With Friendly, Stefan wanted to create a positive, self-directed work environment where he would enjoy working, have plenty of freedom and be able to offer the same freedom to his team.
Here, we describe what that means for us in our daily work.
Contents
Why Friendly exists
After his experience running an agency, Stefan chose to build a software company because software is scalable. An open-source software company can, of course, be copied. Over time, our positioning — and what sets us apart — has become increasingly clear: our Swiss base, data privacy, knowledgeable and friendly support and, more recently, our focus on enterprise customers.
How we communicate as a team
We communicate asynchronously as much as possible so that we do not interrupt each other’s concentration. Slack does not need to — and should not — be monitored constantly. It is enough to read and respond to Slack messages once in the morning, once around midday and, if applicable, once in the afternoon.
We use regular or occasional video calls only where they add clear value. We adjust the frequency of recurring calls whenever the need increases or decreases.
We always speak to one another with kindness and respect. When we disagree with something, we explain our concerns carefully and respectfully. Where possible, asking questions may be better than offering direct criticism.
When someone makes a mistake, we respond with kindness and focus on finding a solution. We always take collective responsibility towards our customers.
We give praise in the most public setting possible (Slack channels, meetings) and always share criticism privately (in a direct message).
We prefer to resolve open conflicts in which feelings have been hurt through a direct conversation (video call) rather than in writing, involving a mediator if needed.
How we make decisions
Personal responsibility matters a great deal to us. Stefan’s principle is: “Don’t ask for permission; ask for forgiveness.” Everyone on the team thinks entrepreneurially, makes decisions independently and can contribute their ideas.
Areas of responsibility are defined internally in our role framework to ensure that it is as clear as possible who is authorized to make which decisions.
At the same time, seeking good advice is just as important for making good decisions. Knowing when to seek another round of input and when simply to decide for yourself requires some judgement.
What “good work” means to us
We organise our working time independently. Working hours are only tracked where there are good reasons for doing so. We are also free to choose where we work. It is our own responsibility to ensure that we can work reliably at the time and place we choose.
Wherever possible, everyone on the team should work mainly in the area where their strengths lie. We want our work to feel interesting and meaningful. While taking the company’s interests into account, we set our own current priorities. Personal initiative and ideas are explicitly encouraged and are an important part of how we work together.
We take responsibility for ourselves, the team and the company, and act accordingly. Making mistakes is part of the process and a normal aspect of good work. We take collective responsibility for mistakes and do not blame one another.
We work with limited resources. The Pareto principle is therefore important to us, and we try to apply it wherever possible. We help and support one another.
We deliberately make room for deep work and flow so that focused work is possible.
As a rule, vacation can also be taken at short notice, provided that we can meet our commitments and deadlines or arrange suitable cover.
We foster long-term relationships, both within the team and with our customers. We treat one another and our customers with care and respect in every situation. We are human, and we take one another’s feelings into account in our day-to-day work.
We continue to grow, both personally and as a company. We are allowed to change our minds and the way we work. We keep learning and contribute new insights.
We want to be a “Calm Company”. We work calmly, without unnecessary stress. We give ourselves enough time for exercise and rest. In some respects this is already a reality; in others it remains an aspiration.
How we do not work
We do not embrace hustle culture and clearly reject the expectation of constant availability or a culture of overtime. Outside working hours, no one needs or is expected to read or respond to work-related messages. Everyone on the team has defined an emergency channel for urgent situations.
We do not pursue aggressive growth at any cost; we develop deliberately and sustainably. We do not create artificial pressure or unnecessary urgency. We do not optimise for maximum utilisation, but for meaningful, high-quality work.
We do not make empty promises to customers or within the team. We do not prioritise short-term profits or advantages over long-term relationships.
We do not micromanage one another’s work. Except in justified cases, we do not make top-down decisions without involving the team members concerned.
We do not hide problems; we address them openly and find solutions.
Why we are transparent
Transparency means visibility. We share our financial figures and business development publicly. This brings us a number of benefits: reach, goodwill, trust and occasional constructive feedback.
It also creates accountability. When we announce goals or salary increases, for example, we feel more strongly committed to following through on them.
But we are also transparent internally. We make all salaries visible within the company, discuss decisions openly and involve the team when filling new roles. This also brings important benefits: we can learn from one another, benefit from different perspectives and ensure that everyone on the team is treated fairly and taken into consideration.