How we work
A glimpse into the balena culture and how we operate as a team
Our values inform everything we do
Our guiding principle is to always put people first. This means we build our relationships on trust, empower others through enablement, and communicate with respect and transparency. This value guides how we show up every day in our work and for our customers.
Working at balena
Everything we accomplish is a true team effort. We collaborate across different disciplines and experiences, contributing where we can make the most impact. This could mean teaming up on a new problem or using your expertise to help build a solution from the ground up, often right from first principles. This spirit comes from valuing progress over perfection, which keeps us constantly learning and improving for the people who rely on us.
What this looks like in practise
We share openly
We make our work and thinking visible, from early ideas to final drafts. This transparency allows others to easily collaborate or build on our efforts, which helps us all make better decisions and move forward faster together.
We communicate clearly and kindly
As a remote and asynchronous team, our communication must be clear and kind. Thoughtful writing and respectful conversations are how we stay connected and aligned, especially when working across time zones or through shifting priorities.
We work and decide together
We believe the best outcomes come from working together. Whether we are shaping ideas, giving feedback, or solving problems, we do it as a team. We bring in the right people early, share context openly, and make thoughtful decisions to ensure we are all aligned and moving with intention.
Leadership without ladders
We organize around the work to be done, not around titles or a traditional hierarchy. This means leadership is dynamic. You might lead a project one day and support a teammate on another. Everyone has the autonomy to take ownership, seek input, and focus on high-impact work.
Similarly, growth isn't about climbing a ladder. It's about expanding your impact, whether that means deepening your expertise, solving cross-functional problems, or developing an entirely new skill.
Is balena for you?
We are proud of our way of working, and we are also transparent that it isn’t the right fit for everyone. Our culture offers a great deal of freedom, which in turn requires a high degree of curiosity, openness, and comfort with change.
If you thrive with clear-cut roles and top-down direction, you may find our environment challenging. However, if you are a collaborative person who enjoys figuring things out together and wants to build something meaningful with a great team, you will likely feel right at home here. 😊
Ready to do your best work with us?
Find out more about how we work
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Refactoring our mission
In this post, we're sharing an updated mission statement that better reflects our commitment to empowering people to solve real-world challenges.
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Balena's approach to hiring
Read more on how an organisation with a mission to enable people approaches finding and hiring people.
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Balena's 'why'
No managers? Unlimited leave? Explore the "why" behind our mission and our culture, connecting the principles that guide everything we do.
