Function Point Emphasizes Family-First Culture
If you imagine a Venn diagram of your work, personal lifestyle, and the people you care about, Function Point aims to at the center, creating an environment highly conducive to happiness.
In speaking with the founder and CEO Chris Wilson, it’s clear that personal happiness is as important to the company as the product they deliver to their customers.
“We want you happy when you come to work, and we want you happy when you leave work. I think that’s a really important part of the culture we’re trying to grow here,” says Wilson. “If you’re happy, hungry, and humble, we’re going to complement your style.”
Function Point provides SaaS workflow and data-management tools for ad agencies, design studios, and internal marketing departments. The cloud-based software combines project management, time tracking, CRM, financial, and business reporting tools that enable customers to streamline their businesses and improve the profitability of the projects they deliver to customers.
Four elements of the culture are clear throughout the company: focus on the customer, respect for one another, continuous learning and growth, and a sense of balance.
“Function Point was founded on the values of personal development, respect, and having a great life,” says Wilson.
The notion of work-life balance is part of the DNA of the company, and Wilson’s sense of enthusiasm for it is obvious. He says, “I saw an opportunity here, and I thought that we could create something where people could aspire and have a life in Vancouver. They could make a good wage, be able to raise a family, and educate their kids.”
The emphasis on family, both in the personal sense and as a work team, is a distinguishing feature of the company.
“I’m super stoked,” Wilson says. “We had a staff event last week and there were over 50 people there, and half a dozen kids. People were buying houses, and there were three pregnant ladies. It’s totally happening. It really is one of the founding principles, being able to create good jobs in Vancouver, and allowing people to be able to afford and build a family here.”
In keeping with the notion of a family, the team is very protective of its culture when bringing new individuals on board, looking for people that have clear alignment with their values. A focus on family and work-life balance is important, but so are openness and transparency, which are key to maintaining an environment of respectful honesty, autonomy, and mutual accountability.
Beyond benefits such as comprehensive health care, Function Point offers its employees flex time, work-from-home options, and a personal development budget in which thousands of dollars per year are set aside for education, which could be gained by attending conferences or taking courses online, at the BCIT, or S.F.U.
This applies right to the top, with Wilson himself attending the annual ACETECH events for CEO development. ‘Top’ may be imprecise, in fact, as the team insists that in keeping with the value of autonomy, their organization is predominantly flat.
For those interested in working with Function Point and looking to learn more, Wilson describes the place succinctly as “a great place to work, where you’re continuously learning, where you’re respected for what you do, and where you’re rewarded for it.”
Function Point is currently hiring for Developer positions.
