It all began in 2013, when we fearlessly set out to make great products. We soon realised that we first needed to build a place that can foster greatness. A place that empowers incredibly talented people to put out their best work, with nothing in the way. And for the first couple of years, things went pretty well. But as we grew from 10, 20, to a team of over 50, new hires started feeling lost and isolated, their first few days were stressful. No matter our intentions, growth made things difficult - people didn't know each other as well, information got harder to find, stuff got lost, communication became muddled, and it got harder to stay on top of everything that's going on.
And so we thought we should put down our beliefs, our values, our culture, who we are and what we stand for, into something tangible. It was time for a culture code, that tends to cover what we strive to be (not what we already are). And hence, a code that’s ever-evolving. Sometimes, the stuff outlined here won’t match perfectly with how things are going day to day. But that’s okay. We’re confident that even when problems persist for a while, Grappus will root them out.
Grappus is a human experience design & development studio, with a reputation for doing things differently. We think the world right now is very boring. We are here to take the risk and try to change it. At the core of it, we help companies understand, prototype and deploy custom technologies. We grow product ideas from napkin sketches to high-quality shipped products within a short space of time. Mostly, we’re a company full of passionate people who love the products we create. A place where hustle meets heart.
And so we thought we should put down our beliefs, our Working at Grappus provides an opportunity for extremely efficient and, in many cases, very accelerated career growth. In particular, it provides an opportunity to broaden one’s skill set, well outside the narrow constraints that careers can have at most other companies. Here, the “growth ladder” is tailored to you. It operates exactly as fast as you can manage to grow.
Because of the talent diversity here at Grappus, it’s often easier to become stronger at things that aren’t your core skill set.
Complicated hierarchies, stringent processes and traditional managers, that were once key to agencies’ successes are now exactly what’s putting them in the ground. We use design sprints and agile development to cut the fat out of the standard process and launch products faster, so we can learn from real user data, not guesswork.
We’re in a fluid world, where we don’t know what technologies we’ll be using next, or what type of projects we’ll be doing. Grappus is an ongoing experiment and you’re part of it. We embrace this uncertainty.
We haven’t ever brought in outside financing. Since our earliest days this has been incredibly important in providing us freedom to shape the company.
Whenever you speak - internally or externally - speak directly and fearlessly, without any hidden agendas. We make uncommon levels of information available to everyone in the company — it’s really on you to spot the broken ways.
Approach everything with the curiosity of a lovestruck teenager. Ask enough questions to make people’s ears bleed and find out shit no one knows yet. Really, you must know everything; the good things, the bad things, and all that’s in between.
We’re creating a safe space for dangerous ideas. We are here to play, to stir things up, to make waves. We don’t look at the industry for the way forward. Since day one, we’ve done things our way — even if that makes some people uncomfortable.
When things go well, share the credit. When things go bad, shoulder the responsibility. Don't act out of spite and don’t rush to judgments. We are an “all in” culture — we take what we do seriously. Never do anything half right or half hearted.
The myth of the lone genius inventor with eureka moments is just that: a myth. Innovation happens when teams of people from diverse backgrounds come together, challenging each other to spark great ideas - without focusing on who thought of them.
Lasting innovation doesn’t happen when you’re scrambling to meet short-term targets. Take risks, and pursue audacious ideas. Reframe each failure as an opportunity to learn. If there is a way, find it. If there really is no way, make sure there’s no doubt.
Ok, you feel a little stupid. Temporarily of course, but for now you can’t remember the name of the person sitting next to you, or why your password won’t work or where you’re supposed to be next or where the bathroom/coffee/stairwell/anything is but you’re smiling all the time because hey, it’s your first day! You’ve set up most of your accounts, and you got your fingerprint scanned in the fingerprint thingy, and you’ve had lunch with the team and everybody’s cool, and you actually remembered that the door is a pull instead of a push and by the time you leave you realise you just started a really great part of your life because this place is pretty cool. And you’re not stupid at all :)
Getting started at Grappus can be overwhelming. There are a lot of little details, a number of big tasks, you're learning a new job with new coworkers. If you are new to Grappus, welcome. It’s really on you to spot the broken ways. It’s harder for us slowly-boiled frogs who’ve been here for a while. Take advantage of that glorious, shiny ignorance of being new, and question things.
“Be a sponge” and absorb everything. Get to know your company’s culture, working & communication style. Soon you can stop feeling the need to introduce yourself. You can also stop wondering if they’re all whispering about you. They’re not. And maybe it’s time you started showing off some of those quirky habits. Wear the funky shirt and cowboy hat. Bring-in the skull shaped coffee mug. Unveil those glow-in-the-dark headphones. You’re one of us. It’s what makes us all interesting!
Ask a lot of questions. To anyone, really. When you do, you’ll find out what’s going on around the company and your peers will also find out about you. Lots of people at Grappus want and need to know what you care about, what you’re good at, what you’re worried about, what you’ve got experience with, and so on. And the way to get the word out is to start telling people all of those things. So, while you’re getting the lay of the land by learning about projects, you’re also broadcasting your own status to a relevant group of people.
Work is a bad word to explain what we do. If what you are doing seems like work, you’re either in the wrong industry or you’re not doing it right. Your time here should feel less like digging a ditch and more like a challenging game of chess. We’re all moving this place forward. We like to take risks. We like to try new things. We like to work in a world free of judgement and let laughter become our driver. We don’t take ourselves too seriously. No matter the gravity of the situation, we’ll make sure to find the humor in it. A hearty laugh is worth ten cups of coffee!
We don’t generate unused reports, we cancel unproductive meetings, we remove unnecessary rules & restrictions, we identify and automate all manual processes. We’ve identified that the fastest way to kill a collaborative environment is through politics, sects, packs, niches, groups, exclusion and things that build walls between people. And since we are all about collaboration, you can see why walls and separation would be a problem.
We ask that you don’t throw pens, Be selfish, Talk shit, Duck responsibility, Play the busy card, Leave others hanging, Make excuses, Disappear, Make promises you can’t keep. Say it can’t be done. We get shit done. We don’t talk about it, or have a meeting about it, or email each other about it if we’re not going to do it. Brilliant thinking not executed, is literally worthless. You are in the game here. There are no sidelines.
At Grappus, you’re given an incredible amount of freedom and autonomy. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, but don’t rely on others to hold your hand. It’s up to you to figure out how to approach a problem. If you want to update, change, or fix something, go for it. Seriously. Every awesome thing you see is like that because someone like you decided to do it.
You may have a boss, but you shouldn’t get bossed around. There’s no secret decision-making cabal and nobody “reports to” anybody else. We do have the founders, but even they aren’t your managers. This company is yours to steer. The folks who speak up regardless of their experience level, not the bossy ones, are the ones who thrive.
Get to know everyone. Our flat structure calls for it by necessity. We share and learn from each other, daily. We all snatch the pebble from each other’s hand. Let’s not forget that we’re digital natives here, and many of us are stuck nose-deep in code or are simply quiet folks. Being a leader may feel unnatural at first. But we expect everyone to step up and own part of the project. This has nothing to do with seniority. The idea of a student becoming teacher and teacher becoming student is one of the greatest aspects of what we do.
The best ideas come from the most unexpected places. We’re always striving to create a liberating environment where great ideas gush forth freely from each and every person. So don’t keep your thoughts trapped inside your head. Share them and see where they lead. Even more importantly, listen to the people around you – whether it’s a client, colleague or the delivery guy. The idea is out there, waiting to be spotted. Stay alert.
We’re a loose organisation, without a lot of rules. Many agencies will say how fun and casual they are, then hand out a thick binder with all sorts of things you’re forbidden to do. That’s not us. It’s important to know though, that the casualness should not be mistakenly interpreted as a permission to approach your job with less than 100% focus and effort. It’s the total opposite. We prefer a casual environment because it removes bullshit, and makes our work better.
Why does it concern me?Hiring is the most important thing in the company, well, in the universe! Nothing else comes close. It’s more important than breathing. So when you’re working on hiring—participating in an interview loop or innovating in the general area of recruiting—everything else you could be doing is stupid and should be ignored!
How do we choose the right people to hire?People who can deconstruct problems on the fly, and talk to others as they do so, simultaneously being inventive, iterative, creative, talkative, and reactive. These things actually matter far more than deep domain-specific knowledge or highly developed skills in narrow areas. This is why we’ll often pass on candidates who, narrowly defined, are the “best” at their chosen discipline.
A great workplace is stunning colleagues, great workplace is not day‐care, espresso, health benefits, sushi lunches, nice offices, or big compensations.
First:Don't leave! Our company is designed to be a great place to work and the kind of company where people are happy to spend their entire careers. Please reconsider and stay forever :)
BUT, if you are thinking of leaving:Please give us as much notice as possible. Tell us when you apply to graduate school, not after you get in. Tell us that there's a job you're thinking of interviewing for, not after you accept an offer to start in two weeks time. Come talk to us as soon as you are thinking about leaving. Maybe there's something we can do!
And even if there isn't, we won't hold it against you. Although we can't make you work a day more than you want to, we don't consider two weeks notice sufficient and need time to plan and replace your almost irreplaceable self. Please help us out by letting us know well (months preferably) in advance. We would also like for you to participate in an exit interview with HR as part of your offboarding process.
It's also worth mentioning that joining Grappus can be all-consuming. We've seen it happen. You dig Grappus, so you feel pressure to contribute, maybe overwhelmingly so.
Chill. Settle in. Nobody expects you to know everything all at once, or actually ever. Because everyone here is learning, all the time. That’s one of the things that makes this place so great. It's never perfect, because perfect isn’t perfect. Perfect means stopping. And stopping sucks. So Chill. We hired you for a reason. There’s no need to prove yourself or worry about “fitting in.” We’re super picky. You’re here. You made it. You get it. Let your work do the convincing. Did we mention that you need to chill? Do your best work, collaborate with your team, write, read, learn, and then turn off your computer and go shoot some darts. We'll all be better for it.
Also, we believe in your life outside the office. We don’t expect you to keep grinding until your eyes bleed! We want you to go home and indulge and invest in your interests outside of work.
Grappus will be a different company a few years from now because you are going to change it for the better. We can’t wait to see where you take us. The products, features, and experiences that you decide to create for humans, are the things that will define us.
We work with ideas that inspire, engage and excite. Ideas that challenge convention and shape the trends. Through our awe-inspiring personal touch, we aim to make users fall in love with your brand.