1. How to find, grow and keep software developers
Lunch & Learn - 16th March 2017
Daniel B. Roy
danielbroy

2. CEO and co-founder of Infi
Daniel’s bio
Daniel Roy
CEO and co-founder of Infi
Freelance
CEO 2003-now
‘Never had a real job’
Infi founded in 2003
Located in Utrecht
Currently 30 people

3. ...builds custom software... ...for start- and scale-ups
About Infi
Infi...
...builds custom software...
...that truly matters...
...for start- and scale-ups

4. Infi: tried to do HR. Had many failures. Sad!
Infi HR – our results
Lots of things have changed...
2014
Employee left
Infi terminated
Developers 1
Overhead
Project managers
Total
2 (11%)
2015
1 (5%)
2016
3 (12%)
Average growth : 15%
Turnover from €1,2 million to €2,5 million
Workforce grown from 12 FTE to 27 FTE, all Dutch devs
Scale has increased, project size has gone up and MT was formed
...but turn-over virtually absent!
Infi: tried to do HR. Had many failures. Sad!

5. Why would a developer want to work here? Do we have a winning culture?42
Why would a developer want to work here?
Do we have a winning culture?

6. How NOT to view your developers

7. 1 2 3 4 Step 1 – Create a winning culture
The game plan
Step 1 – Create a winning culture 1 2 3 4
Invest in continuous development
Transparency and inclusiveness
Freedom and responsibility
Remember your hygiene
Step 2 – Show it to the rest of the world
Use your developers as much as you can!

8. Invest: continuous development
Step 1: discover what your people dream about
Step 2: develop them as much as you can
At Infi:
Quarterly goals for everyone
Unlimited budget for conferences, coaching and training

9. Infi quarterly goals

10. Transparency and inclusiveness
Transparency => helps people to take action
Inclusiveness => giving people the opportunity to take action
At Infi:
All numbers are public
Monthly open meeting with management teams
Devs play a central role in evaluation of peers and selection process

11. No secrets

12. Freedom and responsibility
Give people what they need
Push responsibility down in the organization
Get out of the way
At Infi:
Virtually no central policy: teams decide
People feel connected to their job and are more loyal

13. Remember your hygiene
Fair pay
Safe environment
Meaningful work

14. Looking outward: attracting new people
The goal is that they come to you!
Show yourself in the technical community
Your developers are your ambassadors!

15. Website Does your site speak to prospective clients or employees?
Does it show your culture and your people?

16. Vacancies
Who writes your vacancies?

17. Recruiting agencies
Avoid

18. Social media Are heavily overused, so response is very low
Use as proof of winning culture

19. Community: meetups/dojo’s
Many hosting opportunities  host regularly
Always have devs organize this, be present and represent you
When up to it, let devs organize your own meetup

20. Community: conferences
Sponsoring is a means to show your culture
Stands should be primarily manned and thought up by devs
' How to win at doing sponsor stands... Create your own game and have attendees battle it out. Ride around on a hoverboard and give it away to an attendee. Do 3D vision stuffs. Have 3D printers creating miniature DOM towers. Have actual _developers_ at the stand... Definitely over 9000, I'd say :-)'

21. Previous employees Everyone who leaves should be an ambassador
How do you treat people who leave you?
Someone leaving is a learning opportunity
Have exit-meetings before leaving and lunch three months later
Get frank feedback and use it

22. Summary
Start by focusing on your internal culture and fixing your people turnover
Look outward and focus heavily on the technical community through meetups and conferences
Your own developers are your greatest HR-asset. Use them in everything!
Feel free to approach me or drop by at Infi HQ!

23. Any questions? Thank you for your attention! Daniel B. Roy
danielbroy