Pros
There are several that I will list below, but to me, there is one aspect above all others that has led to all the rest. Appian Engineering has internalized the mantra of "continual improvement" and combined it with the overall company mantra of being a meritocracy.
What this means is that everyone feels not only empowered to suggest improvements, but actually feels responsible for doing so...and those ideas are listened to regardless of where they come from. This has resulted in a slew of micro-improvements in a bunch of areas that add up over time to create an amazing place to work. Some of these incremental improvements, combined with a focus on hiring talented, generous, and collaborative people, have resulted in:
- Managers who are focused on your growth and development, not your tasks
- Team members who are always willing to help instead of protecting their own interests
- Processes that are lean, useful, and have clear value, not just "that's how we do things here"
- Upper management that is open to new ideas and always gathering feedback from all levels to help them avoid becoming myopic
- Sustainable practices to increase employee retention and maintain high quality by minimizing overtime , employee burnout, and compounding tech debt
- High quality equipment (MacBook Pro, curved widescreen monitor, aeron chair, etc.)
- A culture of learning, with specific time set aside for everyone to focus on learning (Learning Time) and on small projects of their own choosing (Indie Time)
- Career paths and promotion process that is fair and provides opportunities for a wide variety of options
I could probably keep going for a while, but you get the point...the most important thing to note is that I love coming to work every day!
Cons
It is very common to feel like you are the dumbest person in the room or to be afraid that you can't keep up. With so many smart people around you every day, it is a very humbling experience - especially if you have gotten used to being at the top of your class or team in the past. Fortunately, there are almost no big egos and everyone is willing to teach others, but it is hard not to feel dumb at least some of the time.
The benefits package is slightly on the weak side, although the new Flexible PTO policy is an improvement over the previous below-average PTO policy.
Team workspaces are fantastic for collaboration and the designs for the new Valo Park campus will add much needed quiet and meeting spaces, but there is no sound barrier between teams and that can become distracting.
