Culture Archives | HatchWorks

Why People Above Profit Makes Business Sense

Brandon Powell — Mon, 19 Sep 2022 20:27:31 +0000

In 2022, we introduced profit-sharing at HatchWorks.

For everyone.

Because at HatchWorks, we believe ALL team members should share in our company’s success. Whether you are…

In the US or Latin America
An Employee or Contractor
An Associate Developer or Vice President

You get to participate at the same level with only one condition:

You are part of the HatchWorks team.

“Profit-sharing is a system in which the people who work for a company receive a direct share of the profits.”

This initiative is one of many meant to create and maintain a best-in-class workplace, attracting and retaining the best talent.

Profit-sharing makes business sense for HatchWorks.

Profit-sharing brings our teams together, uniting us across roles and countries, aligning us toward a common vision of being the most trusted technology solutions company our customers and team members can’t stop raving about.

This is especially important when you have a distributed team across the Americas. We have people in the US, Costa Rica, Colombia, Peru, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, and Ecuador.

Some of our team members have never met face to face.

You need connection, you need purpose, you need a rallying cry to give it all you got in service of delivering value for your customers.

Otherwise, you are left with a team of mercenaries only focused on giving just enough to get the job done.

That’s where culture comes in. Profit-sharing is an extension of our culture and core values. It provides our team with consistent transparency and helps to build trust.

A strong, positive culture inspires our team to give their best and reinforces the feeling that they are part of something bigger. This helps not only to attract the best talent but to keep it too.

At HatchWorks, we are working toward creating a team of champions, one that believes in the mission and our customers’ success.

At the end of the day, our customers are in the same boat. They are trying to achieve an outcome and do it in a purposeful way. We are here to help them achieve that and become the hero of their journey.

We are simply the guide. A trusted guide, who they can count on to deliver.

You belong at HatchWorks

To learn more about the perks and benefits of joining the HatchWorks team, check out our careers page.

The post Why People Above Profit Makes Business Sense appeared first on HatchWorks.

HatchWorks Named Best Workplace by Inc.

Andy Smith — Thu, 12 May 2022 13:20:53 +0000

My First Experience at a Best-in-Class Workplace

Only 4 weeks into my brand new role as the Marketing Manager at HatchWorks, it was announced that we had been honored as a 2022 Best Workplace by Inc. Magazine, which is known for its annual rankings of the fastest-growing privately held companies in the United States, called the “Inc. 500” and “Inc. 5000.”

I’d never worked at such a prestigious company before, though it had always been a major ambition of mine. Previous employers have won local awards, broke sales records, and achieved a variety of unique wins within their industries, but being recognized as a great place to work requires the effort, input, and dedication of the entire team.

As I set my sights on new employment opportunities, it was no longer enough to be a record-breaker or industry disruptor. The company I wanted to work for also needed a strong team culture that would allow me to be myself and perform beyond my current capabilities. Like millions of other employees, I participated in “the Great Reshuffle,” seeking more fulfilling roles with greater flexibility.

The Great Reshuffle

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of February 2022, the US unemployment rate reached 3.8%, only 0.3% higher than February 2020, a month before the pandemic shuttered businesses and schools across the United States and the world.

During that same period, we’ve seen the quit rate of US employees continue to rise as they seek better opportunities; however, hire rates also continue to rise, outpacing the number of Americans leaving their jobs.

Current trends indicate that workers are reassessing how, where, and why they work, with job seekers prioritizing remote work, new roles, compensation and benefits, culture, and improved work-life balance. Workers are empowered and actively demanding more from their workplaces.

In alignment with these trends, I prioritized three specific qualities that I was seeking in an employer:

Exciting and challenging work,
Intelligent, kind, and driven colleagues, and
Engaged leadership that promotes positive culture.

Needless to say, I found all three of these qualities and more at HatchWorks.

What makes HatchWorks a Best Workplace?

HatchWorks has been recognized as a Best Place to Work three times in the past 2 years, including the latest recognition from Inc. These awards have a rigorous evaluation process involving employee surveys and 3rd party audits that cover management effectiveness, perks, fostering employee growth, and overall company culture.

The Atlanta Business Chronicle recognized HatchWorks as a Best Place to Work in 2020 and 2021, highlighting that they go above and beyond to keep their workforces happy.

This commitment to being a best workplace has propelled HatchWorks growth as shown by ranking on the 2021 Inc 5000 list of Fastest-Growing Private Companies in America.

How Has Hatchworks Helped You To Grow Or Develop?

I knew going in that HatchWorks, while a relatively young company, was gaining significant acknowledgment in the software development and product design industry year after year. That said, I was still shocked at how quickly I felt like a member of the team.

Our CEO, Brandon Powell, acts as the primary driver of company culture, making himself open and accessible to his employees and facilitating great communication to a team that is spread across the US and Latin America.

Company leadership and senior-level employees not only made me feel welcome, but they also made me feel needed. My personal brand and social media activity was encouraged for the first time in my career. My coworkers immediately asked my opinions, even though I was one of the new guys.

Our Agile methodology allowed me to hit the ground running, collaborate with team members across multiple departments, and impact our outgoing communications within days of starting of a new job.

Why Do Our Customers Love Hatchworks?

I could go on and on about the positive experiences that I’ve had as an employee over the past couple of months, but it’s not all about me. Our core values at HatchWorks encourage us to put the team before the individual and to create raving fans of our customers.

When you read our customer reviews, you’ll notice these recurring themes and comments:

We are flexible, responsive, and personable.
We set clear expectations.
We have a strong structure to guide the process.
We deliver great quality work.
We are your strategic partners.

These qualities didn’t happen by accident. They are the result of the combined effort of the team at HatchWorks to create a great workplace, one that values its team members, their time, and their lives outside of work.

Hear from Other Hatchers:

Why Join the HatchWorks team?

If you’re wondering like I was if the “Great Reshuffle” represents an attainable opportunity and not just an over-publicized trend, I encourage you to reach out to those companies that have been recognized for their commitments and efforts to make quality workplaces and long-lasting relationships. I was fortunate enough to find the role I needed at a company that fills me with pride.

If you want to be a part of a growing, multi-award winning company, consider applying at HatchWorks today. Our employees are chosen not only for their skills but their values and respect for their peers’ strengths and contributions — the true essence of a team.

We intentionally strive to create and support diverse and inclusive teams that bring together people—each with different points of view that make us and our work better.

We are always on the lookout for employees who are passionate, tenacious, selfless, intuitive, creative, and curious. Does this sound like you? If so, we’d love to hear from you.

You belong at HatchWorks

To learn more about the perks and benefits of joining the HatchWorks team, check out our careers page.

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The Reality of Diversity in the Workplace

Johnessa Smith — Thu, 17 Jun 2021 14:45:00 +0000

My experience with diversity in the workplace

My views of diversity are various and ever-changing—shaped by my experiences as a black woman, the companies I’ve worked for, the many years I served in the United States Army, as well as the organizations that I support with my time and efforts to empower marginalized citizens. Most recently, I found myself questioning if diversity really exists. What is the difference between diversity and tokenism? Is it just a hot issue or buzzword? Are companies only creating positions of diversity to check a box?

The racial tensions in the US have surfaced some of the issues brewing for years. Companies don’t want to be perceived as being insensitive to the racial tensions, protests, and inadequate minority representation in their employee base.

My current view of diversity means that a company or organization has the pulse and understanding of what employees need to function effectively—including what they need to see and interact with in order to feel safe in their own space. This includes knowing that decisions that impact one’s work should be made with a vantage point from all sides. It has been my experience that the higher up the org chart, the fewer people of color you see in decision-making roles.

Perspectives on diversity in the workplace

During my conversations with my family, friends, coworkers and mentors past and present, I have found a multitude of very interesting perspectives. These people come from various employment sectors, races, ages, demographics, and economic status. The one common denominator I found was the old adage of, “It’s not what you know but who you know.” That, and the “Good Ol’ Boy” network is alive and well.

Some people have been raised since they were children to not embrace individuals who are considered “different”—and that perspective can be hard to change. It may be also extremely difficult to ensure their biases don’t get in the way of certain people advancing, being respected and getting access to projects and/or opportunities within the organization. I’m not saying this is intentional; it may be so ingrained that individuals don’t realize they are committing this act.

One interesting conversation I had with a source stated that a previous employer was filling a role in a specialized department. You had to have written and verbal skills, as well as advanced experience with utilities, property rights, the law and safe practices, and more. There were 25 individuals in this department and of those 25, two were college-educated Hispanics, three were college-educated African-Americans, and one was a college-educated female. The head of department was a college-educated white male—and the other 18 were white educated males with no post-high school education. The woman and minorities had to get advanced education to just qualify for what white males are granted out of high school.

People of color must be smarter, work harder and never get angry, although there is tremendous cause at times. It is a game of chess every day. Hiring the best candidates for the position should always be the preferred method.

Perhaps all of this is also why a now-infamous quote from a Fortune 500 executive (whom will remain nameless) said that diversity in corporate America is fleeting and rare at the executive level—especially in the C-suite. More disturbing was that the same executive had trouble reaching diversity goals because they felt there was not enough qualified minority talent—proof positive that a lot of work still needs to be done in the fight for equality.

Understanding what changes are required

What is most important is that companies continue to ensure all voices are heard and considered. Companies should be motivated to have a diverse workforce with people from all racial backgrounds—a proven fact that diverse teams build better businesses. Most companies are global, meaning their customers reside all over the world. The companies that are in strong market positions truly understand what changes are required based on their customers’ feedback, and diverse thoughts are not excluded.

Diversity can be the engine for creativity, innovation, and progress—but only if everyone is allowed a seat at the table, and in an environment of trust and empowerment. I daresay, it’s hard at times being the only black woman in a meeting or in a department. That said, many African-Americans are sitting on the sidelines, frustrated that their employer is suddenly trying to implement change related to hiring or retention practices.

In the end, it is my hope that companies commit to long-term improvements and address diversity gaps head-on, as opposed to simply jumping on a bandwagon to prevent public backlash.

The post The Reality of Diversity in the Workplace appeared first on HatchWorks.

A Beacon of Hope for UGA’s Summer Interns During COVID-19

HatchWorks — Tue, 29 Sep 2020 21:35:37 +0000

EDITOR’S NOTE We had the great pleasure of hosting our very first interns at HatchWorks this past summer. University of Georgia students Alex, Ramatulai and Zach, joined us for six weeks after COVID-19 negatively impacted their planned internships. Our CEO, Brandon Powell, a UGA alum, saw this is an opportunity to give back to his alma mater and fulfill Hatch Futures’ mission to mentor and train the rising generation of technologists. While our employees found the experience to be enriching and insightful, our esteemed UGA interns wanted to share their perspective on the internship and working with the HatchWorks team. Enjoy the read and stay tuned for our next HatchPulse post!

Read on to find out if their experience was as impactful as it was for us, as told by our assigned lead summer intern, Alex Meier.

I feel like the buzzword of the year is “uncertainty.” It’s almost unavoidable in our daily lives these days. That said, it’s definitely not something that I’m unfamiliar with. I was born on an army base in Aurora, Colorado, and moved around for a few years before my family settled down in Hickory, North Carolina. I was lucky to have a diverse and offbeat upbringing and I was consistently surrounded by an eclectic assembly of people, activities, and experiences. Throughout all of this, I’ve held two ideals constant: my desire to be a leader, and a mindset that through hard work and planning, you can overcome uncertainty.

But as I wrapped up my first year with the full-time MBA program at the University of Georgia, I encountered uncertainty yet again. When COVID-19 hit the nation, my planned summer internship with Hertz was cancelled, the interview process for the coming year became unclear, and no one knew what classes would look like in the fall. I was stuck in a no man’s land regarding what to do over the summer when I was contacted about a potential new MBA internship with HatchWorks Technologies. In just a few days, I was already onboarding and engrained in HatchWorks’ team culture

I was one of three selected summer interns at HatchWorks and they chose to assign me as the lead Strategy Intern for developing the go-to-market strategy and overseeing the microsite development for a new internal product that will launch in 2021. I was joined by fellow Creative Interns, Ramatulai Jagne and Zach Lunger – Terry College of Business rising juniors majoring in Management Information Systems and honors MIS, respectively. Here’s what we learned during our internship at HatchWorks!

Zach Lunger

When I think of internships, I think of following employees around, sitting in on meetings, and learning the ropes of how to apply skills in a “real” business environment. Did HatchWorks settle for that? Absolutely not. From the first time we talked to them they were setting us up to work on a unique project and treated us like full employees.

In all of my UGA project management classes, we discussed agile project management and how it has revolutionized the software industry – well, that’s how HatchWorks operates. Every day, we were immersed in their culture of work and collaboration and were given the opportunity and independence to truly design our own internship. We had the chance to develop the go-to-market strategy for a new internal product HatchWorks is creating. We did everything from performing analyses on key competitors and pricing structures in the market to creating a fully functional microsite for the project.

There are many things that my internship taught me, but there are three that really stick out to me:

The high level and frequency of communication that is required for a successful company to run. We consistently met with and held discussions with people across the product team as well as other key stakeholders within HatchWorks, to align and achieve our collective goals.
How nice it is for the leadership team to be willing to talk at any time. Brandon, the CEO, participates in company meetings regularly and hosts a weekly meeting with the entire company to keep everyone in the loop with key updates and announcements. I was impressed to see his transparency and willingness to answer any question thrown his way.
Finally, work-life balance is super important, and HatchWorks did a great job of encouraging a healthy version. The flexibility of taking a day off after a super busy period to spend time with family and friends was much appreciated and led to more satisfying and productive workdays in the end.

Ramatulai Jagne

I had the great opportunity to learn from the product team at HatchWorks and collaborate with them to translate this internal product knowledge into a creative, bold, and informative site that really tells a story for a potential user. Because of how helpful, engaging, and inspiring my team was, I have learned so much during this internship.

I learned how to work with several project management and creative tools and software that I’ve never been exposed to before. I learned how SaaS products evolve from the creative brainstorming stages to the development of a usable product to being ready to go to market. Lastly, I learned how to work with a team of professionals with different concentrations to really bring a project to life through using agile methodologies.

I really enjoyed my time at Hatchworks because I made several valuable connections with my colleagues and due to the experience gained by exercising the curriculum I’m learning in the classroom in a real work environment. This experience has undoubtedly prepared me for my upcoming project management courses and for my future career aspirations of working in the technology industry!

“The quality of the summer intern’s work was so impressive – they were collaborative, hungry and made a strong impact on our team” – Matt Paige

For me, this was the best possible outcome for my career and path forward during this corona summer. I gained valuable, challenging work experience, expanded my network with genuinely nice people, and earned some money on the side. I wrapped up my internship with nothing but positive things to say about HatchWorks. The people here know how to do their job really, really well, and are always down to share and help others understand their work. Everyone seems to be committed to leadership’s vision for the company and wants to collaborate with each other to produce better outcomes.

In short, my work has afforded me the opportunity to apply the knowledge I’d gained through both my education and previous jobs while gaining excellent new experience and a chance to make an authentic impact at HatchWorks. On top of that, I gained insights into the changing corporate environment and the importance of being able to quickly adapt to these changes, just as HatchWorks has done under the guidance of its leadership team. I received hands-on training with the leadership team thanks to the flat structure of the company. The HatchWorks team has been supportive in my career development throughout this internship and they were excited to help me, listen to my proposals, work through new ideas, and provide insightful feedback around my work.

Upon reflection, my time working with HatchWorks has demonstrated something that I can definitely be certain of: this is a company that is worthy of the recognition it receives and it has built a culture of cooperation and ambition that should be emulated by any company that hopes to be successful.

You belong at HatchWorks

To learn more about the perks and benefits of joining the HatchWorks team, check out our careers page.

The post A Beacon of Hope for UGA’s Summer Interns During COVID-19 appeared first on HatchWorks.

10 Ways to Resolve the Customer Service Conundrum

HatchWorks — Wed, 02 Sep 2020 12:23:00 +0000

I can sum up my entire career in a three-word statement: I solve problems.

Throughout my career, I have solved problems for years and believe I am meant to do so. I may not always know the answer, but I’ll do whatever it takes to get it to you. This is not a half-hearted promise. It’s in my heart, mind, and soul. Over the years, I’ve held many roles in the world of technology. I have worked in hardware, software, and with operating systems. I have applied my technical product knowledge to many industries: banking, manufacturing, the Internet of Things (IoT), and even artificial intelligence (AI) and the many opportunities that come with it.

Currently, I am a Technical Product Owner at HatchWorks Technologies. I not only enjoy but thrive off of figuring out what a customer wants, how they are going to get it, and creating a map to outline the customer’s journey to success. The one common factor and thread of consistency in all my work boils down to this; I provide customer service – not the average run of the mill customer service, I provide excellent customer service…and so can you. I’ve outlined the top 10 ways to resolve the customer service conundrum to help you on your journey of excellent customer service.

How Does HatchWorks Deliver Excellent Customer Service?

The transformation of customer service has been both inspiring and frustrating. I’ve observed the attitude of each generation is reflected in how people treat each other and themselves. In February of 2018, I joined the HatchWorks family. In my time here, I’ve found that HatchWorks is not only dedicated to customer service for its clients and partners; they want the best for all of us in the HatchWorks family and they demonstrate this on a daily basis. The quality of the employee experience at HatchWorks matches the external customer service we provide to our clients. Typically, we don’t boast about having an attitude of service. Rather, it is who we are. It is evident in our team’s approach to day-to-day activities and interactions – both with each other as well as our clients.

I’ve worked for a variety of different companies throughout my career. I have been a part of business teams that worked together like a finely-tuned Mustang and some that resembled the chaos of mixing two separate puzzles that were missing half the pieces. The increasing number of everyday distractions in our surroundings have been detrimental to our relationships with each other. Social media like Facebook, Instagram, and other digital media can further disconnect us, preventing us from developing meaningful, personal connections. This disconnect has resulted in a lack of accountability for our actions. So what does this have to do with customer service you may ask? The answer is simple: everything, literally everything.

Let’s explore 10 ways to provide excellent customer service in this new era.

10 Ways to Resolve the Customer Service Conundrum

Make customer service a part of your daily routine. Going above and beyond for your customers is like hitting the easy button. Motivation rolls in and takes over when you tackle your to-do list
Dare to care about the customer and become service-oriented. At HatchWorks, our role is to guide our customers on their journey to product excellence and work together to solve problems
Adapt to the customer’s environment and their needs. Each customer environment brings different limitations and constraints to manage. Keep in mind that no two organizations are the same, nor should your approach to customer service with different organizations
Identify the customer’s agenda and make a conscious effort to move them towards their goals. When people are in sync and are working together to achieve a common goal, providing excellent customer service is a pleasure
Research issues and strategize. Professionals that provide excellent customer service use strategic analysis and methodical solutioning to prevent conflict and miscommunication
Communicate, communicate, and then communicate some more. What is the best way to communicate with your customer? Emails, calls, texting, or even catching them in the break room for five minutes. Being a strong communicator will save you time, effort, and ensure alignment
Get to the root of the problem. No band-aids or hot fixes! Work daily towards the resolution of your customer’s concerns and pain points. Do your research and find the root of their problems
Identify what is important to your client and accept that as their truth. Learn to empathize with your customers, understand where they’re coming from and what is important to them. Their wants and needs are your keys to understanding how to deliver excellent customer experiences
Focus on helping the person, not their reaction to the current problem. Achieving excellent customer service is focused on helping the person, rather than addressing the person’s reaction to the current challenge
Be proactive to ensure the same problem doesn’t happen again. To seal the deal, be proactive to ensure the same problem does not rear its ugly head in the future. Do whatever it takes to resolve the problem and move on

Remember if you aren’t a part of the solution, you’re a part of the problem!

Achieving Customer Service Perfection in an Imperfect World

Here is a real life example of how I applied a few of the 10 methods above to resolve an unexpected client communication challenge. I was part of a team that led the design and implementation of a large-scale IoT initiative. The challenge? Key stakeholders on the client side relayed that they were an ‘agile’ team and we based our team approach on this shared methodology. We later discovered that we had different definitions for what ‘agile’ is and isn’t. At first, the days were long and tense. The client promoted team alignment and an iterative approach at times, yet we struggled to practice what they preached. Designs would change, responsibility would be skirted in a blink of an eye and frustrations grew. The only way to successfully support this customer given the known constraints was to rapidly adapt: I relied on my thick skin and continued to rally and guide the team towards our collective north star.

The HatchWorks team and I had to swiftly pivot our approach while maintaining a professional attitude, ensuring customer service remained the priority, and by strategically considering the client’s needs every step of the way. One thing I could count on was support from my team at HatchWorks and it’s what got us through the finish line. It takes a village and I had a village. As a team, we knew we had to commit to providing excellent customer service no matter what. It was no simple feat – but we pulled it off. By uncovering and accepting what was important to the client and their agenda, together we achieved the desired results in a proactive, respectful manner. Challenge identified, problem solved, crisis averted.

To deliver excellent customer service, I focus on helping the person rather than addressing the reaction to the current challenge. If my customer is upset or frustrated – I know they are having a bad day! Regardless of the circumstances, my team and I always strive to go the extra mile to help turn a bad day into a good one. At HatchWorks, we guide you on your journey to product excellence and work with you to solve problems with excellent customer service.

Are you ready to work with HatchWorks and be a part of the solution? Contact us today to learn more about our winning approach to product solutions!

Getting Started with HatchWorks Is Easy

HatchWorks will work with you to perform a free initial assessment of the team composition you need based on your current team structure. They can work as an autonomous dedicated team or integrate with your own team to meet your needs. No matter what phase you are at in your software solution journey, HatchWorks can help you accelerate your path to success.

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