A Closer Look at Atolye15's Onboarding Experience

As the HR team, we often get asked during job interviews about our vibrant team culture, our flexible remote work policies, and the exciting projects we're working on. But perhaps one of the hottest topics is our onboarding process! That's why we’d like to take a moment to walk you through this process in depth, aiming to clear up any questions you might have, both before and during the recruitment process. 

Ready to dive in? Let's lead off with a few key questions!

How do we map out the onboarding journey?

Making sure the onboarding journey is smooth and efficient from start to finish is a big deal for us. That's why we kick things off by creating a detailed checklist to keep an eye on each stage. The whole process is specifically designed for you to fit the role you'll be taking on and the project you'll be part of. So, what exactly does this involve?

First up, we believe in a step-by-step approach to keep things straightforward and avoid overwhelming you with lengthy meetings or information overload. So we set up short introductory meetings with each team you'll be working with. The focus of these meetings changes based on your role, meaning the onboarding experience is tailored to what you'll be doing. For instance, a new Backend Developer will spend more time with the product team to get up to speed and less with the marketing team, though they'll still get an overview of marketing's role. In these sessions, each team will share how they contribute to the project, giving you a chance to understand and connect with every aspect of our work.

For those joining us from afar, we also take care of your travel and accommodation for the first week, so we can welcome you to our headquarters in person. Meeting face-to-face is crucial for us to properly introduce you to our way of doing things. Once all the prep is done, we'll share your schedule and all the necessary details with you. And we'll keep the communication lines open at all times throughout this journey!

What's your first day like at Atolye15?

As we mentioned before, even though we're a remote-friendly team, we like to kick off your first few days at our headquarters. This allows you to meet and bond with your new teammates and share the excitement of your first week up close.

On your first day, before you even step into the office, we'll be introducing you to the rest of the team in our weekly online meeting by going over your responses to the “About Me” questionnaire we usually send you before joining us. It's a tradition we have for welcoming new members, and we absolutely cherish it!

As soon as you step in, a friendly group of faces will be there to greet you. We'll then show you around the office, giving you a feel for your new workspace. Next up is the welcome kit ceremony, where we'll present you with some cool Atolye15 swag, goodies, snacks, and, of course, your MacBook. After signing a few last bits of paperwork and setting up your accounts, you'll officially be one of us!

Following your first big team lunch, freshly prepared by our beloved Chef Seço at the office kitchen, we'll give you a proper welcome. This will be a virtual meet-up with the entire team, including our remote crew, which is a classic Atolye15 ritual. The rest of the day is dedicated to HR formalities, mixed with breaks to mingle and chat with your office mates. And if you're up for it, we often wind down with a casual after-work drink.

How does the technical onboarding unfold?

Think of what we've covered so far as HR onboarding. Our technical onboarding starts on day two and is designed to span roughly two months. On your second and third days, after your introductions to the technical teams, you'll begin working with the project team you're assigned to. First, we encourage you to adopt an observer role, immersing yourself in the team's workflow, the project's scope, the codebase, and the technical details.

At your first retrospective meeting, you'll be invited to share your observations and feedback. As someone new to the team, your fresh perspective is invaluable to us!

Moving forward, you'll engage in pair programming, where you'll not only dive into the project's technical aspects but also understand your teammates' roles and expertise more deeply. As you become more integrated into the team, your responsibilities will naturally expand. Our primary goal is to ensure a gradual and effective learning curve for you to get to know both the work and the people behind it technically.

What do we expect most from you during this time? Curiosity. Feel free to ask anything that comes to mind. The entire team is aware that you're in the middle of onboarding and will be more than willing to provide extra support.

What steps are we taking to enhance the onboarding experience?

We firmly believe that insights from teammates who've gone through the onboarding journey are invaluable in answering this question. That's why, after your first two weeks, we, as the HR team, arrange an ‘onboarding review meeting’ with you. This session is a chance for us to discuss how you're finding the process and hear any suggestions you might have. We've seen firsthand how feedback from these discussions has brought fresh perspectives to our onboarding approach. So your input is extremely crucial to us! 

We held this meeting with our DevOps Engineer, Eren, and Test Automation Engineer, Ege, who recently joined our team. Here are their comments about their onboarding process:

What did you like the most about the onboarding process?

Eren: ‟The best part of the onboarding for me was the team's excitement and sincerity in walking me through everything. During previous experiences, onboarding felt like a boring task people just wanted to get over with. Here, it was the complete opposite, and that was incredibly motivating.”

Ege: ‟I was impressed by how quickly I got to learn the company's setup, what each team does, and their projects, all through a series of meetings in my first week. Even though we're mainly remote, they smoothly organized everything I needed to spend my first week in the office, which was super helpful.”

During the onboarding, what caught you by surprise?

Eren: ‟During my onboarding, I was pleasantly surprised to learn about other projects too. I appreciated the opportunity to see what the rest of the team is working on, even beyond my immediate project. The concept of an onboarding process that prepares us for potential future project transitions if we wish is an exciting approach.”

Ege: ‟The biggest surprise was how Chef Seço cooked my favorite food for me on my first day based on my 'About Me' questionnaire responses. It might seem like a small gesture, but it made me feel really welcome and appreciated. It's a meal I'll never forget my whole life.”

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If this sounds like the kind of welcoming, supportive, and engaging onboarding process you'd love to go through, we invite you to visit our Career page to check out the open positions. Who knows? The next onboarding story we share could be yours!