How Kin Helped A Digital Design and Strategy Firm Get Paperwork Out Of The Way
An interview with the team at Fresh Tilled Soilby Lindsay Sanders
Fresh Tilled Soil is full of design-obsessed user experience experts who partner with clients seeking innovative digital solutions to grow their business. Read on to learn more about how Fresh Tilled Soil works, what’s important to their culture, and how Kin helps them keep everything rolling.
Who are you, what’s your role, and your favorite hand-held food?
[EP] I’m Emily Powers, Director of Operations & Finance here at Fresh Tilled Soil. My favorite hand-held food is Belgian Frites.
What’s the story of Fresh Tilled Soil?
[EP] Fresh Tilled Soil is a digital design and strategy firm based in Watertown, MA. Our name is a metaphor for unearthing great potential. Our job is to work alongside our clients to imagine, sketch, design, wireframe, prototype, code, and test beautiful products for web and mobile – usually websites and applications. We are 11 years old and are currently a cozy team of 26.
What’s great about working at Fresh Tilled Soil?
[EP] Wow, big question for the person responsible for this department. We have an incredible wellness program which includes run club, cycling club, on-site massage, yoga, spontaneous planking, and team outings like hiking, BBQing, or enjoying a nice dinner out.
These types of perks, along with things like unlimited paid time off, parental leave, and workstations are all appreciated, but above all, it’s the culture that makes a company great to work for – at Fresh Tilled Soil we are empowered and trusted to do our best work whenever, wherever, without questions asked or red tape. This type of trust is hard to come by and makes this a truly great place to work.
Please share some insight into Fresh Tilled Soil’s approach to employee and workplace operations. How has Kin played a role?
[EP] We try to keep our HR/People Ops running like a well-oiled machine (doesn’t everyone?). We strive to have a clear system for those processes that are repeatable – for example, we have a 44 step onboarding process to bring someone onboard as smoothly as possible.
Kin has had a huge impact on the welcome our new hires receive. Before Kin, someone would show up and only maybe know who to talk to, or where to go, or how to handle paperwork. It was scary, believe me. Now, our new hires receive the incredible onboarding welcome email from Kin.
Through this tool, before they start with us they already know who we are, how we operate, who their teammates will be, what tools they’ll use, and oh yeah, their paperwork is all done before they even start. We also love Kin for goal-setting, check-ins, and never missing a birthday or workiversary, ever!
Anything notable going on lately?
[EP] We’ve just launched a new Objectives and Key Results (OKR) initiative which I’m really excited about. Our team is always asking the hard questions and questioning the norm. This means we are brimming with ideas and constantly testing new systems, processes, and products – we found it was getting a little chaotic with all these ideas and projects bouncing around! With our new OKR system, we pick just 1-2 Objectives to focus on per quarter as an entire company, then we set our key results or goals to ensure we have a clear goal post.
If someone has a great idea they’d like to pursue within the larger company objective for that quarter, great! If it doesn’t align with the objective, it will have to wait for a few months. This keeps us all super focused and rowing in the same direction
By Alex Yohn
Dec 9, 2016
Tracking last minute PTO requests could be a nightmare, but it doesn’t have to be. Regardless of how you track your PTO, there’s a trick or two you could use to better prepare you and your HR team to manage requests and get back to what the holidays are all about.
So you’re using a spreadsheet
Gosh. We’re really sorry. Just because you’re on using a spreadsheet, though, doesn’t mean that you can’t get your paid time off requests completed! First, make sure you get formal requests via email. This will cut down on actual paperwork and allow you to organize your dataset.
After you’ve set up a way to manage your requests, you’ll need to make sure you have the right formulas in your spreadsheet to calculate the right amount of PTO for each employee. Have you discovered which spreadsheet template covers all of your policies?
So you’re using a Word document
Word, doc! You’re using a Word doc! If you work in an office setting and you’re looking for a formal request off process, you could create a time off request form for each employee to print out, fill out, and drop off at your desk. This might actually be a more difficult process to go through if you’re already attempting to process time off and approve each instance. Are you using a Word doc to literally track the late minute PTO requests for each employee?
The best way to track last minute PTO requests in a Word doc would be to hope your information is accurate and use the shortcut ctrl+F (Windows) or ⌘+F (on MacOS). This shortcut lets you find information quickly in your document, and depending on the number of employees your company has, this will become your best friend!
So you’re using email
Email can be amazing! Right? Anyone? Okay, so most of us don’t really like email, we just use it because that’s how most companies communicate. Some do it better than others, what do you think of your company’s use of email? Either way, Rome wasn’t built in a day so if you’re a white knight riding to abolish the use of email in your company, today is not the day. You’ve got a lot of last minute PTO requests to process and you’re in luck!
Ask your employees to use a specific email subject line like, “Your Company Time Off Request for Claire Underwood”. That way, you could create inbox rules to manage your last minute PTO requests in quick succession. If your teams uses Gmail or Google for Business, Google lays out an easy way to set up rules for your inbox. If you’re using Outlook check here.
Regardless of what email client you use, you’ll see an option for “Subject”, be sure to type in the agreed upon email subject line, “Your Company Time Off Request For” (without the employees’ name), and all of your last minute PTO requests will show up in this folder!
So you’re using Kin
We created Kin with the idea that you and your team can chat inside of each topic on the platform and this includes time off. While normally you can see PTO requests and approvals at the bottom of the time off tab, you can use the comment section to relay messages directly to your employees. Just like you, they will get an email notification with the details of your message and a link directly to the time off tab in Kin. This will help give your employees the idea that getting their last minute PTO in the system as early as possible is a good thing!
So you’re using Kin and your company is all about email
One of the best things you could do is to prepare a small amount of your time to go through last minute PTO requests that come in after you wish they wouldn’t, and separate your inbox to focus solely on the time off requests so that you can get back to your happy holidays.If your teams
Refer to the “So you’re using email” section to learn how to set up inbox rules. Because Kin sends you an email for each last minute PTO request, you can set up a rule to have all of the emails with the phrase “Kin time-off” placed in a special folder. When you open the menu to create the rule, look for the option for “has the words”, be sure to put “Kin time-off”, and in the last step create a folder where all of your kin PTO request notifications will show up.
Creating a separate folder for time-off requests helps you log in to manage the approvals for late-to-the-party employees and without being distracted from the other emails in your inbox. You don’t need to read the daily news headlines or see whether or not that item you made a bid for on eBay is yours (who shops for themselves during the holidays?).
Track your last minute PTO requests but breathe first
Whatever platform you’re using, if you plan a way to manage your company’s last minute PTO requests, you’ll be in better shape than if you hadn’t made a plan. You’ll most likely get last minute requests, even later requests, and some requests day-of. What’s important is making sure you understand your policies and put a plan together so that come December 26, you’ll have peace of mind.
By Alex Yohn
Dec 7, 2016
Much like people, if your small business doesn’t prepare for success, it won’t find it. Just because it’s December doesn’t mean it’s not too late to prep for a great 2017!
Here are five steps for small business success in 2017, three before you pop champagne on New Year’s Eve and two before the last sunset of the summer.
Run an audit on 2016
How can you move forward if you don’t know where you are? Did you double your revenue and need to grow your team or was your bottom line in the red until Q4? Did you develop a more inclusive team with a variety of needed personality and culture or are you in need of a reorg?
While these conversations are difficult to have, meeting with your stakeholders and evaluating where your small business is right now will prove to be beneficial to step two. The goal here is to be honest about what happened in 2016, versus picking the top numbers and celebrating them. By giving yourself the opportunity to have a clear understanding of what happened in 2016 (the good, bad and the ugly), you’ll have a better path to success in 2017.
Start 2017 with a vision
Just because you’re a small business doesn’t mean you shouldn’t think big. Whether the visionary is you, a partner or another stakeholder, this person is a key player in every small business.
Down. Break your vision down, into S.M.A.R.T. goals. If you’re unfamiliar with the S.M.A.R.T. goal strategy, read this first.
The basic idea of S.M.A.R.T. goals are that they are:
Specific (simple, sensible, significant)
Measurable (meaningful, motivating)
Achievable (agreed, attainable)
Relevant (reasonable, realistic and resourced, results-based)
Time bound (time-based, time limited, time/cost limited, timely, time-sensitive)
As you break down your vision, can you say that every big movement can be measured by the above? If not, then it probably isn’t going to be something you can easily track and achieve over the next year. That doesn’t mean it’s not worth doing, but you should be aware that goals that cannot be mapped out like this often do not get achieved.
The best way to move through this stage is to identify stakeholders on your team who can reverse engineer your vision statement so that your team can work every day to achieve your 2017 vision. Now for a brief break from the steps!
*HAPPY NEW YEAR!* (cheers)
Walk the walk
Welcome to 2017! It might sound a little obvious, but actually going through with your plan is what will make your 2017 successful. This requires you and your team to work on the day-to-day execution of your S.M.A.R.T. goals while keeping your vision in mind. Ideally, you would have planned a kick-off meeting in 2016 for after the new year to keep yourself on track. From there, you would be able to break out several small tasks to get things going and really blow 2017 away.
But we’re not done yet! The last step has proven to be the Achilles heel of businesses big and small.
Evaluate your progress
Checking in on your goals, your progress, and environmental changes are keys to success. With the metrics you’ve set through S.M.A.R.T. goal setting, you have everything you need to check in whenever necessary. Ideally, you’ll want to plan for progress check-in’s, be it monthly, quarterly or bi-annually. Remember, larger goals will take time (don’t assign yourself all of your goals in Q1!), but should be monitored in case you need to course correct.
2017, much like each year before it, will have a list of unknowns, in your life, in your business, or in the country you do business in. It’s important to evaluate and reevaluate your progress so that you can adapt your plan. Failing to adapt to changes outside of your control could line you up behind these businesses.
Own it
Your small business’ success in 2017 falls on the shoulders of everyone who works with you. Auditing your current year, creating a vision, developing a breakdown into S.M.A.R.T goals, actually going through with your plan, and checking in on your progress holds your small business accountable.
Whether or not you accomplish all of your goals, next December when you begin to audit your 2017 and prep for 2018, you’ll be in a much better position to succeed again.
By Alex Yohn
Dec 5, 2016
You’ve picked your Secret Santa name and now you’re drawing a blank. It can be tough to shop for colleagues – even if you’re close to them. What’s appropriate as a gift for a friend, may not be for a co-worker. There’s also office dynamics to think about – what do you get for the co-worker who just started this week? Or what do you get for the co-worker who just put in their resignation notice?
We’re here to help.
That’s right, the Kin team is made up of pretty awesome gift-givers (all self-proclaimed). With a few helpful hints from us, you’ll be well on your way to picking out the perfect gift!
Here are some gifts we’d love to give or receive. The best part? They’re all under $25. Check them out below.
For the co-worker who loves adventure
When we saw this, we immediately clicked “Add To Cart.”
The Scratch Map World Travel edition lets your wanderlust co-worker keep track of where they’ve been by scratching off the countries lottery-ticket style. They can also keep detailed records of their past travel, and plan their next big adventure, too.
Now, before you get upset because we recommended oatmeal cookies, which are traditionally known as the ‘fake-out’ cookie of Cookie Land (are those raisins or are they chocolate chips?), we promise you, these are some of the best cookies we’ve ever had.
The kit from Bouchon Bakery makes up to 12 large cookies and sports some really fancy ingredients, including Nielsen-Massey vanilla and Korintje cinnamon.
For the co-worker who just started at your company
Starting a new position calls for celebration. While you may not know much about the co-worker, it’s a safe bet they enjoy candy. SugarSin’s Prosecco Gummies give you the best of both worlds: A little celebration bubbly and some sweet candy wrapped into one. And yes, they’re non-alcoholic.
For the co-worker who just put in their two-week notice
It’s always sad to see one of your favorite co-workers leave, even if they’re headed to a great new opportunity. There’s no doubt they are excited to take on new challenges, but chances are they’re a bit anxious about change. Give them the little boost of confidence they need with a great print to hang in their new office.
For the co-worker who is always traveling for business
It can be tough to be on the road more often than not, and this gift will help make it a little easier.
These little cocktail kits have your business traveler ready to enjoy a nice drink mid-flight. All they need to do is add the alcohol. Choose from several classic cocktails, including Old Fashioneds, Moscow Mules and Gin and Tonics.
Have a co-worker you love to geek out with? Get them to next-level geekdom with this great collection of mini-essays that bridge the gap between intellectualism and pop culture.
Could there be a mug greater than this for the guy who understands what it takes to create an excellent beard? We think not. Let him celebrate in style with this amazing cup.
Throughout our recent searches for remote junior developers, we’ve received hundreds of job applications. On one hand, it’s great – we love knowing that so many people are interested in working for us. On the other hand, we see a lot of common mistakes made over and over.
After checking out the applications, I’ve discovered that, for some people, there is definitely room for improvement. For folks applying to work with our company or other small companies like ours, here are some tips to consider before you submit your next job application:
Before you apply
Before you invest time and emotional energy in applying for a job, carefully consider whether you are qualified for that job. At our company, we try to be very clear in our job posts about our firm requirements or minimum qualifications. So, when we get applications from folks who aren’t legally able to work from the United States (a current requirement for our company) or who have two months of professional experience when we were looking for two years, it’s disappointing but we have to immediately disqualify them.
When you’re reading a job listing, pay special attention to the requirements that are deal breakers versus those that are just preferred. Save your energy and apply only for jobs that really fit you.
Know your audience
When you’re addressing a cover letter to go along with your resume, consider your audience. For example, our entire company across the brands is only 30-ish people. We don’t have a hiring manager, and we don’t work with recruiters. The person reading your application is me- a regular person and fellow developer. Something like “Dear hiring manager” or “To whom it may concern” might be the right address for a larger company, but for us, something like “Dear Kin team” or simply “Hello” would be more appropriate and personable. No matter the company, a gendered address like “Dear sirs” is simply never appropriate.
We are all human
Overall in your writing, focus on speaking naturally. Don’t lean on formulaic cover letter phrases that you might find by frantically Googling “how to write a cover letter”. In an effort to be formal, the language in sample cover letters can become so twisted that it loses all meaning. When would you ever say out loud, “I read with great interest your posting for a Junior Developer”? If you wouldn’t say it, don’t write it. Instead, speak in your own words. Be clear and concise, and take the opportunity to show a bit of your authentic personality.
Show me
As John Hodgman says, “specificity is the soul of narrative”.
Instead of stating, “My skills and experience are a perfect fit for this position.”, describe some specific examples of how your skill set or past work experience aligns with the job description, and let me decide if you are a perfect fit from my own perspective.
Many will enter. Few will win.
Most job searches end with one person being hired and many others facing the disappointment of rejection. If you don’t get through to the next stage of the interview process, take a breath and remind yourself that you are not alone. The person on the other end of the search is vetting your experience and skill set, trying to assess whether you will fit within the team’s culture, and ensuring that the role can give you what you want too. Finding a match that will ultimately lead to a productive and fulfilled teammate is not an exact science.
The best thing you can do is apply for jobs you feel qualified for, start out on a good foot with an appropriate address, and be authentic, concise, and humble in your application.
By Alex Yohn
Oct 20, 2016
This is the final article in a multi-part series about offering paid time-off in small businesses (Check out the first and second article here). This article looks at how small businesses can use innovative approaches to time off to engage employees.
In the past, Americans enjoyed taking more than an average of 20.3 days of vacation each year. But that started to change in 2000, when vacation usage began a steady decline. According to the 2016 State of American Vacation report, in 2015 American workers used on average 16.2 days of their 21.5 earned days of vacation.
According to the Society for Human Resource Management, 46 percent of small businesses offer less than ten paid vacation days per year. Regardless of the number of days employees receive as part of their paid time off benefits, why aren’t they using the vacation days they’ve earned? Data collected by Project Time Off indicates a variety of reasons for this behavior:
Time-off models need to meet the needs of employees as well as employers. It shouldn’t break the business if an employee takes a few days off, and the time away should positively impact the employee’s well-being.
When looking at the data about the number of unused vacation days, it may be tempting for an employer to think that unused vacation is a good thing – more time to finish projects and deliver results. But the opposite is true.
Employees may not use time off, but that doesn’t mean they don’t want it.
As we mentioned in the first article of this series, employees may not use all of their time-off but according to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), when it comes to what employees want from their employer, time-off “ranks near the top of employees’ preferences even above cash bonuses, modest raises, and future career advancement.”
“If you look at the ingredients of a satisfying life, what our data show is that people are shortchanging themselves in the areas that may be most important,” said Erik Helzer, assistant professor at Johns Hopkins Carey Business School. “The lesson is that you have to be intentional in carving out the time you want for the things that you want.”
In fact, 80 percent of employees surveyed in the 2016 State of American Vacation report said that if they “felt fully supported and encouraged by their boss,” they would take more time off.
Small businesses can get creative about flexible work options.
While small businesses may not be able to offer employees 21.5 days of paid time off, or guaranteed days off during the holidays, these companies may be able to offer other flexible schedule and time-related benefits for employees that will help increase engagement and overall employee satisfaction.
Examples of other “time off” benefits include allowing employees to:
• Telecommute on a regular basis
• Leave early for personal and family obligations
• Work a flex schedule (e.g., four ten-hour days)
For small businesses with smaller employee populations, managing these types of flexible arrangements may be easier than including a huge number of paid time-off days as part of their benefits plan, or dealing with the difficulty of covering employee work when they take time off for a holiday or vacation.
In a small business environment, it’s difficult when employees are not at work. There’s often no extra help, and someone being away from the office can impact the bottom line. If your business doesn’t face much competition when trying to hire new staff, not offering a lot of paid time off may not be an issue. However, if an organization is competing for top talent, attractive benefits package which includes paid time off (or the flexible work options mentioned above) is paramount.
Paid time-off attracts top talent and engages employees.
Aside from attracting talent, employee wellness is also an important consideration when it comes to paid time-off. Employees need breaks, time away from work, and the ability to recharge in order to do their best work.
“When I was in my 20s I worked for a European company that gave us five weeks of vacation per year, with one week mandatory between Christmas and New Year’s Day,” says Paul Trowe, CEO of Replay Games.
“The company put my health and happiness over the job because they had a serious interest in my well-being. They told me flat out that if I was a happy and healthy employee, then the company would be happy and healthy.”
Now Trowe extends the same paid time-off benefit to the 35 employees in his company. Employees at Replay Games receive five weeks of vacation, with one week of mandatory vacation between Christmas and the New Year.
Time off is a two-way street.
Communicate that time off and flexibility is a benefit you offer and a way you’re helping employees create balance in their lives. That time away has a positive impact on job satisfaction, retention, and even overall engagement. But the arrangement must be mutually beneficial. As you invest in providing these options for employees, they need to invest in the company mission and perform at a high level so that company can continue to deliver results.
When employees can take paid time off from work, they return feeling renewed, refreshed and ready to contribute to the organization. If a small business thoroughly examines the options, creates a plan that works for the business and employees, and tracks time off in an efficient system such as Kin’s online platform, everyone will reap the rewards.
