Personal growth

Contents

1. Hiring process
2. Onboarding, Coaching & Follow Up
3. Career path
4. Remote working
5. Personal tech budget & benefits
6. Investment Time: open source, reading, e-learning
7. Life balancing: free-paid time
8. Leave days, vacation days
9. Parting ways

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Hiring process

Our hiring process is open to all and is guided by inclusivity, transparency, and fairness. We take this process seriously and have established the following five steps to ensure we achieve these goals:

1. Application Submission: We welcome applications from all candidates via our website, social media channels, or job boards.

2. Screening call: After reviewing applications, we conduct an initial screening call to assess the candidate’s interest, experience, and qualifications.

3. Tech interview: Candidates who pass the screening will be invited to a technical interview to evaluate their skills and experience. In some cases, this may be combined with the screening call.

4. Tech test: After passing the interviews, candidates will complete a technical test to further assess their abilities. We provide clear instructions and guidelines for the test and offer support if needed.

5. Job offer: Finally, we extend an offer with perks and benefits to join our team.

Throughout the process, we strive to provide clear and transparent communication to all candidates. We are committed to ensuring fair and equitable treatment for all applicants.

Onboarding, Coaching & Follow Up

Our onboarding process equips new team members with the knowledge, tools, and understanding of our methods, technologies, and vision to ensure a strong start and shared commitment to growth. We make sure all essential information is clear, leaving no room for confusion.

We see our team as our greatest asset, and we’re committed to ongoing coaching and support to foster both personal and professional growth. When our people thrive, so does the company.

Beyond professional development, we value work-life balance and mental well-being. We encourage team members to set their own growth goals and collaborate with managers to achieve them.

Career path

Volcanic Minds offers three career paths: marketing and design, IT development, and administration and sales.

In marketing and design, roles are divided between operatives and team leaders. Operatives handle specific projects, while team leaders coordinate teams working with dedicated clients or across multiple projects.

In IT development, teams include frontend, backend, and QA developers, led by a team leader. They may focus on specific projects, internal core projects, or multiple assignments simultaneously.

In administration and sales, the administrative team manages internal operations, while the sales team follows a two-tier structure with salespeople and a team leader. Teams may focus on specific industries, partners, or enterprise clients.

Each area is led by a founder acting as a strategic planner. There are clear opportunities for growth: from operative roles to team leadership, and from team leadership to higher management. As a dynamic, growing company, we recognize that career progression may not always be linear, but we provide opportunities to take on more responsibility and develop new skills, opening doors to exciting career paths.

We encourage team members to embrace challenges and seek growth. By showing dedication, a willingness to learn, and alignment with our values, employees earn the trust of their colleagues and leaders.

Remote working

Volcanic Minds operates as a fully remote organization, with employees and collaborators working from home or any other location of their choice. This approach was adopted to foster trust and efficiency in the workplace.

The company requires employees to work within a specific time zone range, no more than one hour ahead or behind the official company time zone. This ensures availability for collaboration and meetings during standard working hours while maintaining flexibility in schedules.

Volcanic Minds has created a flexible environment that allows team members to balance personal and professional lives, enhancing satisfaction, work-life balance, and productivity.

Despite being fully remote, the company recognizes the value of in-person meetings and social activities when needed. For this reason, it is open to organizing events such as team-building, training sessions, and company-wide celebrations.

If in-person meetings and events are introduced in the future, the decision will be made collaboratively, with the team’s best interests in mind.

Personal tech budget & benefits

At Volcanic Minds, we understand that technology is fundamental to our daily lives and work. To ensure our team has the tools they need to perform their roles effectively, we offer a personal tech budget and benefits program.

Under this program:

• Senior employees (at least two years) receive a budget for purchasing tech devices such as laptops, smartphones, and tablets. This budget is renewed every two years based on specific tech needs.

• Newer team members are provided with all necessary tools, such as a laptop and software.

Additionally, our team enjoys the following benefits:

• Work flexibility: We understand the importance of work-life balance. We offer the flexibility to work remotely and provide paid time off to support this balance.

• Software and subscriptions: We offer access to a range of professional software and app subscriptions to help enhance productivity. We are also open to new proposals.

• Professional opportunities: We encourage our employees to develop their tech skills by offering tech events, training programs and workshops.

• Meal vouchers: We provide meal vouchers, allowing employees to enjoy meals at various restaurants or cafes. This benefit promotes convenience and flexibility in daily routines.

By doing so, we aim to create a supportive work environment that enables our employees to perform their roles effectively while fostering both their personal and professional growth.

Investment Time: open source, reading, e-learning

At Volcanic Minds, we recognize the importance of personal and professional development. We encourage our team to dedicate around 16 hours per month to activities that promote growth and well-being.

This includes exploring open-source resources and contributing to the community (we have amazing open-source projects), reading books and articles to deepen their knowledge, engaging in physical activities to boost health and energy, and participating in e-learning to expand their skills.

By investing time in these areas, our team members can bring their best selves to work and contribute to our mission of driving innovation and excellence. By prioritizing personal growth and well-being, we build a more resilient and successful team, positively impacting our clients and stakeholders.

Life balancing: free-paid time

We support a healthy work-life balance by providing a mix of paid and unpaid time off, enhancing job satisfaction, mental health, and productivity.

To support this balance, we’ve established the following days for recharging batteries:

• Birthdate: an extra paid day off.
• Mental health day: two paid days off, usable in spring or autumn.
• San Giovanni (patron saint of Turin): June 24th, a paid day off.
• Flexible days: up to three unpaid days off for personal development, cultural activities, or volunteering.

We ask employees to plan these days with their manager in advance to avoid any issues with clients, partners, or colleagues.

Leave days, vacation days

Company vacation days are a crucial employee benefit. We adhere to legal requirements and ensure our team receives their entitled leave days. Recognizing diverse needs and preferences, we do not mandate vacation days during specific periods like summer or winter breaks. Instead, we encourage planning time off in advance and collaborating with direct managers to meet business needs.

Transparency and flexibility are our key principles. This approach fosters a positive work environment where employees feel supported and valued.

Parting ways

Parting ways is tough but sometimes necessary. At Volcanic Minds, we aim to create a positive work environment where employees feel valued. However, when parting ways is inevitable, open and honest discussions are crucial to explore solutions. If it’s the best option, it must be handled professionally and empathetically, treating the departing employee with respect and dignity. Always discuss with your manager first, being transparent and honest.

Resignation occurs when an employee decides to leave. It’s essential to handle this professionally and respect their decision. We encourage open communication during this process to understand the reasons and provide support. We ensure a smooth transition by assisting with knowledge transfer, conducting exit interviews for feedback, and maintaining positive relationships for future collaborations. Adequate notice, as per company policy and legal requirements, is necessary.

Termination is the most serious form of parting ways, needed in cases of serious misconduct, poor performance, or policy violations. It should be handled with professionalism, empathy, sensitivity, and fairness. All termination decisions are based on valid reasons and adhere to company policies and legal requirements. We maintain a respectful relationship with former employees and wish them well in their future endeavors.