7y
Thank you for taking the time to provide feedback.
The systems FAST implements effect millions of people and play a part in government becoming more effective and efficient. The software and tools are made to implement on-time and on-budget in environments that are radically changing daily. If you find this type of work dull, FAST may not be a good fit for you.
FAST is fertile ground for learning skills that are useful in any career: problem-solving, critical thinking, client and relationship management, business and technology consulting, project management, system architecting and technical design, coding. All of these are “transferable skills”.
FAST rewards employees based on merit. At FAST, neither titles or length of employment drive rewards and opportunities. Work hard, work smart, deliver quality, continually improve—focus on these things and the career opportunities and experiences will be there. If an employee does not see deserved growth, it is important to communicate with their manager, PM, and/or HR and develop a strategy for achieving their goals.
Regarding overtime, FAST Project Managers are responsible for assigning work to their teams. We trust that FASTies will put in the work needed to get the job done and sometimes this will require overtime. Different activities require different time commitments, so work hours will ebb and flow, even between employees on the same project. In all cases, FASTies are compensated for all the hours they work. We appreciate that everyone needs time to rest and re-energize. If a FASTie feels they need that break or they need to be challenged more, we encourage them to speak openly with their supervisor, HR or a Partner.
FAST has clear coding standards built around consistency and quality for our clients. We also have individuals who care greatly about what they do, and we encourage opinions and suggestions for healthy discussion around what is best for each client. This may mean two individuals disagree on a solution. However, if both parties are given the necessary information on both FAST standards and the clients’ needs and still disagree, there are an abundance of experienced FASTies who can share their experience from similar situations on past projects. FAST encourages discussion and collaboration to deliver the best solutions to our clients within our scheduled timelines.
Addressing your advice to “provide a more discreet channel of feedback for leads, architects and management”: this is something we have in place. Feedback should be 360 degrees. In addition to having conversations with one another, employees can provide feedback to their team leads and managers through our system. This process, however, is not intended to act as an alternative to having direct conversations with one another throughout the year.