In the previous article, we shared insights into the onboarding experience of new Atlanters. We discussed the importance of each new employee being part of the team from day one.  While the Atlantbh teams may differ, the same core values are deeply embedded in all of them. Building and nourishing happy and autonomous teams will inevitably lead to great success and outstanding products. In this article, we bring the most important aspects of the team’s organization and values inside Atlantbh. The team’s structure and organization Although Atlanters can be engaged in many project and horizontal teams across the company, having one project team as a primary base is most common. The concept of our project teams revolves around collaboration on one or more diverse products or services for a single client. Depending on the client’s requirements, we oversee the entire Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) or specific phases within a single team.  Each team encompasses various roles commonly found in the software development domain. Our ongoing commitment is to assemble all necessary roles and skills essential for the successful pursuit of our goals, and cross-functional teams have been integral to our operational model for an extended period.  Atlantbh has pioneered in agile software development, maintaining a flexible approach to various agile methodologies that best suit the team and stakeholders. We successfully leverage Scrum and Kanban-like approaches to ensure optimal results in our project deliveries. And most importantly, we start with the team members and their preferences when setting up these approaches. Leadership In software development, the spotlight should shine brightly on the technical skills that form the core of a team’s expertise. Therefore, it is necessary to provide technical leadership to the team that will focus on their own technical skills growth and solution excellence through it. We consider it of the utmost importance to ensure that each team has an experienced software engineer in this leadership role with the necessary skill set to navigate the team through different challenges. Additionally, we recognize that the environment in which these skills are nurtured and put into action matters significantly. That person who leads the team to align a feasible approach and business goals in a way that will bring value to the product can be embodied in different project and product management roles. Having both tech and project/product leads who complement each other, proved to be a great way of empowering the team.  Shared Values Although the structure and organization of the team can set a good basis for collaboration and teamwork, shared values matter most for day-to-day engagement. Autonomy-driven Ownership – Granting autonomy to a team is the first step towards establishing a sense of ownership. Autonomous teams can make decisions and take control of their work independently.   Therefore, these teams are more likely to feel a personal responsibility for the outcomes. Autonomy sets the stage for ownership by creating an environment where individuals are empowered to contribute meaningfully to the team’s success, leading to a more engaged and effective team overall. We are devoted to giving the teams a high level of autonomy to spark creativity, innovation, and overall satisfaction by removing any unnecessary external influence.  Open communication – The responsibility for achieving the team’s goal lies with the team. Each member must be willing to provide and receive support, complementing each other’s expertise to ensure successful results. By eliminating rigid hierarchies within the team, our teams developed peer-to-peer trust and recognized the importance of honest and direct communication daily.  Knowledge sharing – Daily tasks, frequently encountered challenges, and collaboration with others craft a unique path of self-growth for each team member. When acquired knowledge is applied and shared, it will undoubtedly bring the highest benefits to the team. Whether through structured mentoring programs or informal knowledge sharing within the team, we promote this aspect as integral to fostering both personal and team growth. Also, we are putting a lot of effort into having Atlanters of different seniorities within the same team, which helps everyone have an unofficial mentor and someone who can set new challenges.  Clarity of Purpose – Keeping each person focused and motivated separately is essential, as it directly influences the team’s overall results. However, having a clear vision of what the team aspires to be and how it wants to perform is equally important.   Maintaining an inspiring vision remains feasible even with frequently changing business goals for the product being built. Commonly agreed and transparently shared standards and processes inside the team will ensure there is no change or challenge that the team cannot tackle in an organized way.  If you find our team culture fits yours and are looking for a new software development partner, contact us to discuss the possible partnership models.

Atlanters did some time-traveling, taking a leap back to the historical crossroads of Medieval Bosnia. At least figuratively – in reality, over a hundred of us spent three days together on our annual team building – Atlantbh Medieval Tales, enjoying good company and some competitive games. How awesome is that? Atlantbh Medieval Games Atlanters, divided into epic teams, dove into a quest for eternal glory, facing five games testing speed, precision, memory, and teamwork. They had to walk through the Medieval Bosnian Cities, throw a cannonball, conquer Jajce, decipher Bosancica, and, in the end, try out their archery skills.   Some games asked for strength and logic skills, while others required a brave heart and team effort. But they all mirrored Atlantbh culture of unity, ambition and hard work. Atlanters had limited time to decide how to divide the roles. Who is good at time management at work? Is that person a good leader? What everyday skills we see at work could be useful for each game? And we can tell you – with the way the games were played, we know each other pretty well. Atlantbh Medieval Quiz The Atlantbh Medieval Tales Quiz unfolded as the sun set, replacing swords with wit. Atlanters enjoy a good Pub Quiz at our office, so it was a must-have at our team building. All around our medieval village, they could read fun and insightful facts about the medieval history of our country. It was really fun seeing who paid the most attention, and who found all the info tables!  Building on to our culture However, the true magic happens when the entire company immerses itself in the experience – that’s when our shared values and culture truly shine! Our curiosity, sense of responsibility, teamwork, and passion for good fun and games were on display during our recent adventure. While we take pride in our culture in our day-to-day lives, there’s something extraordinary about witnessing a multitude of Atlanters in one place, embodying the core Atlantbh values throughout the journey. It became evident that, despite our differences, we share common threads: a commitment to responsibility, a knack for collaborative work, and a love for enjoying good times together!

If you’re a fresh graduate eager to kickstart your IT career or a seasoned professional looking to pivot into a different direction, the prospect of stepping into a new workplace may leave you feeling a mix of excitement and worry. It’s natural to wonder how you’ll seamlessly fit into the company culture and mesh with your team. The burning question of how to prove yourself valuable and make a meaningful impact can loom large, adding to the pressure to perform at your absolute best from day one. Over the years, our company recognized the highest importance of an effective and smooth onboarding process. We want to transform uncertainty into excitement and help new employees thrive. Hearing the concerns and fears of hundreds of interns and new hires helped us build our onboarding process today. Beginnings can be scary The feeling of uncertainty that comes with a new environment can often be magnified if the definition of success within that setting is not outlined, or if expectations remain unclear. We believe it is important to provide each new employee with a well-defined path during their probation, but also offer all the information and guidance they need to navigate that path. As we welcome new talents into our company, the very first goal is to ensure everyone gains comprehensive insights into our company’s core values, policies, organizational structure, and vibrant culture. A strong foundation in these aspects lays the groundwork for their seamless integration and successful journey within our dynamic teams. To achieve this goal we accumulated broad documentation in various easy-to-grasp formats that help newbies quickly adapt. New hires become part of the particular team from day one with a dedicated person as a mentor. From that point, the team lead(s) and mentor give precise steps and define their path for the next 6 months – that is how long the probation can last.  Make it safe, but challenging The first weeks are reserved for learning – about the company, the teammates, the practices and technologies we utilize, and the industry in which the assigned team operates. A mix of guided sessions and time for independent exploration has proven to be an effective way of making new colleagues feel comfortable. To help them explore beyond the team and project they are settling into, we provide various presentations and materials covering overarching technical and soft-skills topics we consider essential within the company. Once they are settled and ready to contribute to the team, we delicately choose the right tasks to immerse them even deeper into the paradigms, technicalities, and processes that the team they onboarded to uses. We aim for each task to bring the flavor of challenge and push the person out of their comfort zone, while still ensuring it remains achievable. Knowledge sharing is a two-way path We have wholeheartedly embraced and continuously improved the concept of mentorship over the years. Its purpose is to assist new hires in staying focused on their tasks, work, and personal growth, rather than being burdened with the challenge of finding the right person for each question or impediment. Having a mentor means having a dedicated individual who will help define the goals, offer support whenever needed, encourage newbies to explore beyond the conventional, and provide continuous feedback.  Mentors share all the knowledge and wisdom they have but also are eager to hear and learn from their mentees by encouraging them to actively participate in all team discussions and bring a pair of fresh eyes that is an invaluable way for teams to gain a new perspective. Feedback is necessary, but self-evaluation is irreplaceable During the probation, there is a dedicated opportunity for the new employee to present completed work to the mentor, team leads and talent team every month. The idea is not to report what has been done or not; but to empower new employees to reflect on the previous month and assess what they have learned and done, what is the value for the team and product, and the next steps. Being in a position to do a self-evaluation, gives the new employees a break from day-to-day challenges, and lets them focus on the bigger picture. This way, they can check how their progress is going and what they need from their mentor and team to keep advancing their skills. Furthermore, this gives a dedicated opportunity to the mentor and other closely involved team members to consolidate their day-to-day feedback for the mentee. Being on the same page about the progress, integration into the team and general understanding of how things are going is crucial for the new hires to feel reassured and confident for the next challenges. Become part of the synergy Through the culture we have developed over the years, we encourage all Atlanters to be part of the new hires’ integration and development. We nurture open communication and even have dedicated peer feedback during the probation period to help new hires ensure that they are developing social connections and contributing to the synergy we believe exists within each of our cross-functional teams. Additionally, we try to make efforts to extend the warmest welcome to newbies – from team break to celebrate their very first day at work to various team and company events. Our aim is to genuinely connect, uncover shared interests and hobbies, and gain insights into their vision for their journey within our organization. Feeling embraced and valued is crucial to fostering a sense of belonging and enabling our new team members to envision themselves in their new workplace. Take control of your career As time passes, we expect our new employees to develop more independence and present more balanced and focused questions, ultimately empowering them to take control of their career paths. When probation is over, we are happy to see excited and motivated individuals who want to navigate their career path and accelerate their progress,, putting all they learned during the probation into action and feeling confident they can thrive in the environment they chose to work within.