Spotting a startup that supports its employees
#1 Move Fast and Break People
If you don’t methodically set your culture then two-thirds of it will end up being accidental and the rest will be a mistake.
-Ben Horowitz, What You Do is Who You Are
Early in my career, looking for a job felt a lot like the university admissions process. Accordingly, I made sure to toe a delicate line of aggrandizement on LinkedIn, copied sexy-looking CV templates and worked any personal connection I could find in my non-existent network.
What I didn’t spend much time thinking about was “fit.”
Was this company going to teach me what I wanted to learn? Was it a place I could develop skills that would help me grow? Did this company have a mission that mattered to me?
Like many recent graduates, I felt hungry prove myself “worthy” to work at a cool startup and hardly thought at all about whether or not a company was right for me.
This is a mistake I see a lot of people making when approaching their job searches, especially when it comes to mental health.
But how do you even spot companies that promote and practice a mentally healthy culture even if you are looking for it?
In his book quoted at the top of this post, Ben Horowitz discusses the clear distinction samurai make between “virtues” (something you do) and values (something you say).
In this post, I’m going to outline some of the virtues I have seen companies exhibit so you’ll be able to identify and prioritize them in your next job search.
“Always On” Employee Surveys
I recently spoke with InChorus CoFounder and CEO Raj Ramanandi about the problems with annual (or bi-annual) employee surveys.
In short, they are rarely actionable, unfocused and ignore daily “micro-aggressions.”
For InChorus, feedback surveys should be anonymous and “always-on” to ensure employees feel comfortable to report, comment on and record the small things that often impact well-being.
To put it another way, are you likely to report in an annual survey that your colleagues seem to always dismiss your opinion/ideas or that one of the VPs frequently makes sexist comments?
Always-On employee surveys are a great way to know upfront that the company your looking to join values regular feedback and has a system put in place to collect and monitor daily, seemingly “mundane” thoughts, feelings and emotions.
The good news is that great companies like InChorus are now helping startups collect and measure vital employee feedback to make their companies better places to work.
The next time you’re interviewing, ask what employee feedback system a company uses. If your company doesn’t ask for feedback enough, try suggesting InChorus, OfficeVibe or Peakon.
Gravitate to Leaders Who Express Vulnerability
In his book The Culture Code, Daniel Coyle breaks down the dynamics of successful groups. While he does not reference mental health explicitly, the lessons in his work are helpful to us as well.
In analyzing the performance and behavior of a wide range of teams from the Navy SEALS to the Upright Citizens Brigade, Coyle identifies three important criteria: Building Safety, Sharing Vulnerability and Create Purpose.
When leaders express vulnerability, it makes everyone ease up. It creates an environment where “not knowing” is acceptable. It makes is ok for the rest of the team to need help, worry, feel stupid, or need time to find an answer.
Why focus on vulnerability instead of the other two elements Coyle identified?
In an interview it can be very hard to sense if a company/ team is “safe”. This takes time. Conversely, many founders and companies have a clear purpose. It’s what gets them up in the morning.
While a positive mission will help motivate you, I have found that the pursuit of a loft mission can often come at the expense of employees.
In your research of a new job, find out if your would-be manager/founder is someone who says things like “This is just an idea,” “What do you think,” “This is totally off the wall” etc..
While imperfect, these signals will tell you that they are someone who values expressing vulnerability.
Do Employees Actually Take Vacation?
This might seem strange to my European friends and family, vacation is an interesting topic in the United States.
Unlimited vacation? Awesome!
Not so fast.
Navigating the politics of vacation time can be far more complicated than it seems and too many companies create environments where Hustle Porn is the norm.
I’ve found a really good question for employees of companies you’re looking to join is “When was the last time you took more than a few days off?”
It gets to the core of what you want to know: is this company a place that prioritizes employees’ ability to recharge. Too often this is still seen as weakness or a lack of commitment.
But if the startup you work for creates the expectation that vacation or extended absences like maternity leave are detrimental to their goals or success, it’s probably a good bet that it isn’t a company that cares much about its employees’ mental health.
When I was interviewing at Alan, I asked my now colleague the above question and pressed him on our “unlimited vacation” policy he said, “At Alan we demand a lot from our employees. We work hard. But we trust you if you say you need to take time off. Recharging is vital to our success as a team.”
Good start.
Try This
We recently started a book club at Alan. Our first book was the fantastic The Making of a Manager by Julie Zhuo, a former designer at Facebook.
In a section entitled “Managing Yourself,” Zhou outlines several simple techniques for coping with the daily stresses of being a manager. But her advice is valuable for everyone.
Since reading the book I’ve found myself routinely taking a Post-it and writing down what is stressing me out feeling overwhelmed or anxious at work, as she recommends in her book. I then put the note on your desk (discreetly) and leave it there for a 10–15 minutes.
Then I take a look at it again.
If you’re like me, that the simple act of writing down a stressor, leaving it alone and coming back to it again makes it easier to either do something about it or crumble it up and toss it in the trash.
Further Reading
- How to Deal with Constantly Being Overwhelmed
- Why Startup Founders Should Open Up about Their Mental Health
- The Art and Science of Tricking Your Brain
Thanks for reading. Bonnes Fetes 🥂🎄🎁☃️
Alex
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