Our Handbook is open source: here's why • Hacker News Board

Re: Our Handbook is open source: here's why

#51

Post by sytse » Thu, Jul 14, 2016, 2:22 PM UTC

skoocda wrote: post #47

This is an excellent resource for a new startup such as my own. We're interested in evaluating the less-tangible choices that need to occur to develop company culture, and this helps us see these options very clearly. I hope more companies follow suit!

Great to hear that it is helpful. We're hearing reports here and there of new companies adopting part of our handbook.

One recent hire tried to have their department write down more to help with scaling. It was hard to convince the rest of the department so he ended up joining GitLab.

Re: Our Handbook is open source: here's why

#52

Post by sytse » Thu, Jul 14, 2016, 2:29 PM UTC

dudul wrote: post #42

I haven't read the whole thing, but I really like this idea. I was always shocked to see that, when starting a new job, many documents weren't brought up until the 1st day - that is, after I had accepted the offer and left my previous position. How does it make sense to not show me your company handbook before I decide if I want to work with you? Now, I'm always pro-active and during the negotiation I'm very upfront:…

Totally makes sense. Many of our applicants have read the whole handbook by the time they have their final interview. One person remarked: 'I know more about your company than the one I currently worked at for three years'. Because our issue trackers are also open (for example https://gitlab.com/gitlab-com/marketing/issues ) people can see how we actually work. It really helps letting people know what they are signing up for.

Re: Our Handbook is open source: here's why

#53

Post by fweespeech » Thu, Jul 14, 2016, 2:32 PM UTC

sytse wrote: post #50

morgante wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you don't mind me asking, is the pay competitive? I definitely like the ethos of GitLab, but unfortunately most of the remote-only companies I've interviewed with just don't offer salaries competitive with either SV/NYC tech or what I can make doing remote contracting.

Our pay depends on your location. So if you're currently charging an SF rate without the expenses of living there you're better off.

Have you considered open salaries (just the formula really would be all that was needed) like Buffer?

Re: Our Handbook is open source: here's why

#54

Post by sytse » Thu, Jul 14, 2016, 3:21 PM UTC

fweespeech wrote: post #53

sytse wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Our pay depends on your location. So if you're currently charging an SF rate without the expenses of living there you're better off.

Have you considered open salaries (just the formula really would be all that was needed) like Buffer?

Yes, we're working on a global compensation framework. This is hinted at on https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/hiring/#hiring-processa-na... "The hiring manager can then make the actual offer to the applicant. This may change if/when we have a global compensation framework in place." and in the job description of the Director of People Operations https://about.gitlab.com/jobs/dir-or-vp-of-people-ops/ "Compensation guidelines that work worldwide but tailored to local markets, to the city level"

For now only are principles are detailed on https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/people-operations/#compens... one important one: "We pay on the lower end of market rates for engineering positions because we offer the benefit of working on open source (great workflow, peers, build reputation); most engineers take a pay cut to join."

Re: Our Handbook is open source: here's why

#55

Post by danso » Thu, Jul 14, 2016, 3:26 PM UTC

sytse wrote: post #35

vinu76jsr wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I believe opposite case is usually prevented, people don't usually take time off for no reason, they go on vacation, family emergency etc., an observed side-effect of unlimited time off is usually people don't take time off at all, purely a cultural(company's) thing.

We are afraid of people taking too little time off. We're considering introducing a formal performance review point that will penalize the team member and/or manager if someone took less than two weeks of vacation (full weeks, not counting days) for not taking care of themselves. But we're not sure yet this is needed. For now the executive team tries to set the right tone by taking vacation themselves. I'm going to b…

Thanks. I didn't mean to be confrontational. I had just thought that after Kickstarter's change, the winds were turning against unlimited vacation policies, and that fixed vacation time was becoming status quo again.

Re: Our Handbook is open source: here's why

#56

Post by mgrennan » Thu, Jul 14, 2016, 3:29 PM UTC

Applause! Applause! Hands Clapping!

Re: Our Handbook is open source: here's why

#57

Post by sytse » Thu, Jul 14, 2016, 3:34 PM UTC

mgrennan wrote: post #56

Applause! Applause! Hands Clapping!

Thanks mgrennan!

Re: Our Handbook is open source: here's why

#58

Post by repomies691 » Thu, Jul 14, 2016, 3:35 PM UTC

sytse wrote: post #50

morgante wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you don't mind me asking, is the pay competitive? I definitely like the ethos of GitLab, but unfortunately most of the remote-only companies I've interviewed with just don't offer salaries competitive with either SV/NYC tech or what I can make doing remote contracting.

Our pay depends on your location. So if you're currently charging an SF rate without the expenses of living there you're better off.

So people are paid according what they spend, not what they produce? That doesn't sound very sensible to me.

Re: Our Handbook is open source: here's why

#59

Post by sytse » Thu, Jul 14, 2016, 3:36 PM UTC

danso wrote: post #55

sytse wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We are afraid of people taking too little time off. We're considering introducing a formal performance review point that will penalize the team member and/or manager if someone took less than two weeks of vacation (full weeks, not counting days) for not taking care of themselves. But we're not sure yet this is needed. For now the executive team tries to set the right tone by taking vacation themselves. I'm going to b…

Thanks. I didn't mean to be confrontational. I had just thought that after Kickstarter's change, the winds were turning against unlimited vacation policies, and that fixed vacation time was becoming status quo again.

I didn't take it as being confrontational, no worries. Not being able to measure if people take enough vacation is a drawback of unlimited vacations. But we feel that having to ask for vacations and administering them doesn't rhyme with our value of focussing on results instead of hours.

Re: Our Handbook is open source: here's why

#60

Post by amyjess » Thu, Jul 14, 2016, 3:38 PM UTC

leetrout wrote: post #8

Just absolutely fantastic values for work-life balance and certainly makes GitLab look _very_ appealing... Some of my favorites: We're a distributed, remote-only company where people work remote without missing out. For this, we use asynchronous communication and are as open as we can be by communicating through public issues, chat channels, and placing an emphasis on ensuring that conclusions of offline conversation…

Between this and the above comment about interviewing practices (especially regarding language proficiency), I would so apply to GitLab if I hadn't just started a new job last month.

Still... circumstances might force me to move out of state next year, and if that happens and I can't stay with my current employer, I'm certainly going to check GitLab's openings first.