We’re not for everyone. We can be a little unconventional. Employees have been known to dress up in costumes at work. We sometimes have a 2 o’clock plank (don’t worry, it’s optional). We try to improve our processes all the time, which drives some people crazy because there is constant change. We strive to embrace failure. We don’t have it all figured out. We make mistakes, but try to learn from them.
And most noteworthy of all, we have a crazy busy season that tests the limits every year between the months of April and June. Stress runs high. Systems break. At some point we all wish we worked somewhere else. But we get through it and try to figure out how to make things better for next year.
Those who are a great culture fit are team players who can jive with us in our high growth and sometimes unpredictable environment. They go the extra mile for the customer. They take their work seriously, but not themselves. Our best employees tend to be light-hearted, yet not afraid of hard work. They enjoy a laugh every now and again and value relationships with each other. They can handle an open office environment and the slightly zany and whimsical nature of our company. They understand that we are not a typical corporate outfit. They’re self-motivated people with integrity and an ability to “figure it out”.
It’s not all puppies and pansies. We’re a small company and we subscribe to the mantra “hire slow, fire fast”. Statistically more than one out of four new employees don’t last more than three years at Nych Brands. We are not for everyone. Our "no remote work" policy, fast growth, somewhat ad hoc approach to training, and “let’s figure this out as we go along” culture are just a few of the things that don’t make us a fit for everyone. Some people thrive on it. Others don’t. Those who don’t are often very good people who need to find something else that aligns with how they are wired and gifted.
We all work together, from our warehouse team to our customer care team. While it’s true that some jobs can be performed remotely, many jobs in the warehouse cannot. Because we believe in a unified front, if some employees need to physically come to work, we all come to work. We also believe that the magic and collaboration that happens when we are working together in the same space is a big part of what makes us special. So many of our best ideas come from cross-department face-to-face collaboration. Sure, we make exceptions if you have a contractor coming in and your job allows you to work from home. We also recognize that some people need more quiet areas to focus, which is why we offer focus rooms in which people can work. But overall, we are not one of these companies who embraces remote work. We realize this is an unpopular stance in this modern era, but for now, we are firm in our resolve. This is why we make it very clear to all candidates up front that we are not the organization for you if you want to work remotely.
The quality of our teams makes the difference between “good enough” and great. We believe that people with a “good enough” attitude drag down the quality of our teams, and because of this we set high standards to ensure that our teams are performing at their best. The reality is that high functioning achievers want to work with those who drive them to be better, so we can’t let our guard down with our standards and expectations. We expect our team members to have a healthy attitude and to get things done. We will be happy to coach along the way to help people reach their full potential, but we don’t tolerate prolonged mediocrity.
Although we approach our work with intensity, we enjoy a lighthearted and fun working environment with each other. If you are a very serious person who doesn’t like to get occasionally silly, we might not be the right fit for you. We’re known to do joint planks at 2pm or fling small rubber animals at each other. This isn’t mandatory, but if this kind of thing drives you nuts, you might want a more traditionally corporate culture. While we know that not everyone can be happy every day and we all need some space occasionally, if you are a person who likes your space often, you will probably not find Nych a good fit.
Some people prefer a work environment with very clear policies and procedures and rules and guidelines for every situation. Although we do have a handbook with policies for things like safety and workplace discrimination, we try to operate with the idea that everyone is an adult capable of making their own sound decisions and using their own logic. We believe things are often more gray than black and white, so if you are someone who prefers more rigid rules and policies, you may not enjoy working here.