The type of organisation you work for is as essential as the position itself. You have to be aware of the circumstances surrounding both startups and corporations. Startups are young, innovative, collaborative, and fast-paced. Corporations are slow-moving, formal, hierarchical and follow a specific procedure. There are benefits to both as a professional in the Software Development industry. So how do you choose between the two? The key is finding a work environment in which you will thrive. Let’s Explore!
STARTUP CULTURE
A startup culture is a workplace environment that values creative problem-solving, open communication and a flat hierarchy. Software development startups are newly formed companies with little experience facing high technology volatility. These companies develop software under uncertain conditions, addressing fast-growing markets under extreme lack of resources. However, startup environments are vigorous, incalculable, fail fast, and learn faster, urging leaders to find a market niche quickly and obtain a sustainable income.
Startups quickly grow from five to twenty employees; if you’re not calculative enough while setting up this culture, you might lose control of it.
- Startups offer an environment where employees overgrow in a short period. A startup company may hire you for one role and immediately find yourself doing half a dozen different things that the company depends on. Don’t expect to leave the office at five; there is much work and fewer people than in established companies. The startup culture has the character of being freewheeling and antagonistic.
- In startups, employees usually prefer using technologies such as problem reporting, tracking and planning systems or notification systems that can quickly make room for change in the product and management. Easy-to-implement tools like communication tools, whiteboards and tech that handle fast-paced changing information lower the startup’s training and maintenance costs.
- Employees’ contributions at startups are extensively recognised, whether individually or on a team basis. Since a startup business is usually tiny, employees’ inputs and efforts are readily acknowledged and accepted, which is not the case with corporate culture. Employees at startups gain an initial accomplishment that opens the way for further developments in the business and are well-positioned to move to the next level.
- In startups, process management is agile and evolutionary and exploits immediate opportunities regardless of planning or principle. Process management symbolises all the activities used to control product development in a startup business. Since there is a need to make room for frequent changes in a startup context, agile methodologies have been examined to be the most practical. An agile methodology is a repetitive approach to product development performed collaboratively by self-organising teams. The method produces high-quality software cost-effectively and timely to meet stakeholders’ changing needs.
Action tip: Take on projects while considering the company’s future. In startups, there is usually a lot to do, making it easy for you to multitask to the extent that you forget to prioritise the company’s future. Remind yourself where you want the company to be in a few years and attempt to execute projects that will ensure a bright future for the company.
How do you know which environment you’ll prosper in? There are significant considerations you should mind before deciding which environment to join. These factors indicate which culture best suits your personality.
Here are three indications to have in mind when choosing a startup culture.
You prefer an Ever-Changing Work Environment
Startups themselves move quickly. As a developer, you will take on more roles than the role you were hired for after a few months. You’re likely to find your responsibilities shifting at a moment’s notice. Something that will help you pick up new skills. This means working through uncertainty, being flexible and embracing change. If this excites you, a startup might be a good choice.
You love taking on responsibility
A minor team means taking on more responsibility and the flexibility to participate in different projects. In an early-stage startup, you have a lot of responsibility—not only to execute your duties as a developer but to take responsibility for the duties of your teammates or the team fails. With the ability to work in a startup culture comes the opportunity of advancing quickly. Suppose well-stated roles and responsibilities are more of your thing. In that case, you might consider pursuing a corporate culture where your part is less visible.
You have passion for your work
Thriving in a startup environment is quite difficult. In a new venture, teams tend to be small and have tight budgets. Forcing many employees to carry on as many responsibilities as possible and perform various tasks, often without commensurate compensation. It takes someone passionate enough to work in a startup culture; if you’re not, try joining a corporate culture.
CORPORATE CULTURE
Corporate culture is a more structured, formal and narrative approach that guides how employees act, feel and think. Software Development Companies with a corporate culture usually stick to their established methods of doing things, are slow-moving, follow a hierarchy and focus on productivity. Companies reflect corporate culture through hiring and promoting employees, operating their duties, or stating it in their corporate mission statement. Such as defining themselves with a unique set of values like an innovative or tech company.
- Corporate culture is vital to the success of every organisation. Software development companies with a solid corporate culture pull more and better candidates and drive the performance of the current employees. Suppose developers work in a positive, formal, focused productivity environment with clear purpose and responsibilities. In that case, they can easily centre their input on achieving individual and company goals.
- Workspace timing and duration are part of the corporate culture. Companies under corporate culture have clear, convenient and fixed schedules for their employees. Therefore, developers work for a limited number of hours and get compensated if they toil for extra hours.
- Corporate culture enhances a company’s performance. Optimising performance guarantees that a company acquires the best out of the employees it hires. With such a culture in place, developers are focused and goal-oriented and aim their input and efforts toward achieving the company’s goals. In corporate culture, through the principles of hierarchy and leadership, developers can obtain all the necessary equipment required for the execution of their duties. This drives enhanced performance and increases quality leading to growth in the company.
- Implementing corporate culture in an organisation takes time and requires patience. For developers to fully understand and appreciate this structured, formal, slow-moving and narrative approach, continuous training and learning must be provided. Lessons can be conducted during orientation, living or working by example and ensure that developers put learning as a priority. This helps grow the company’s corporate culture.
- Action tip: Keep the lines of communication open, be in touch and share regular updates with fellow employees. Make sure you update your fellow staff on the ongoing and forthcoming changes, avoid dictating change, and work together to achieve company goals. Be more open to your fellow employee feedback, acknowledge concerns and address matters.
Corporate culture could be good for you if:
You love balancing work and home life
Corporate culture is best for you if you value your work and home life. Corporate environments offer roles with a time limit, such as working from nine to five daily. Meaning you can spend some time with the family, which is not the case in a startup culture where resources and staff are limited; therefore, working longer or extra hours is a norm.
You prioritise compensation over passion
Companies under corporate culture have more stable compensation packages compared to startups. A corporation’s competitive salaries and benefits packages such as health insurance, paid time off, accommodation, and transport are catered for. Importantly, it’s a choice about your priorities. Are you willing to accept a lower salary to pursue your passions? Is financial stability a priority right now?
Conclusion
Software developers must choose the type of culture they want to work in, whether in a startup or corporate culture. Suppose a developer is interested in taking on more responsibility, working for extra hours without pay or being passionate about what they do. In that case, the developer should join a startup culture. Corporate culture will suit a developer who prioritises financial stability or values a structured approach to work.
