Employee Handbook on Olark

Async Flexible Work & No Meeting Wednesdays

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What Are our Approaches?

Olark is a fully remote company, spread across several time zones in the US and Canada. (And we’ve been remote since the very beginning. Awesome, no?) We work asynchronously with shared processes whenever possible to #make great things happen and collaborate with our amazing teammates. We’ve also built in No Meeting Wednesdays every week.

The Why:

We think that allowing for async work maximizes Olarker productivity and motivation, while using the same tools and processes keeps us on the same page. Let’s face it, we all do better work when we’re on our optimal schedules! And having one day dedicated to heads-down projects gives everyone more time to concentrate.

Take a Break - Breather Week & Holiday Break

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What’s a Breather Week?

The first week of every quarter, Olark takes a “Breather Week.” (We work in quarterly sprints, so we structure our time in quarters.) We work less during Breather Week—or not at all—taking a literal breather to reset, get organized, or dive into a passion project! There are no team-wide meetings and each Olarker gets to choose how to spend it.

We also have a two-week company holiday break from the last week of December through the first week of January.

Flexible Time Off

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What’s Flexible Time Off (FTO)?

FTO is Olark’s version of paid time off, and can be used for your vacation or personal days. The cool part: It’s flexible, so with approval from your manager, you can step away for other needs (or fun) in life!

The Why:

One of our core values is #chill and we really mean that. We believe in fostering a healthy work-life balance and empowering you to manage your time in a way that best suits your personal and professional needs.

Coworking/Co-living Support

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What’s our Policy?

We offer a stipend up to $500 a month for Olarkers to use towards a coworking space or a co-living program. Part of the joy of working remotely can be working from new places. No need to stay in your home office the whole year (unless you want to, in which case we’re in full support!).

The Why:

We are a fully remote company, and we have always been remote-first. Back when we did have a few offices, they were mostly used for hangouts and lunches :) We live (and love) our remote focus. As part of this, we know a huge advantage to working remotely is being able to travel, move, try out international programs, and in general have the freedom to live your life in a way that best fits your needs. It’s a part of us #helping each other grow. Go enjoy the world!

Parental Leave - USA

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What’s our Policy?

Olark offers up to 12 weeks of fully paid parental leave for birth, bonding, and adoption.

The Why:

Becoming a new parent is such an exciting journey! We want to fully support each Olarker entering into this phase of life.

Fun fact: Did you know that both of our founders took parental leave at the same time, when their children were born a few months apart?

In a Nutshell:

Are you welcoming a new little one into your life? Let us know! We’ll work together with your manager to create a parental leave plan that works best for your needs. You’ll receive full pay and continuation in our benefits program (if enrolled) for 12 weeks. Simple as that!

Professional Development & Wellness Budget

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What’s our Policy?

To help spark professional growth and encourage self-care, every Olarker has $2,000 to spend each year on professional development and/or wellness needs.

The Why:

At Olark we want to #help each other grow professionally and as people. We each have something to offer, and with this budget, you can grow and develop in a way that’s most meaningful to you!

In a Nutshell:

You can allocate your yearly budget for career development classes, books, wellness tools, gym memberships, and more! Once you’ve decided, just get approval from your manager and/or People Ops, submit for reimbursement, and you’re all set.

Departures - Mutual Exit

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What’s our Approach?

Leaving your job seems to be a taboo topic for many organizations internally. More often than not, it’s not in your best interest to disclose that you are ready to move on to another adventure. Some organizations would make your work more difficult. We don’t believe in that kind of process.

We #assume good faith and #practice empathy instead. If you’ve decided to leave Olark, you can choose to do so with our “mutual exit” process.

Why Did We Become a B Corp?

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

We’d love to tell you.

Olark has always been staffed by mission-driven folks. Many Olarkers have previously worked in customer support, nonprofits, universities, and the like. It’s likely due in part to this that our business has always focused on people-forward policies and culture.

A few years ago, we started thinking about what it means to become a B Corporation. B Corp certification is a stamp of sorts, an indicator that the company has gone through a rigorous certification process of their policies as it relates to customers, the environment, and staff. If you notice that little B with a circle symbol on a brand’s materials, you can assume that the company cares about their people.

Charitable Donation Matching & Day of Volunteering

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What’s the Deal?

Excited to help your community and give to causes you believe in? We thought you might be. You’re in luck, because Olark offers Charitable Donation Matching and an Annual Day of Volunteering!

The Why:

At Olark, we value #practicing empathy both in our organization and in the communities we serve. We want to empower every Olarker to do the same, and we love making a difference.

In a Nutshell:

Each calendar year, we will match an Olarker’s donations—up to $1,000 total—to any qualified 501c3 (or international equivalent) charitable organizations**. **(Part-timers get a match of $500.)

Gifting Olarkers - Gnome Program

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What’s the Gnome Program?

We have secret Gnomes (or Gnomies) in our team who send out treats from time to time. These can be in the form of sweet or salty treats, gift certificates, donations to charities, or other presents.

The Why:

We not only want to support, thank, highlight, and celebrate Olarkers, but also add some fun and mystery to our days! And it’s a form of #chill that recharges us and reminds us to play. Can things really be too serious when Gnomes are running around? We think not.

Vacation Bonus

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What is the Policy?

Every year, as long as you take at least 5 consecutive days off work to unplug from Olark, you get a $1,000 bonus!

The Why:

As part of our commitment to #chill we encourage every Olarker to take some much needed time off throughout the year to rest, relax, and recharge. We want Olarkers to have lives outside of Olark, and to help make taking time off a little more rewarding, we offer a vacation bonus every year!