Life at FatCat Coders

Working Hours: Busting the Myth

One of the most common questions we receive is: What are 6-hour net working hours and what do they look like? We must admit this topic is subject to many misconceptions and wrong assumptions.

Net hours are only productive hours. This means that breaks are not counted within these six working hours, but employees may take as many breaks as they like. We have the flexibility to arrange working hours in various ways allowing us to accommodate personal needs.

We work remotely and utilize a time-tracking tool that records productive activities without invading personal privacy (no recording of employees, screenshots or daily logs). This way, you can focus on real work, not clock-watching. This app records the time spent on specific applications and content. If those are relevant to our work (such as Slack, blogs, emails, different tools, etc.), then that time is also counted as productive hours.

We prioritize productivity and work-life balance by working a six hours net daily

Do we have breaks? Is it expected to code for all six hours? Let's bust myths and explain FatCat Coders' working hours and time tracking in detail.

Explore working hours

Our Culture

To be honest, capturing the true culture of a company and putting it into words can be hard, but luckily, our employees have done it for us. Our culture is all about Collaboration, Accountability, and Transparency. These principles go beyond mere buzzwords; they define our work environment. When talking about culture at FatCat Coders these are the first associations our employees have!

Our Guiding Principles

Even though we do not like rules, these principles guide us in daily work, serving as the path we follow to achieve our goals. They are the product of our values, mistakes, and employees' expectations.

Challenge the status quo

  Don't wait;  be proactive and innovate. We encourage experimentation and value the MVP approach.

We win together

Alone we go faster, but as a team, we go further. Collaboration across teams is our strength.

Try, fail, learn and grow

Don't settle for “good enough.” Embrace curiosity and learn from your failures.

Everyone is an owner

Own it and take responsibility for your work. We don’t leave things half-done, if something is broken, fix it.

We stay flexible

We’re not fans of rigid procedures because too much process slows us down. Adapt and try new methods to improve productivity.

Be transparent

Transparency isn’t just a buzzword for us—it’s a principle we embody in everything we do. We ensure it through performance reviews, seniority levels, and salary ranges.

Are We a Good Fit, or Not So Much?

Working at FatCat is unique and we recognize the way we work at the moment is not for everyone. We know that we are not perfect and that a one-size-fits-all approach does not exist. You might find work here challenging or unsatisfactory if you are not:

• Used to challenging projects - our staff from the first week is taking on important tasks and they start working on projects. Our vetting period is incorporated with real work, there are no separate testing or vetting tasks. There is more responsibility to it, but also a great chance to study.

• Willing to learn - as a small company, we experience changes in responsibilities and the scope of work. With the aim of ensuring our people continually develop and grow, we highly encourage constant learning.

• Ready to give up repetitive tasks - many companies require you to achieve certain KPIs and help the company grow in that way. Once employees achieve a certain level of expertise in one field, we do our best to assign them more challenging tasks.

• Like responsibility - flexibility is a benefit at FatCat Coders. However, it is also a responsibility. If you are not comfortable with taking ownership of your responsibilities and having the freedom to organize your time to fulfill them, then FatCat Coders may not be the right fit for you.

• Agile, but for real - being a very creative and driven organization, it's not uncommon for decisions and strategies on projects and other work to change in favor of new ideas or better solutions.

• Taking initiative and hiding behind metrics - it is expected to fulfill certain expectations, but we are encouraging you to go beyond them. We do not prefer people who are only focused on fulfilling the set goals, but also challenge them and take their own initiatives.

• Comfortable with transparency and feedback - we want all our employees to have honest feedback that can be useful for their personal career development. In our performance reviews and performance plans we tend to be rather honest (and useful for both hard and soft-skill development ) and that is what we expect from you. No sugarcoating!

• Enjoying startup atmosphere – FatCat Coders do not have strict rules or clear policies on certain topics, as is common in most large corporations. Our team members collaborate daily, and our teams work together as well. We value cooperation, friendliness, and direct communication with one another.

Ready to Support the Community?

We believe small actions can have big impacts. Join us as we organize CSR activities and pursue eco-friendly practices. Here’s how we’ve made a difference:

Collecting equipment for high schools

We believe in education and technology’s power to shape the future. For this reason, we've organized an IT equipment donation campaign to empower students and promote IT education.

In September 2022, we successfully collected 38 computers and monitors for the fourth generation of students interested in computer science at the Gymnasium in Smederevska Palanka. We replaced outdated equipment and provided children with reliable, modern technology. See more at this link.

Collecting equipment for high school in Pozarevac

At the moment, we are collecting technical equipment for a high school in Požarevac. Interested in helping out? Contact us!

Donate

What to Expect as a Developer? 

As primarily an IT outsourcing company, most of our employees are developers working on clients’ projects. Our mission is to guarantee agreed conditions to both sides: clients get vetted professionals and employees get projects and feedback necessary to grow. Here’s what you can expect:

Smooth onboarding: Unlike other companies, we don’t immediately place new employees on client projects without further care. Our onboarding process involves working on internal projects with regular feedback. We ensure a seamless transition to client projects with consistent check-ins. Additionally, we reserve the right to reassign any employee from a client project if needed.

Direct involvement in diverse projects: You’ll work across various industries, enriching your skills and keeping daily tasks exciting.

Exclusive focus on one client at a time:  Once assigned to a project, developers dedicate their full attention and expertise exclusively to one client. This ensures high-quality output and deeper project involvement.

Integration into client team: Our developers are not just external resources; they become integral members of client teams. This approach fosters a deeper understanding of the project objectives, aligns developers more closely with the client's culture, and creates a more cohesive working environment.

Performance review and development plan: We conduct bi-annual reviews to gather feedback from multiple sides and create development plans, ensuring your professional growth and clarity on compensation as you advance.

The Team Behind FatCat Coders

It’s not all about work here; FatCats know how to have a good time. We are a team of 25+ people who love cooking (and eating, of course), karaoke nights, and spending time in nature. We unwind with team-building activities, board games, and rooftop beer sessions.

As they say, “A picture is worth a thousand words”, here are some highlights of our favorite moments.