I recently came across a thought-provoking quote: “When an employee leaves the company for a better salary, they might return for the culture. But, if they leave because of the culture, they will never return even with a better salary”. It reminded me why I’m such a passionate advocate of company culture as the no.1 most important benefit to motivate employees for long-term tenure. No number of pizza parties can ever make up for dreading Mondays and daydreaming about being anywhere besides the office.

I’m Maja, a Talent Acquisition Partner at ICEO, and those who follow my posts on LinkedIn have already noticed how much I’ve been gushing about my incredible luck when it comes to working with the people at ICEO Venture Builder. I’ve been passionate about ICEO's culture even before I officially joined the TA team—starting with my interview process. Six months later, my enthusiasm hasn’t waned; it’s only grown stronger.

In fact, my admiration for our company culture has deepened, and I’m eager to share my honest reflections with you. One of my favourite questions to ask candidates is, “Can you briefly explain your company culture?” I’m not sure if I’ve ever been brief in my life, but I’ll try to summarise my answer below. I believe every future member of the ICEO team would appreciate an honest sneak peek into one of the crucial factors when choosing a new position.

1. Code is Not the Only Thing We Share

If you were to seek the antithesis of Smaug – the gold-hoarding dragon from The Hobbit – ICEO would be it. No one, in any department or project, hoards knowledge or expertise. Quite the contrary, I’ve observed everyone eagerly sharing newly discovered tools, information, software, and insights. There is a palpable sense of collective ambition for mutual growth – both as individuals and as a company. At ICEO, no question or plea for assistance goes unnoticed or ignored.

2. Nurturing Talent Beyond Acquisition

I’ve likely written the most about the people I work closely with daily – my phenomenal Talent Acquisition team (if you don’t believe me just scroll down my LinkedIn posts ). We fit together like pieces of a puzzle not because we are so alike, but because we complement each other with our differences in skills and characters. Most importantly, I can vouch for all my teammates to be genuinely caring human beings, going above and beyond to provide the best possible candidate experience – even when deadlines would suggest otherwise.

3. VIP Onboarding Process

I use the term "VIP" intentionally, as my onboarding experience was unlike anything I have encountered in my career. It felt akin to being a rock star lifted by the audience and safely returned to the stage. The process was exhilarating yet meticulously organised, ensuring a smooth transition into the company from day one. Before starting, I received detailed agendas for what my first few days at ICEO would look like. The first two weeks were packed with warm welcomes from key members of my team and any information I needed, setting me up to ensure that I was ready to hit the ground running.

4. Embracing Neurodiversity

At ICEO, we celebrate the fact that everyone’s mind works differently, recognising this diversity as one of our greatest strengths. We value unique perspectives and ideas as diversity drives innovation. We strive to create an environment where everyone feels comfortable and supported, accommodating individual needs to optimise workflow.

5. Burn? OUT!

We offer an impressive 38 days of paid time off in addition to 14 sick leave days, and ICEO actively encourages employees to utilise these benefits. Work-life balance is a top priority, and we urge our team members to rest and recharge as needed—no overtime and no disturbances during time off. Whether you need to run an errand, care for your children, or simply take a breather, you will never be judged for prioritising your well-being. We strive for long-term and healthy collaborations.

6. You Are Seen and Heard

People at ICEO genuinely want to get to know the real you – your dreams, aspirations, hobbies, and hopes for your future career. In-person meetings at our company retreat were especially enriching. There was no overbearing hierarchy; I could converse with everyone as an equal, joke, laugh, and be my authentic self. I forged remarkable connections with hiring managers and even built actual friendships, which only enhanced our collaborative success.

When I say "Heard," I truly mean it. Whenever we needed additional software or tools to streamline our work, our requests were met with not only speedy responses but prompt action.

7. Honesty and Respect at Our Core

I’ve lost count of the number of times candidates have praised us for the detailed and candid feedback we provide. We invest significant time in offering comprehensive feedback that we hope will assist candidates in their future career endeavours (in instances where they did not continue the process with us). Our surveys reflect the same satisfaction with our transparent processes and humane treatment from beginning to end – irrespective of the final outcome.

I hope, dearest readers, that you enjoyed my reflections on the journey I’ve had so far at ICEO, and I hope whoever joins our ICEO team in the future feels as excited as I do to have found their “work home”. Don’t forget to check out our current career opportunities. Who knows? Your application might just land in my inbox, and we’ll get the chance to connect. Join us and be part of a team that values genuine connections and collaborative success.