Overview

Better (Prev: Jalan Technologies) is an AI powered software development agency and build web, mobile and custom applications with solid engineering foundations. We are preferred agency by top notch entrepreneurs, enterprises and ventured backed startups.

Unlike 99% of agency-built software that struggles with poor foundations, leading to costly rebuilds and bug-ridden iterations, we prioritise creating a rock-solid technical base from the start. This ensures smoother scaling and easier future development. Over the last 7 years, we’ve had the privilege of working with bootstrapped companies that have gone on to generate over $100M in revenue, as well as unicorns and startups backed by Techstars, top VCs like Andreessen Horowitz, and executives from industry giants like Apple and Google.

If you're tired of software that can’t keep up with your growth, we are here to deliver a product with a foundation you can trust.

The rest of the document talks about our values and how we operate. If you have any feedback on how we can improve, please write to Jai at jjalan@bettrhq.com

Mission

Help businesses win by providing best engineering talent and technology solutions.

Values

Over time, we have realized that we cannot serve our customers if we are not operating individually and as a company, without these values:

• Honesty: Being honest is the only way to become trustworthy and be reliable to your team and your clients. If you are stuck, going through rough time or made a mistake, speak up. It's always the right thing to do.
• Independent: We look for people, who can solve problems and work independently. We are not good at handholding.
• Passionate: Be passionate about what you do. If you are not, you will not succeed. We enjoy working with passionate people. If you stopped enjoying what you do, talk to your manager.
• Delivering commitments on time: Commit. Deliver. It is almost impossible to run a company if your team members and your clients cannot rely on you.
• Strong work ethics: Work matters. It puts food on the table as well as bring meaning to our life. If you are working with us, bring your A game. If you are considering freelance or work part-time with other firms along with a full-time job with us, please talk to your manager beforehand. In our experience, this almost never works. If you want to broaden your horizon, talk to your manager. We often encourage giving back to the community and can help you identify right open source projects to contribute.
• Do not give up: From time to time, you will find yourself in a situation that may be out of your comfort zone. Do not give up. Ever. Push yourself and you will win.
• Team player: Appreciate if someone did well. Help them improve by giving them constructive feedback when you see an opportunity for your team members to grow.

Working at Better

We are 100% remote company. The goal behind this decision is to empower team members to do what they do their best, from wherever they do. Following policies are designed so that flexibility is met with accountability to ensure we continue to serve our customers to the best of our abilities.

Delivering on Commitments

We expect you to achieve atleast 80% (ideally 100%) of your commitments to perfection. We believe that going below 80% of our commitments is often perceived as poor quality of service.

• If you are an engineer, you are expected to release sprint tasks to production
• If you are into marketing, you are expected to release your weekly tasks
• If you are into recruitment, you are expected to acheive mutually agreed recruitment goals

If you are not clear on your tasks or how to quantify 80%, be proactive and talk to your manager.

Collaboration & Working Hours

While it is important that each team member has flexibility to work at times that work best for them, it is also important that they have effective collaboration hours with their immediate team members.

• Working Hours: Set your working hours (and keep it up to date) in your status message on MS teams, ensure a minimum of 4 overlapping hours with team's collaboration hours. Please be online and available during work hours. It is generally considered not professional, if for any reason you're not available, without prior update on MS team's channel.

• Daily Status Update: Before you start your day at work, please update your team channel with following. This is very important in remote work setting to let your customer and team know about your progress.:

  • Progress (What you worked upon)
  • Plan (What you plan to work on)
  • Problems (Any blocking issues)

People are going to assume that when you show up at work, you are bringing your 100%. In case you are going through a rough patch, not available or simply not in a mood to work, it is best to communicate transparently on your team's channel so they know. Things that may seem small like - “I had a doctor appointment, I missed to inform the team”, causes undesirable impact on overall team productivity.

Meetings

It is expected for you to attend key team meetings. It helps everyone to be on the same page.

• Engineering: Standup, exit, retro, company all hands
• Recruitment, marketing: Weekly Sync Up or as directed by lead, company all hands

During meeting, please:

• Turn on video in both internal and external communication. It is generally considered not professional not to do so
• Be on time. Respect other people time.
• Be patient. Listen first. Understand other's perspective first. Speak after.

While we are on the topic of meetings, please be mindful of team member time when you call for meetings. Please share the agenda few days before the meeting in a document and invite for comments.

Time Off Policy

Please plan and inform your time off a week before. To take time off,

• Let your team and customer know on appropriate team channel
• Update in company HRMS system
• Update your status on MS teams. For ex, if you are on leave from 1/10-1/15, set something as 'OOO: 1/10-1/15'

You do not need to seek approval from anyone. We trust that you will do the right thing keeping everyone's interest in mind. Last minute time off, except medical emergencies, are discouraged as it disrupts work flow.

Async Communication

Due to the nature of remote work, you are expected to adjust your communication style to optimize for asynchronous working. This means that you should prefer things in writing over verbal communication and write with clarity. Write a document or message in detail and invite comments from others to collaborate. Write verbosely to remove guess work from other team members.

For example: I am stuck at XXX. Can someone help me? This is not a sufficient message - rather tell folks what all things you tried, raise a PR and push your changes and then ask for help. Similarly, if you need access to something - saying I need access to X is not sufficient. Tell them why you need it as well to remove guess work and send your appropriate email etc to receive an invite.

These are just a few examples, best to Google “How to seek help at the workplace” to learn more and do some independent thinking However, even if after 2-3 backforth in writing, things cannot be resolved in writing, it is best to meet and resolve.

1:1

You should have bi-weekly or monthly 1:1 with your immediate lead. If the meeting is not on your calendar, be proactive and talk to your manager to set it up. 1:1 is effective tool to help get feedback and ensure you progress in your career as you want.

Benefits & Perks

• Remote Friendly: You can work from place of your choice as long as there is a good overlap in effective working hours.
• Comprehensive Health Insurance: INR 3L health insurance with a wide hospital coverage that covers your spouse, children and parents (with existing pre-conditions), including access to remote on call doctors.
• Workation: Annual off-site(s) every year, fully paid, for the team to get together to work and play.
• Learning Opportunities: Access to best trainings for learning and skill advancements.
• Time Offs: 12 paid leaves, 6 leaves per year on top of 14 national and regional holidays.
• Paid Parental Leave: - 6 months maternal and 1 month paternal

For more details, please checkout FAQ's.

Performance Review

We review your performance primarily based on:

• Your ability to deliver what you commit on time.
• Your ability to deliver accurately.
• Your ability to deliver independently.

Promotion

If you deserve a promotion, you will be promoted. To get a promotion, beyond delivering on your commitments on time, we often look at how you went above and beyond to help your team members and your clients to succeed.

Underperforming

You will be given feedback during 1:1 with your manager. In case you are often missing on your commitments, you will be given a few chances to fix it. If not, we will ask you to find an opportunity outside the firm. We also ask you to leave the firm if we find that you lied to us or our clients.

We do have 1 month notice period to help with the transition process as well as give you time to find another job.

Functional Onboarding

• Engineering: Start here
• Product Management: Start here