This is what makes dxw a great place to work

People genuinely care – and not just in a way which looks good in a mission statement

dxw isn’t your average digital agency (or at least we think so). A few of the things that make us unique are that we:

We recently won Best Place to Work in Digital (SMEs) in this year’s Computing Digital Technology Leaders Awards, and it made us curious about what it is that people appreciate most about working at dxw. Here’s what some of our colleagues said when we asked them.

Molly Gavriel, Business Analyst

There’s a commitment to diversity and inclusion that runs through dxw, and an open, non-judgemental culture that means even when we get something wrong (which inevitably happens) people feel empowered to speak out, flag the issue and seek a solution. We’re not perfect, and sometimes there is no right or wrong, but I love that since joining dxw I’ve seen people step up to propose better ways of working, more inclusive language or to flag issues around diversity and inclusion. The fact that my colleagues feel supported and empowered to do so makes me very happy. 

One example is the Slack channel that colleagues recently set up so people with disabilities and chronic illnesses can check in with each other and get support when they need it.

People are very solutions focused – we’re always looking forward at how we can make things better to support our teams and our clients.

We’re very open about our processes and how decisions are made – whether that’s through staff council meetings, open ‘ask HR’ forums, internal blog posts or our playbook – we work ‘out loud’ across our teams which helps to demystify decision making and provides everyone with an opportunity to get involved with decisions and cross-cutting projects.

Liam Hooker, Associate Commercial Manager

From my first day working at dxw, I’ve always felt like the team is trusted to do their best work. Both in client work and internal work, we’re trusted to make improvements, and there aren’t any hoops to jump through if you want to start making things work better for the team. There are also no delays, or push back, when work’s being signed off because there’s always trust that your intentions are good. And instead of being presented with barriers, you’re encouraged to share your ideas. You’re also able to get open and honest feedback on how what you’re doing could be improved, whether it’s a work in progress, or already live. I’ve been able to take part in internal projects of all different shapes and sizes throughout the time I’ve worked here. It’s given me the chance to learn so much from other people, which has allowed me to develop new skills and grow.

Kira Dhaliwal, User Researcher

dxw is something I’ve never experienced before. The greatest thing I’ve found here is respect. I came to dxw from the film industry, an extremely competitive world where you have to deal with disrespectful people. But at dxw, no matter what your background or experience is, everyone’s willing to help and lift you up, so you can progress in your career and as a person. Even though I’ve only been working here for just over a year, I’ve definitely developed so much at this company. Work takes up a large part of your life, so having a ‘community feeling’ is another great aspect of working here. Although we’re remote first, I still have this community feeling. I know that I have the support of my colleagues and we’re able to meet up in person, or chat online, about work and life outside of it.

Chanel Diep, Content Designer

When I applied for a job here, I was impressed by the effort to reduce bias in hiring. Using Applied means people applying for a job are graded on their approach to the job and not things like their name, or whether they went to university (which are both very real biases that research shows some hiring managers can have). There’s always more to do, but systemic changes like these are what makes me believe in our commitment to being an equitable workplace.

I appreciate that mental health is part of everyday conversation. We have a daily wellbeing check in on Slack and it’s a small but powerful extra step to reducing the interpersonal risk that comes with talking about mental health. It’s not a shiny solution. It can still feel scary to talk about how you really are. But it’s one more tool to help chip away at the stigma.

Samantha Opara, Senior User Researcher

Returning to work after having a child can be one of the biggest decisions one can make. It’s a challenging time filled with mixed emotions. On one hand, parents are excited to start working again with a whole new set of transferable skills and fulfilling career goals. On the other hand, parents may be filled with anxiety and lack of confidence after being on parental leave for up to a year. Guilt may start to take hold, and the thought of striving for a work life balance often seems beyond reach.

dxw has made my return to work such a smooth experience. They’ve been approachable, helpful and answered all my one million questions. I thought coming back after a year would be a breeze! Now I have to laugh at the fact that I made that assumption! I’ve been through one of the biggest changes in life, becoming a parent. A lot has changed, new priorities, new faces, new roles, new procedures. However, dxw have helped tremendously in getting me up to speed and, so far, I’ve managed without feeling like the new kid on the block.

Before and during parental leave, conversations were based on trust, honesty and respect, which set the tone for formal discussions around flexible working, keeping in touch days and phased returns. There was constant communication between parent and employer, which plays an important part in creating a stress-free return to work environment. dxw has shown empathy, encouragement and support to meet my additional needs as a working mum. I appreciate dxw for looking beyond obligation and procedure, and think that we’re a great place to work! 

Nick Jackson, Senior Developer

It’s tricky to pin down the things which make dxw a great place to work, because the reasons are tightly woven into everything we do. At the heart of it though is probably that people genuinely care – and not just in a way which looks good in a mission statement. People care about delivering great work, but they care just as much about the people doing the work, how we deliver the work, and the impact the work has. It means that we’re given the time, tools and space (both at home, in the office and when travelling) we need to work sustainably and comfortably, knowing that we’re trusted to get things done in ways which work for ourselves as well as the team. And when things go wrong, no matter if it’s something at work or something personal, we know we’ve got support where it’s needed.