Way back in 2015 — which is even before I arrived on the scene — we shared a snapshot of life at Devolutions. Well, as you would expect, a lot has changed in the last 2 years! For example, if you check out the team picture from back then, we had 21 team members. Today? We have around 70 full-time team members, plus 15 smart and enthusiastic interns! What’s even more astonishing is that our great Marketing Director Max didn’t have a beard. Isn’t change amazing?
We’re Different…but the Same
At the same time, there are some things about Devolutions that haven’t changed and never will. We have a very strong and stable leadership team, headed by our founder and CEO, David Hervieux. Over the years, David has remained relentlessly focused on making sure that we do the right things, and that we always (always, always!) listen to our community of IT pros. To respect our long-lasting philosophy and keep in mind who we really are, we recently rethought our core values by making them easier to remember. I'm pleased to introduce our new and improved values:
- Always aim for the Wow Factor within our community of users
- A significant life experience for Devolutions' employees.
- Being transparent in our actions and across our organization.
A Day in the Life of Devolutions
So, what does a typical day at Devolutions look like? Well, for starters, there’s no such thing as a typical day. But there are some general patterns that we can highlight. Here we go:
7am: So It Begins…
Depending on preference, and sometimes on workload as well, team members start their day at 7, 8 or 9am. This flexibility is great for those of us who want to start their day off earlier (and go home earlier), and for those who need to get kids off to school — or just want more sleep!
8am: The Place Is Buzzing
By about 8am, the place is buzzing and there are people everywhere. Some are working at their desks, some are working out in our gym, and some are in the cafeteria having breakfast or some ultra-strong coffee. It’s really interesting to see each day come alive here. Everyone has such great energy, and is positive and respectful. Hey, we’re a family!
What we don’t do is stand around talking about sports or the weather or debating Star Trek vs. Star Wars. We quickly get into high gear and work hard.
10am: Break Time!
At about 10am, many of us take a break and head to one of our 6 (that’s right, 6!) foosball tables. Since 4 people can play at each table, by about 10:10 on any given day, if you stopped by our office, you could find 24 of us in a foosball frenzy. Good times.
Of course, as our avid blog readers will know, there are many options beyond rotating little guys around and hitting a ball through a rectangle. Here are some other things we enjoy doing when we take a break:
- Ping pong (2 or 4 players)
- A pool table (this is fairly new and we love it!)
- Magic the Gathering (we commandeer one of our meeting rooms for this sacred geek activity)
- Pinball, pinball and more pinball (as you probably know, we have an amazing collection of pinball machines, as well as an arcade machine!)
- Volleyball (we have an outdoor court we use in the summer)
- Wii U (mostly used for Smash Bros battles)
- Xbox One (to play games as Rocket League)
Plus, some of us head to the cafeteria to chat or chill out, while others stay at their computers and play video games, such as Counterstrike, or to get a quick Netflix fix.
10:15am: Back to Work
At 10:15, we head back to our desks or work areas and ratchet up the productivity dial to 11. Many small team meetings take place during this time across our different departments (e.g. development, support, marketing, etc.).
Noon: WE EAT!
There are a lot of foodies here at Devolutions, and so lunch time is very important and kind of a special event unto itself. Most of us head straight to the dining room to eat (and eat and eat), or we stake out a spot on one of the cozy couches to watch TV or chat. Every Wednesday, David caters a delicious lunch for our team (sushi, BBQ chicken, pizza, shish taouk, etc.), and we all give $1 to charity.
1pm: Work Beckons
At 1pm (or a bit sooner for those of us with a long to-do list), we head back to work. The vibe and energy here is a little different than in the morning, because by this time of the day, we generally know what we need to get done before it’s time to go home. As such, things are fairly quiet as people focus on the task at hand. Although we have an open office concept here, it’s a highly productive environment. Generally, we work until 3pm, when we take another break to recharge our batteries.
Special Events
We also have special events throughout the week. For example, on Thursday afternoons we have a delightful beer and wine party, and on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, we have a one-hour yoga class that helps us stay relaxed (though some of us are more flexible than others!)
More to Come
As you can see, working at Devolutions is little like working in Silicon Valley, but instead of being in California, we’re in beautiful Lavaltrie, Quebec! David has always understood that happy employees are more engaged and productive. And you know what? He’s right!
Stay tuned for more snapshots and stories of life at Devolutions. And please comment below to tell us what you think, and to share a slice of your work life. What’s your day like?