“They are too relaxed for bankers.” That was the first thing I’ve heard about the George Team. However, I never took this negatively. In my head, I thought “Relaxed does not mean less serious in the work they do. I don’t even want to be the classic banker type. Yay, I’m happy to be part of that team.”
People working at George Labs do not fit into the bank mold. They think outside the box. And yes, they are casual – but serious. Facebook and Google also have relaxed policies, but no one can say they are less serious in the jobs they do. I was excited.
Let’s clarify something at the beginning: I’ve already known some of the people, and also the atmosphere. The way of working was familiar to me. Yet, when I started at the creative force behind George, I was really suprised by how cool the environment is. Working for George Labs can be compared to working in a big but tight team. It‘s almost as if Mauri were the father and we were the kids. When i stepped into the home base, I could smell agency spirit. A relaxed atmosphere and a house full of copywriters and designers – there were no signs of bankers. It is a design hub after all… and I really liked the environment.
Empathy
Working with empathy, to be precise. That’s how I would describe the onboarding process of the new employees. Because all beginnings are hard and every newbie should feel comfortable from the first moment onwards. Stefan, our Managing Director, welcomed me at the reception and brought me to his desk. I was able to use it for my first day before I could hang my jacket on my own chair. I felt a little special. Then, we walked through the company and I was introduced to my new colleagues. That day I met a lot of new smiling faces who gave me such a nice welcome. I felt comfortable.
Easy-going, smart and unique – just like George
During the walk, Stefan introduced me to my buddy. “Meet your buddy” is not a brand-new thing in the corporate world, but it is still a nice idea for the ones that just got on board. They help you make your first days a lot nicer by showing you the environment and people, as well as by introducing you to other important corporate matters.
No more walking – it was time for me to work. I met my team of copywriters aka voices of George and I am not exaggerating when I say that they gave me a super warm, nice, spread the arms welcome. I could feel they are happy to have me there. In this atmosphere, words came easy. And I was relaxed.
If I look back and need to pick the most special part of this community – even despite their great trust in each other, their Wall of Fame or their biweekly company breakfast – it would be the cosy atmosphere created by my colleagues. That group of people, without any strict hierarchy, makes George Labs an inspiring place to work. I knew I was already part of the family.
