Pros
I could write a novel about the pros of working for Shepper. But to make it brief;
- The culture at Shepper is a special one. Everyone is supportive of each other, generous with their time and willing to collaborate. I don't think I've ever felt as comfortable turning up to work as my authentic self and it being supported, accepted and celebrated.
- Whilst it is fast paced, there are also intentional opportunities created to come together as a team and get to know each other (and the Board) beyond our roles
- The CEO leads by example in her empathy and people centred approach to leadership. She empowers, supports and provides quick and bold decisions where needed.
- There is very little distance between the Sales and Delivery functions - even when there are last minute projects that feel impossible, everyone comes with a solution focused approach and innovative mindset to pull it off!
- There is little hierarchy, meaning building constructive and positive relationships upwards and across is so much easier. The Chair and CEO in particular are incredibly approachable
- Leadership is transparent about when things are going well, when they're not, and importantly when mistakes have been made and what's been done to resolve it. They are bold in acting on what are sometimes difficult decisions, quickly, for the benefit of the wider team and business
- There has been recognition that for those on fully remote contracts the experience may not have been so positive, but steps are being taken quickly to bring them closer to the rest of the business
- There is a culture of ownership from the top down, everyone is given a lot of autonomy and trust, and are respected as experts in their roles. This doesn't suit everyone, but for those that are up for the challenge and creating and innovating, you are supported to test and experiment - there is a lot of blank space to do so
On a personal note, I want to publicly thank the SLT for all of their support during my time at Shepper. Whilst going through some personal struggles, I was only met with care and compassion, including an opportunity to adjust my work patterns, and given the opportunity to benefit from excellent career coaching, which I know others have benefitted from too.
The CEO genuinely cares about her team and invests a lot of time and energy in understanding individual needs, interests, motivations, and in my experience enables individuals to bring their best selves to work and grow in the ways they want to.
It IS fast paced, which isn't for everyone, but rest assured if you're hungry to make tangible impact on an a business on a huge growth trajectory, have fun and be supported by and learn from some excellent people along the way, you can't go wrong with Shepper!
Cons
Work/life balance can be difficult at times when meeting client demands, with some weekend work expected. However when this got too much I felt comfortable in bringing this up to my Manager and SLT, and they were responsive to my suggestions for how to balance workload fairly across other team members - particularly as I wasn't full time.
The business is still growing and maturing, and with that some of the processes you would expect to have in larger organisations aren't quite there yet, such as standardised performance review processes or progression paths. This is normal for the stage Shepper is at and the size of the company. In saying that, the SLT are open to feedback and actioning it, and I know as a result of the last staff survey there were plans to introduce personal development plans and more training for managers, with a focus on supporting and developing junior talent to progress,
