Hi Shirly, What are the main characteristic that define your organization – Optimove – and what are its core values?
“Optimove is a company that started and grew as Bootstrap. The company’s roots completely influence its DNA today. Up until recently, we have grown and developed on our own; we truly believe in healthy financial conduct, putting significant thought into each investment. Our power lies within our talent and how we nurture and promote each employee internally, a tactic that has proved effective over and over again.”
What kind of employee will “feel at home” and succeed in your organization?
“Intelligent people with a good sense of humor who aspire towards a healthy work-life balance. We are a group of ambitious, educated professionals who know how to combine a serious worth ethic with a lighter attitude. Each person brings a different skill and personality trait to the table. For instance, we have a software developer who designs cakes, a QA who plays the piano professionally, a sales manager who crafts ceramics in his free time, a team leader who is a gourmet chef, and an HR manager who is a hilarious standup comedian. As an organization, we value every employee and appreciate the full range of talents they bring to the table.”
How do you support employees’ success in the company and advance their professional careers?
“Optimove’s philosophy is, “we will not put you in a box.” A large majority of the company’s management started from diverse junior positions and eventually grew into their current senior roles. Six years ago, our CMO, Amit Bivas, began his career at Optimove as an analyst. Shani Zamir, who started as an office manager, is currently the CFO. There is great internal flexibility to empower every employee and enable his or her own growth.”
What are some events or activities the company carries out for employees?
“We have company events several times a year – (a summer event, an end-of-year event and a Purim party), all accompanied by branded gifts. In addition, there is a getaway trip that includes accommodation, activities, and fine dining. During the summer months, the company organizes a summer camp for employee’s children, which certainly aids in their workload/home life balance. Furthermore, until the planned gym in our building opens, we have a personal trainer who arrives to our office twice a week and creates workouts for employees. In addition, we have a happy hour and breakfast traditions which alternate weekly. All of our employees receive gifts during the holidays, at the end of the year, and for personal milestones such as birthdays, wedding, and a newborn.”
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What is your vision for those in the company?
“Optimove sees beyond business goals, and places importance on the quality of the humans within the company. We understand that it’s important to enable everyone to develop professionally as well as personally. We’re able to develop leading technology all thanks to the people who create and constantly work on improving it. We strive for excellence, enable excellence, and recruit top candidates. This aspiration, along with the innovation and recognition of employees as a key factor in this success, makes Optimove one of the best high-tech companies to work for.”
Can you describe an ordinary day at Optimove?
“A day at Optimove normally begins next to the Nespresso machine and the pantry. We all sit, coffee in hand, alongside our chosen breakfast, whether that’s yogurt with fruit or cookies. The discussion topics often revolve around travels, top restaurants, or shopping. Throughout the day, each worker has their own agenda and tasks, but thanks to ‘10bis’ everyone reunites at lunchtime in the cafeteria. It’s not a rare occasion that often you catch someone by the window snapping pictures of the view, especially at sunset. The 34th floor has the perfect view of Tel Aviv, where on clear days, we can see the sea.”
What characterizes the employees and managers in your organization? What types of people are you searching for?
“We look for good people. Smart people who want to influence the team, those with a passion for their job and the company’s success. Ones who love to learn and teach, as this is one of the main attributes that define our organization. Recently we have established an internal “university” called Opti-U, where every employee can transfer their knowledge to other employees. Our employees are looking for a working environment to call home, where they work with friends they consider family. Our work environment is open and social and especially pleasant for the employees, their children, and pets. We recruit quite a few people at the start of their careers who bring a lot of personal capabilities and potential. We take it upon ourselves to give them all the right tools in order to grow and develop. Therefore, it is easily noticeable that the majority of our management tiers have been promoted from within and have undergone a process of external managerial training. The ideal candidates are those who think big, are creative and are full of professional drive.”
This interview was first published on Calcalist.co.il.
