I’ve been pretty vocal on and off of RackerTalent about how Austin and specifically ATX RAX are the best places to be. And I still feel that way, but I should also note that I’m remotely managed by a great manager in San Antonio. In fact, the other eight members of my team are all based in San Antonio. Anyone who works remotely knows how hard it can be as the lone man or woman on an island. However, being a Racker means things are just a bit different. Two recent examples come to mind.
The first is the Adopt a Racker Program that got started a few months ago here in Austin. Having a significant portion of Austin Rackers managed by San Antonio Rackers can certainly lead to some friction. This is especially true in a culture like ours which puts a huge emphasis on weekly one on one meetings between managers and reports. Thanks to some big hearted Racker managers here in Austin, we now have the Adopt a Racker Program (AARP). Not to be confused with the senior discount program (although that would be awesome), this program teams up an Austin manager with a remotely managed Austin Racker. The best part was the turnout from the Austin managers for this program. They were lined up to help their fellow Rackers. And that is plain awesome.
The second hits a bit closer to home. Earlier this year, I lost my maternal grandmother and paternal grandfather within about a month of each other. It was the first time I’d dealt with a death at the Rack. We have a great bereavement policy, but I had no idea how things would get handled while I was out of the office for several days back to back. I actually ended up extending my bereavement time with a little ETO and knocked some things off my bucket list while I travelled around the US. I’m not sure how things work at your company, but my manager was SUPER flexible about letting me get my head right. That means more than any bonus, stock plan, or corporate car.
The reason we’re consistently at the top of workplace satisfaction surveys is not a secret. We care for each other from the top to the bottom. Do you want to care for people? Do you want people to care about you? Do you want to work for the coolest tech company in the world? Get in touch. We want to talk.
