This article was written by Himawan, Talent Development Manager, Indonesia, as part of 24Slides’ Storyteller’s Program.
When I started my internship in 2017, our office in Malang, Indonesia was moving to a new location. I got to witness our transition from a simple house to a fully customized building. We might have left the house, but we always carry the homey vibe.
Today, we are working in a hybrid system with a temporary office while a new building is in the works to welcome us all again. After moving from one building to another due to the team’s rapid growth, I realised that there is one thing that doesn’t change: Our working environment. It is indeed unique – like no other offices in the city. It’s more than just a physical workplace. We are talking about experience and culture here.
Let’s start with our working space, the office’s physical environment:
Within a few weeks of joining the team, I quickly felt comfortable with the homey office at Simpang Tambora street. We had recreational areas to enjoy while taking a break from the daily routine. But the building we moved into next was even more fascinating. At Tumenggung Suryo street, we got a playground-themed (or some would call it Google-like) office with an iconic slide. When I represented the company at an international conference in Malang, many people thought we had a swimming pool inside because of the slide. It only took us from the second floor to the first one – but I won’t deny it was a cool office feature. Another fun fact is that sometimes people mistook our place for a cafe, sports centre, or even karaoke boxes. Sadly, we had to leave that office as our company kept growing and – once again – we needed a bigger space for the entire team. Our new building is in progress, and I can’t wait to see what cool stuff we’ll get this time.
In our daily office life, casual attire is our identity. Today many companies allow their employees to wear casual outfits, but we’ve been doing that for about a decade. From a practical perspective, I think this is the best for us. We deal with customers online, so there’s no need to be too formal unless we’re having corporate meetings. Sometimes it makes people unsure if our office is an actual place to work, though. However, this is who we are, and this is what makes us feel at home, always.
Speaking of home, we’ve also had several facilities that sometimes made us wanna stay after our work shift. A team favorite was the minibar at our pantry of the Tumenggung Suryo office. We could make our own drinks and bring some snacks or food while chatting with our colleagues. Some of them used to arrive early only to take their breakfast and morning coffee there. Others would go home late sometimes after losing track of time in this space. We also had a gym and sports area. People would even come to the office on weekends to play badminton. No extra words needed to show how much we loved that place.
Outside our daily work, multiple experiences keep our big team lively.
Since joining 24Slides as an intern, I’ve been given a lot of opportunities to experience new things. We get vacations, sports, games, crafting, enrichment, and many fun activities. In the office, we enjoy food and snacks together occasionally. There are also special events like our “Family Gathering” and the latest “10-year Anniversary” celebration. Most of the time, we have he chance to help organise events, which is another unique experience. These activities allow us to bond with each other, and the company always encourages these social engagements. I see this as a way to give employees some rewards as well.
Another rare experience I got from 24Slides is how we work as a global team. When I first started, there were just two offices – Indonesia and Denmark. Now, we have five offices across three continents – Indonesia, Denmark, Ukraine, Peru, and the US. But we don’t work isolated in branches. Instead, we collaborate as a big global team. There are practically no boundaries between us as everyone can give their input and contribute to the company’s values. The differences in culture, timeline, and main languages will not stop us from being awesome.
Now let’s get into the culture of the company. I always describe 24Slides as a company that has changed the definition of working.
The flexibility you get here enables you to maintain a work-life balance. In terms of the working style, you are expected to be professional and playful at the same time. As long as you have things under control and nobody’s work gets affected, you may do things your way. That’s why I truly appreciate how they let me work while I finished my studies in my first year. I only had to adjust my schedule with the approval from the managers, and there was no concern as long as I could manage my responsibilities. Besides, we are given multiple employee benefits such as special leaves, health benefits, and other programs that show the company understands we need to maintain our work-life balance.
One last thing you may not find very often in other companies around here is how we value continuous learning. It greatly boosts my career and personal growth to be encouraged to learn and challenge myself. At 24Slides, every individual is given the same chance, no matter where you come from. With a clear career path and supportive colleagues, we are guided to see what’s ahead of our journey. Today, this is also one of our core values, “We keep growing”.
I’m so grateful for the opportunity to work in this rare environment. Clearly, this is more than just a workplace. 24Slides is where we are shaped by experience and culture. I was born and raised in this city, and I am so blessed that this is the same city where 24Slides started.