Confidence and optimism ✨ [March 2020]
2020 was a rollercoaster. In the hangover of the strangest and most unusual year of our lives, as the pandemic is stronger than ever and Portugal approaches a new lockdown, I’m now sharing a copy of an internal communication that was sent to the Pixelmatters team by March 16, 2020, hoping someone finds it helpful, or even inspiring.
Team,
Here and there I tell this story. Pixelmatters was founded 6 years and 4 months ago. At a given time, probably after 1 year of existence, I proclaimed myself Chief Executive Officer, like a boss. Despite the grandiose title, several years went by until I effectively started to feel like so. I’d say, in a regular manner, it’s something I feel two years to this date, not much than that.
As a write this, it’s clearer than ever before what it is to be a CEO. In this historically difficult moment, I feel strongly the responsibility to help to lead a group in the right direction, inspiring confidence and safety, ensuring Pixelmatters makes the right decisions as we go.
The situation we currently live in is absolutely exceptional, socially, and economically. Regarding the latter, the signs of a recession coming are already evident. Some think it’s already here. It’s still uncertain what this may mean to our company and what impact it may have on our business.
Independently on that, I feel the need to leave you a message: apart from independent, Pixelmatters is a company managed in a “conservative” way. Since day one, we follow a pretty basic rule, but sometimes ignored: try to have more revenue than costs. Luckily, this goal has been achieved in 98% of the months since we exist as a company. This allows us, now, to look at this possible worldwide crisis with strong confidence. The tendency will certainly be to contain costs and not to rise them, but for years now we’re not waiting for a client to pay an invoice in order to pay a salary. Even if the “world drops on us”, we’ve solid foundations that will allow us to keep navigating in turbulent waters.
This privileged position that we’ve been conquering also enables us to make strong decisions to support you, which are definitely who matters the most, especially now.
So, considering the current context, I’d like to announce the following measures:
- Independently on the measures announced by the Government, for those who will have their kids at home, understanding that having a playful child on the same division during the whole day will certainly affect productivity which eventually may mean the typical 8h day of work may not be made, you’ll all still receive 100% of your salary. Possible “fewer hours worked” won’t be used to make any discount;
- Schedule flexibility during the normal work hours to make 1st needs shopping, which is particularly important now that supermarkets have restrictions around the number of people and close earlier. The only request is to inform your team, so there are no surprises;
- Schedule flexibility without the need to compensate it during normal work hours to support your family, friends, or neighbors around 1st needs shopping. The idea is not to encourage you to go out, so in this scenario, I reinforce the “1st need” part. Similarly to the above, we only ask you to inform your team and your manager.
In this sensitive moment, we shall be grateful and remind ourselves of how privileged we are for working in tech. Empathy, solidarity, good mood are ways of being that were never as important as they are now, as we work through these times of uncertainty.
Let’s be flexible and support each other. Pixelmatters is also made of this.
This is a unique opportunity to know the true character of people and companies. I’m proud of Pixelmatters, and I hope you are too. We’ll do our best to keep it this way.
We’ll get through this! 🧡💙
André
