It’s important to be excited and engaged in your work, but at the end of the day, it’s not the only thing you’ve got going on. We’ve all got lives outside office hours, and the way your employer values or negotiates with that non-work time — whether it’s a quick workout between meetings or preparing to have your first child — can have major implications for the overall quality of your life.
We spoke to folks on engineering and sales teams at four Seattle tech companies to learn what non-work elements of their lives are most important to them, and how their employers facilitate and encourage success in those areas.
In the bad old days before the internet, dinosaurs roamed the Earth and finalizing real estate transactions meant hour after aching hour of perusing fine print and signing documents until one’s wrist swelled to the size of a stegosaurus egg. We have JetClosing to thank for bringing home closing services into the 21st century, digitizing as much of the paper as possible while retaining person-to-person services to make sure users understand every step of the process.
Senior Software Engineer Chris Feist enjoys the importance JetClosing places on family time.
What’s your favorite perk at JetClosing?
My favorite perk at JetClosing is the work-life balance. Our business hours generally follow the banking industry and we have a vacation package that grows rather quickly.
Dan, the CEO, stresses the importance of family — and that carries through with this perk.”
Why is that perk important to you, and what effect does it have on your work?
I have a young family, so it is important to me that I get to spend a lot of time with them. This perk allows me to do that, and it allows me to recharge so that my time at work is focused and meaningful. Dan, the CEO, stresses the importance of family — and that carries through with this perk.
Subsplash builds online tools to help churches find and engage with communities. The company builds websites, mobile and television apps with video and audio capabilities, digital media libraries and online giving platforms to facilitate donations. Headquartered in the Interbay neighborhood, the company also works on The Church App, where churches can build their own custom apps and reach users looking for congregations in their areas.
As a soon-to-be mother, Client Success Manager Tayla Marti says Subsplash’s maternity benefits are especially important to her.
What’s your favorite perk at Subsplash?
I’ve honestly never experienced as many perks than I have at Subsplash. The one that stands out above the rest is the maternity benefits. I’m pregnant with my first child, and I couldn’t be more grateful for how generous Subsplash has been to me.
My motherhood is already being celebrated and honored.”
Why is that perk important to you, and what effect does it have on your work?
I think it’s common to fear how one will be treated at work while pregnant — that team members may be disappointed or that one will miss out on further career opportunities. However, I’ve never felt that way here. My motherhood is already being celebrated and honored with flexibility in my schedule, generous time off after the birth and an invitation to let me work out a plan for returning to work that’s customized for me. I’m not stressed leading up to the birth of my child by trying to figure out every little detail of how this will work with my job — and I have Subsplash to thank for that!
The term “cosmetic surgery” covers a wide array of procedures, from abdominal etching to zoom whitening. The number of physicians offering said treatments is similarly expansive — and it can be easy for prospective patients to become lost. Enter RealSelf, a learning resource where users can learn about and compare notes on almost every cosmetic procedure under the sun, then find and book treatments with reputable doctors vouched for by their peers.
Lead Software Engineer Lisa Smith values the company’s support for professional development.
What’s your favorite perk at RealSelf?
I love that RealSelf invests in their employees and helps them to be the best and most confident people they can be. Every year, RealSelf gives employees a professional development grant of $1,000. Grants can be used toward a course, conference, certification, or toward anything proven to benefit career growth.
Starting in 2019, we can now put $500 of our grant toward booking a treatment on RealSelf.”
Why is that perk important to you, and what effect does it have on your work?
Last year, along with two other teammates, I used my grant to attend the CascadiaJS conference, helping me become more familiar with modern front-end technologies and concepts. Starting in 2019, we can now put $500 of our grant toward booking a treatment on RealSelf.
LiquidPlanner understands that many schedules are more aspirational than realistic, and has therefore built software designed to adapt when priorities shift or unexpected issues arise. Completion dates automatically update across an entire workflow, so teams can see exactly when a project will be completed instead of relying on outdated projections. Headquartered in Eastlake, the company has raised over $17 million since it was founded in 2006.
Account Executive Katie Kalafus loves that her office has the facilities and flexibility for her to fit workout sessions at all hours of the day.
What’s your favorite perk at LiquidPlanner?
My favorite perk at LiquidPlanner is that we have showers and changing rooms at the office. My schedule is always different each day, and I love that I have the flexibility to fit in a workout in between calls. My favorite run is to head to MOHAI around Lake Union, with views of the Space Needle and the float planes taking off and landing. Another great workout option in our neighborhood is the Howe Street Stairs.
Getting regular exercise decreases stress and helps boost my energy.”
Why is that perk important to you, and what effect does it have on your work?
This perk is important to me because getting regular exercise decreases stress and helps boost my energy more than anything else out there.
