HubSpot has been a consistent presence on Glassdoor's Best Places To Work list over the last six years and was named the top place to work for 2020.
What's the company's secret to success? Feedback, flexibility, and adaptability.
Those three themes are common throughout the entire organization. They're needed to build a strong culture, they're needed for employees to succeed and grow, and they're needed as the company continues to expand and adjust to a diverse workforce.
HubSpot currently employs around 3,000 people globally. It is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts and has nine international offices including headquarters in Dublin, Ireland and Singapore.
Multiple Cultures Working Together As One
There is no one definition of workplace culture; it differs for every organization. This is especially true at HubSpot as each office has their own unique culture that grows organically.
Riley Stefano, HubSpot's Culture Content Creator, says the company works hard to instill its culture code and values in all its offices. But beyond that, it's up to each office to create its own culture.
Stefano says a quote from HubSpot Chief People Officer Katie Burke describes it best:
"She says our offices are really siblings, not twins, and everyone has their own culture within HubSpot's culture."
This also extends to HubSpot's large remote workforce. Not wanting to be limited by location, hiring the best sometimes means having a large workforce that works from home or remotely.
Stefano says the key to making this work is having the right technology and good communication. To that end, HubSpot has a remote work inclusion manager that will organize video yoga sessions or remote water cooler meetings, where remote workers can get to know each other and talk about projects they're working on.
"It's been really cool to see what [the remote work inclusion manager] has been able to build out and think outside of the box in making sure those employees feel included in the culture, but also have that aspect of having their own individual culture because of the unique challenges that come with working remotely," Stefano says.
HubSpot uses video conferencing to keep the lines of communication open between the offices and remote workforce. There are also internal Slack networks that allow everyone to communicate with each other, no matter where they are located.
Even those who are based in HubSpot's offices are given the opportunity to work remotely if they need to. The company is flexible with where people work, when they work, and also has an unlimited vacation policy.
Stefano says HubSpot wants its employees to focus more on the impact and results of their work, rather than the where and when.
"Our culture is built on the belief that the way people work and live today has changed and a lot of that is instilled in how we walk the walk on flexibility and remote work," she says. "We want our employees to build their work around their lives, not the other way around."
The Recipe For Success At HubSpot
As a leader in business to business marketing, sales and CRM software, the work environment can be fast-paced. Stefano says employees that succeed at HubSpot are the ones that share the same qualities of the company's key values, which are described as HEART: Humble, Empathetic, Adaptable, Remarkable, and Transparent.
Stefano says the company looks for these five values when they are interviewing candidates for employment.
"We're looking for a culture add, not necessarily a culture fit, where they're going to challenge our culture and help us keep adapting it," Stefano says
Once someone is employed at HubSpot, there are many opportunities for personal and professional growth, including multiple online learning platforms, that give both employees and management a chance to level up.
"We believe very strongly that no matter what level you're at in your career, there's always going to be room to grow," Stefano says.
HubSpot also offers a one-week mini-MBA program called Fellows, where HubSpot employees from around the world come to Cambridge to learn various leadership and critical thinking skills led by HubSpot's leadership team and Harvard Business School professors.The Perks And Benefits Of Working At HubSpot
Employee feedback is essential to creating the work environment and benefits at HubSpot. The company actively responds to every Glassdoor review and tracks employee feedback through internal networks and other software.
Among the robust benefits offered to employees is 16 weeks of paid paternity leave for primary caregivers and six weeks for secondary caregivers. In addition, the company offers financial support for women interested in freezing their eggs.
Employees also have the option to buy HubSpot stock at a discounted share price, and as invested owners in the company, employees are kept up to date about major company decisions.
"It makes you feel a responsibility to impact the company and make sure you're really helping it, because you're putting your own money into the company because you believe in it and want to see it succeed," Stefano says.
Those who have been with the company for five years are eligible for a four-week paid sabbatical. Many employees use the sabbatical to travel, learn new skills, or schedule major life events like weddings and honeymoons, according to Stefano.
Outside of the standard workplace benefits, HubSpot recognizes its employees' accomplishments often and likes to break up the workday with an occasional office celebration, where the workforce will celebrate cultural events, birthdays, anniversaries, or anything else worth celebrating.
HubSpot employees are also active participants in global Pride Parade celebrations such as those in Boston and Portsmouth, NH, and events surrounding International Women's Day.
"Ultimately our employees are the ones creating this culture and we're just doing what we can to make sure they're supported and empowered to do their best work in the environment that they feel best in," Stefano says.
Employees seem to appreciate the flexibility they're given at HubSpot.
"HubSpot has so many great things going for it—growth, flexibility, autonomy, and most importantly, the people! Everyone here is so passionate about what they do and it makes coming to work every day a joy," one employee wrote on Glassdoor.com
"The culture is so inclusive and welcoming and their words match their actions. I was skeptical if a company could really live up to the culture code HubSpot claims and turns out, HubSpot can! They say what they mean and mean what they say," another employee wrote on Glassdoor.
Want to know what it's like to work at HubSpot? Check out HubSpot's current openings on its careers page. Prospective employees can also check out the HubSpot blog for additional insight about the company and career advice.
"It's [the blog] meant to educate candidates and give them a full transparent look and view into what we expect out of candidates and also arm them with the tools and resources, so they have every resource they need to excel and exceed no matter where they go, whether that be HubSpot or anywhere else," Stefano says.
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