. We promote taking action & experimenting over being passive
7. We think positively and believe in success

I hope that Creed says it all and if you think it’s something you would like to follow than join us!

Check out our open positions - there might be a perfect place for you.

Back to the basics – are they benefits? You tell me…

It’s hard to distinguish what are considered real benefits per say and what it’s a part of any organizational culture. You can taste the flavor of culture we have and if it might suit you. Some things are engrained in how we do things and what we want to accomplish. Therefore, for people, to feel safe & comfortable, as soon as COVID hit, we went for a Remote First model of operations. It was a no-brainer also to implement a suggested by our devs Asynchronous Communication methodology. You can work and live however suits you the best. Furthermore you are free to get your laptop from the company – any model you want up to 4 000 PLN. Alternatively, you can work in your own environment & platform and receive 200 PLN monthly for 20 months. It’s up to you to choose your benefits.

You can be in comms with everyone with basic tools like Slack & Gsuite to be informed and stay in touch with the company and your fellow travelers. You can also check the pulse on what’s going on during our Weekly & Monthly Update Meetings, where we share the most important news of the day, week & month. That way you will never be out of loop.

Remote or hybrid - are these benefits?

Being a remote-first company doesn’t mean that we’re shying away from meeting in real life. On the contrary – we have a brand new office. It's located near the beach in Gdynia with a very well equipped IoT Lab, where you can tinker with some hardware. I mean – at the end of the day, Internet of Things is our bread & butter. If you lack the workspace, we will provide you with one there. We like to have meet ups at the office, enjoy some food together (and some drinks if it’s a Friday 😊) on a regular basis. On top of that, you will be able to meet your SolveQ friends during company Offsites (all expenses paid I might add).

SolveQ offsite 2021

So going back to the main question – are these benefits unique? Tell me if they are to you or is it just basic stuff nowdays @robert.nowak@solveq.io

How much do you want to dive in, is really up to you…

SolveQ celebrated it’s 4th birthday this year, and we are going strong. Many things to be accomplished, tasks to be delivered and initiatives to start & finish. You can participate in everything that’s going on - the choice is completely yours. For those who like to do something special and go the extra mile, we provide a space to jump onboard and help shape how we do things. It’s all optional and we have an approach similar to a drug dealers – we just offer the possibility. As the great Chris Rock once said – you don’t sell drugs, drugs sell themselves 😊.

We have the same mindset and we have some options for you to pitch in. First of all you can take up something that’s called +TAGs. If you want to you become a Qlan Leader, which is basically a people manager. You can also serve as a Buddy for newjoiners or help with some employer branding and/or marketing campaigns as a SolveQ advoQate. For each month, apart of having the satisfaction of going the extra mile, you receive a bonus for this. The beauty of it is that, once you discover that it might not be for you, or you simply don’t have time right now, you can opt out and let others carry the mantle instead. Simple. Am I right? 😊

Growth and recognition – No Escapin’ This…

To cite JuJu & PsychoLes from another rap legend The Beatnuts “…there’s no escaping’ this”. By “this” I refer to expanding your knowledge, growing and be able to recognize and to be recognized. As an SolveQer you will be able to choose your path of development and utilize 1 500 PLN per year of your very own Training Budget. But it’s not just training, more benefits include webinars and books, that will make you better. Every 2 weeks on Friday we host Knowledge Sharing Session for you to share some new/fun/interesting stuff with others or to listen what other people want to share with you.

Pizza baking workshop at SolveQ

We wouldn’t be an innovative tech company without a Hackathon, which we host once a year. It’s a perfect way of getting away from our daily projects and work together on something new and useful. Company sponsored lunch with a outcome presentation at the end – count me in, especially if it’s a Seed (2.0) that could bloom into something great 😊

Bonuses & rewards benefits

Expanding your skills & knowledge in one way to move forward. The other crucial method is to know if your colleagues appreciate what you’re doing for them that benefits both. This might a good indication that what you do is the right thing. So in words of Sam Sneed – You Better Recognize!

We have a 3 level system. For day-to-day stuff we give each other Kudoses every month. Apart of an virtual diploma you can get up to 3 boxes of candies. Each time it’s different and it’s a surprise. So you might want to something good for others, if you have a “sweet tooth” 😊. The next level is a Spot Award, which as the name suggests is giving on the spot. So if you someone went the extra mile, you can nominate that person up to 800 PLN bonus for the extra efforts. And finally, we have a Quarterly Award ceremony. This is when we look back on all the heroic, useful, or unique stuff people did during the quarter, and, after the general voting, reward the right people. It’s mostly for fun and positive focus, so that people who go above & beyond know that others are noticing.

SolveQ Loyalty Program

We are focusing on long term partnerships, with benefits for both clients and team members. We believe that by building an ideal place for people to work in, we will be able to work together for years. That is why the longer you work with SolveQ, the better it gets. Every two years you will get an additional day off/year to recover. Each three years you will be getting a Jubilee Bonus, which is a multiplication of half of your monthly salary. Every five years, you will be able to go for a vacation with your loved one, all expenses paid for. Doesn’t it sound All Good?

Your health benefits – is mathematics...

In order to perform and feel good, you need to have time for yourself to regenerate. Like with any mammal there is time to hunt & gather, and there’s time to relax. You need that time…and SolveQ provides that. We have two budgets that you can use – 20 days per year to relax and take some personal time off. Additionally you get 5 days annually for any unforeseen illnesses, as sometimes it just hits you.

With health and well-being is like with anything else – it’s better to prevent and take care of yourself than treat any issues that can occur. That is why one of our main priorities is to encourage you to be in good health and be fit. To be sure everything is working you can use up to 500 PLN per year for any medical expenses and/or tests. That way each year you can do a health check or, when Worst Comes to Worst, you will be able to get some medical assistance covered by SolveQ.

We'll pay you to move

SolveQ is a Remote First company, and as such, let’s be honest – people sit behind the desks of their computers a lot. It’s the name of the game. And if you sit too much – it could lead to a health disaster. That is why we sponsor 50% of Multisport Card subscription. And if the gym is not your cup of tea, you can use that money in some other way. For those, who don’t or cant use the co-sponsored card, can use their budget in any other way for your health benefits. So you have 1 000 PLN annually in your name to spend on sporting activity as you please. Whatever will get you to move those buttocks 😊

While looking for some incentives and activities nearly everybody can participate in, we included some basic stuff – like walking and riding your bike. If you’re not a “gym rat”, you can still reap the benefits of combining burning calories, keeping healthy and getting that money. If you count your steps and your average daily will be from 5 to 10 k you will receive an extra 200 PLN. However if you like to walk or just want to get paid extra, after exceeding 10k steps daily you will get 500 PLN! Don’t like walking, but you own a bike – we got you covered. Every 1km will translate into extra 1 PLN. That way you can get rich AND not die trying. Because is it like Biggy said Mo’ Money Mo’ Problems?

I beg to differ…it’s just simple Mathematics 😊

Biking benefit at SolveQ (video)

A Better Modern World – you can do your part…

The mentioned before grand idea that we get behind in SolveQ is working for the betterment of the world around us. It’s the projects that we take on, software that we build, but also how we interact with the environment. Not everybody needs to be an eco-freak or the next Greta Thunberg to make a difference. Even small steps matter. We want to encourage you to make good choices. If instead of driving your car you will use Public Transport to get to work we will refund it. When you will be doing your steps in the forest, you would grab a trash bag and collect some of it, it will result in a crate of healthy snacks from the company. If we Ruled the World there wouldn’t be need to collect it, but it is what it is.

Alexander cleaning the forest

Other big thing is healthy nutrition, and SolveQ owners (Marcin & Ida) are huge proponents of Vegan Eating. Whenever we are doing any company-sponsored event, one can expect plant-based foods. Alongside that we promote No Waste policies, so when you will be full and not able to get another bite – don’t worry, we will find someone who benefits from it. And if you are a filthy meat-eater like myself, there is still something you can enjoy. Especially if you’re of the lazy kind, like me. If you use any catering service you can have the Eco Packaging Refunded, so that you too can balance your Delinquent Habits with some good ones😊

Free Friday lunch at SolveQ

Outro – the final verse?

Like every song, every article must come to an end. We went through a list of tangible benefits you can find in SolveQ to implement 2 grand ideas – wellbeing and a better world. I think everyone will be able to find something for themselves to purse such noble goals. Our Dream is to make it happen and not have to make a decision between getting rich or dying. But we need everyone who wants to, to pitch in. If that’s you, joins us and I’m sure it will be a Triumph. Together we might write the next verse of this jam…

Check out our open positions and full list of benefits at https://solveq.io/career/ and join our Software Militia 😊

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