When looking for a provider and deciding whether they’d be a good fit for you or not, Do you ever think of things like a company’s vision, work ethics, and the environment? You should!
A company’s culture and values are probably two of the most critical elements that will tell you if it would be easy to work with them or not.
We are EZtek, you’re reading the 4th article of our series dedicated to helping businesses find the right software development partner for their needs. Today, we will explain how to evaluate your prospective tech provider through the prism of company values and culture.
1. Check Their Website and Social Media
Check your Partner’s website and social media accounts: Facebook, Instagram, YouTube or Linkedin should give you a good first look at their corporate culture.
Look at the Employee review sites as well like: Glassdoor, Indeed or Vault to see what their employees can say about the company.
Remember though, what you can read online is just the tip of the iceberg. So, you shouldn’t limit your search to it. Sometimes, a company’s advertised culture can be very different from reality.
2. Pay them a Visit
We know you may think there can be no benefit from these trips. But believe us, paying a visit to your potential provider before the financial election is the best way to get a true sense of the culture. Perhaps avoid unpleasant surprises moving forward as well.
You might ask them all the questions in the world during your video call but you won’t learn as much from them that way than if you witness yourself how they work.
You see, checking the place and chatting with the people there, maybe the owners, manager or employees may give you more insight than you think.
Onsite trips will help you see things you wouldn’t otherwise perceive on the phone. Perhaps also help you unearth vital information or rectify poor assumptions before you take the plunge and engage with a service provider.
3. Talk to their Employees
Who knows better what it’s like to work with the company than the employees themselves? So, try to chat with some of the developers and other employees.
- How do they feel about working for the company?
- What do they value the most in the workplace?
- How do they approach collaboration?
Do you feel that they understand their company’s overall mission? Do you think they value the success of the entire organization? Do they have empathy for their co-workers?
These are all signs of a positive culture. If you can get a meeting with a team without having the management in the discussion, it also shows that the company operates on trust. After all, the teams will be the ones you’ll be interacting with the most. So, it’s an excellent opportunity to test the waters. If you can not directly talk to them, check Employee review sites like Glassdoor, Indeed or Vault. All these are precious resources for you.
These websites allow current and former employees to anonymously give feedback on companies, share info about salaries and perks, and so on.
If you can not directly talk to them, check Employee review sites like Glassdoor, Indeed or Vault. All these are precious resources for you.
4. Ask about the Benefits and Perks
- How many vacation leaves do they get?
- Do they have activities where they can destress?
- Do they have medical insurance?
- How about the working hours?
These will show how much the owners care about their team’s well-being, in and out of the office.
Another good indicator of a company’s employee engagement is the attrition rate.
How is the workforce turnover rate versus a local industry average? This number usually speaks loudly about these matters. But bear in mind that this may differ from country to country.
5. See how they Align with their Core Values and Yours
We explained earlier why you shouldn’t rely 100% on what to read online about a company. Well, the same goes for their values and mission statement. These things, of course, look bright and comforting on most company websites. But they are virtually empty promises if they are not implemented on a daily basis.
Also, when you discuss with the owners, management or even employees, try to understand how their values translate into the outsourcing environment. This goes both ways.
So, let your prospective provider learn about your company as well: your vision, goals and philosophy.
After all, you will essentially be forging a relationship. These components have to be aligned for that relationship to work, especially for the long haul. You will essentially be forging a relationship. These components have to be aligned for that relationship to work, especially for the long haul.
If you have the opportunity to go out for dinner with the executives, take it. It may be your chance to find answers to questions you weren’t able to ask before. You will get to know them a bit more personally and see if their temperament matches yours.
After all, working with a provider is a matter of mutual trust and personal connection, too. So, if you can spend some time outside of the office, it may help tip the skills and help you decide.
Conclusion
Think of company culture as a company’s personality. Making sure that you’re comfortable with their core values, culture and philosophy is key to ensuring a serene partnership with your provider.
When these items are aligned, there’s no limit to what you and your provider can accomplish together. This article was prepared by EZtek’s team. We provide software development, UI/ UX design, and testing services to top brands worldwide.
