‘Adulting’ at Mogo: Building a Millennial Culture
Walking into the Mogo headquarters in downtown Vancouver, the first thing that strikes you is the breathtaking panoramic view of the city, wrapping around the building to include a view of Coal Harbour and the snow-capped North Shore mountains.
The second thing you notice is the nondescript container of slick-looking Mogo-branded condoms displayed invitingly on the Mad Men-inspired reception desk, asking on the packaging if you’re “getting screwed by credit cards.”
Both are fitting symbols for the fintech company that caters to millennial priorities such as lifestyle and experience, while emphasizing responsible financial “Adulting,” offering customers personal finance options and education on financial first principles in a connected world.
Mogo, on a mission to become Canada’s leading digital financial brand for millennials, has combined the entrepreneurial mindset from its early days with the millennial priorities of their customers, employees, and founders to craft a unique culture, one that is reflected in the design of their stunning 14,000 square foot office downtown, their novel and award-nominated Adulting 101 marketing campaign that combines comedic wine tasting with personal finance lessons, and their passion for the fintech revolution.
“We don’t think of millennials as an age range,” says Robin de Pelham, HR Director at Mogo. “We think of it as a mindset.”
The millennial mindset, explains de Pelham, is forward-thinking, highly connected, adaptable, and authentic. This is typical, she says, of the customers they serve, the employees they bring on board, and the culture they foster.
An individual that fits with their culture, de Pelham explains, is one whose values align with Mogo’s. In a staccato cadence, de Pelham rattles off a list of these values: Ownership, Innovation, Results-Driven, Fun, and Frugal.
Frugal? “That doesn’t mean being cheap,” says de Pelham. “That means making a spend if you’re going to get the right value.”
True to form, the company that emphasizes ‘Financial Fitness’ is keenly cognizant of the effect of sound financial thinking, not only on the company’s bottom line, but on the lives of its employees.
“When you look at studies done in the last couple of years, employees feel like their financial well-being is a huge pain point for them, and they’re really looking for their employers to help. One of the stats that really resonates with me is that 20% of people feel like they’re distracted at work because of their finances,” de Pelham says.
De Pelham says the team is proactively taking their external Adulting 101 program on financial literacy, and rolling it out internally so that coming to work also means engaging with an education resource that promotes financial health and prosperity.
This fits in with another philosophy prevalent at the company: work-life integration. The two need not be disparate pillars in an employee’s life, but can instead complement one another. A manifestation of this philosophy, de Pelham says, is the flexible scheduling employees can enjoy at work.
“As long as you’re meeting your deadlines and managing your schedule, you can be as flexible as you need. We have people with young families who come in a bit earlier and then leave at four to hang out with their families. Then we’ve got others who may want to be at work later or may want to spend social time with Mogo people,” says de Pelham. “We really look for people who can own their own destiny. Adulting as a concept is really important to us. ”
As for benefits that Mogo offers its employees, packages include comprehensive health and dental benefits, and a strong focus on education.
“We definitely encourage people to pursue education, whether that be access to online resources or attending different conferences. For example, I was able to go down to Zappos last year to one of their culture camps, see their facility, and learn about their culture,” say de Pelham.
In what de Pelham describes as the flat environment, “everyone has access to senior leadership.” Founder and CEO Dave Feller can often be found at someone’s desk, in one of the many break out spaces, or in one of the two lounges talking to people and asking opinions, which they then make an effort to implement on the site and in the service. When you’re employed at a place that serves your demographic, de Pelham suggests, your opinions are taken seriously.
The team at Mogo is “looking for people who fundamentally care about helping people with their finances, and who have tech skills and really want to be a part of the fintech revolution,” de Pelham says.
They are currently hiring for positions throughout the country.
Mogo is a job board member and is hiring. Profiles are included with membership.