Faithlife Named One of Glassdoor’s Top 10 Places to WorkFaithlife Corporation, a small-town software company with an unconventional corporate culture, has just been named one of Glassdoor’s top 10 places to work for the second consecutive yearBELLINGHAM, Wash. (December 10, 2014) — Innovative companies like Google, Faithlife, Apple and Zappos are paving the way for a new kind of corporate culture, one where college degrees are a perk, not a prerequisite; where vacations are unlimited, not restricted; where conversations aren’t held by the water cooler — they’re held over a free can of soda or complimentary latte; and where Silicon Valley companies are being one-upped by small-town innovators.
Growing tech companies are turning America’s stereotypical corporate culture on its head, and one of the leaders in the field is Faithlife Corporation — a software company just north of Seattle that was just named one of Glassdoor’s top 10 places to work for the second consecutive year, a coveted title bestowed on just a few companies from the thousands that qualify each year.
“We offer our employees more autonomy, less bureaucracy and more reason to be personally invested in the company,” said Bob Pritchett, Faithlife president and CEO. “Twenty years ago, we were just a few developers in a basement — now, we have over 450 employees, including some of the best software developers in the country. Our fun and creative corporate culture has allowed us to build a stellar team of tech innovators.”
At first glance, Faithlife looks unconventional: they have no human resources department, their president and CEO dropped out of high school, they have a one-page company manual, and they offer their employees unlimited vacation, an outdoor center, free coffee and soda, and flexible schedules.
But with their recent awards, innovations and company growth, it’s clear that they’re doing something right. In the last few months, Faithlife launched Logos Bible Software 6, the world’s most advanced Bible study software, and Noet Scholarly Tools, the world’s smartest humanities software. Faithlife also acquired Beacon Ads — the first self-serve marketplace for placing ads on religious websites. In the last four years, Faithlife’s employee count has doubled and its revenue has increased 83 percent.
Even with such rapid expansion, Faithlife has managed to dodge the most common business-related growing pains. For example, while most growing companies suffer under increased bureaucracy, Faithlife holds fast to a “shipping” mentality — one that focuses less on multitiered approval processes and more on getting products out the door.
“Too much bureaucracy stifles innovation, and that’s the last thing tech companies want,” Pritchett said. “You have to be quick in the tech industry — there’s no room for hesitation. We get products out the door and perfect them over time.”
Transparency is another key aspect of Faithlife’s culture — both internally and customer facing. Every month, Pritchett hosts an “Ask Anything” meeting where employees can ask questions and get answers in front of the entire company. With questions from sales goals to company mistakes to book recommendations, Pritchett doesn’t shy away from being open and honest with his employees.
Faithlife also offers software development internships that allow budding developers to code and ship real projects. Interns get to work alongside professional software developers, attend weekly activities and outings with fellow interns and are encouraged to take Pritchett out for coffee to get to know him better.
All of these things help Faithlife foster a culture of creativity, transparency and innovation, and with Faithlife’s national recognition by Glassdoor as one of the top ten places to work, it’s clear that their values are ushering in a new approach to corporate culture.
To join the Faithlife team, check out our job openings and internship opportunities.
### About Faithlife Faithlife makes Logos Bible Software, and is the leading provider of tools for Bible study on Macs, PCs and mobile devices, as well as software tools for churches. Faithlife has served pastors, scholars and everyone who wants to study the Bible since 1992, partnering with more than 200 publishers to offer over 43,000 Christian e-books to users in over 210 countries. |