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ZAGENO’s Shared Values - ZAGENO

Written by ZAGENO | October 23, 2019
ZAGENO  's diversity and we're not shy about being proud of it.
 
At last count our company of < 75 employees comprised 25 different nationalities that can speak, write and dream in 17 different languages. As such, ZAGENO is deliberate in its approach to new hires.
 
Beyond being enriching, this cultural diversity is contributing to our exciting work environment and in helping build a stronger company for our supplier partners and customers.
 
Earlier this year, ZAGENO underwent an exercise to identify our shared values, Despite 'ing our differences we felt it important to identify the characteristics we have in common. Below is a snapshot of the results.
 
 

 

ZAGENO’s business outlook aligns to that of our customers’. Our ability to successfully engage with them is based on a first-hand understanding of their needs. It’s a guiding principle that ensures the value we deliver is based on honesty and integrity. Staying close to customers ensures we continue to understand their needs and are building a business that is measured both on how we treat ZAGENO’s  community of researchers and purchasers but also on the ability to deliver on the promises we make to them. Beyond just knowing our customers, we also want to be a strategic partner for them by helping them set goals that exceed their expectations.

Related Characteristics:
⋅ Customer-centric
⋅  Honesty
⋅  Integrity

"Being customer-centric is not just doing what the customer asks, it's doing what's best to solve their problem. At ZAGENO, we are problem solvers. Before we approach any problem or task, we need to understand the customer. Recently we reached out to a few key customers to gather feedback on our latest version of the Spend Dashboard and instead of asking, "what do you think?", we asked, "what business questions will this data help you answer when it comes to your spend?". This gave us further insight beyond a surface level of what they visually thought of the new dashboard. We use this information to better enhance not just our Spend Dashboards, but also our services and overall product experience."

Everyone at ZAGENO begins each day with an opportunity to do their best and sometimes even exceed their own expectations. Each day provides opportunities to try new things to learn, grow and exercise curiosity as an individual, a team or an entire office. Our hope is that each ZAGENO employee is personally motivated to put forward their best effort but also to help colleagues give their personal best, as well. Above all else is a need to be flexible because success in a fast-moving environment changes day to day, and week to week.

Related Characteristics:
⋅ Motivated
⋅ Accountable
⋅ Entrepreneurial

"Striving for success is not settling with a product below the standard our customers expect. It is delivering things expeditiously and with high quality. It is also giving the team the right tools, knowledge and time to deliver to the best of their potential."

We’ve all chosen to work in at the crossroads of e-commerce and life science - two dynamic, high growth and high demand industries. Rather than achieving a so-called “work-life balance”, distinguished between the hours when one works and when they don’t, ZAGENO seeks to provide employees the flexibility their lives demand while expecting attention to company needs “as and when” they arise. This harmonizing of our personal and professional lives will test every employee at a functional level as well as in the personal roles we play within, for example, our families and communities.

To expand on this further, it is ZAGENO’s intention that employees should be trusted to work where they can be most productive. An important building block of this is the personal responsibility and integrity that makes employment like a marriage. To be fulfilling for everyone it must be honored on both sides.  Beyond taking care only oneself the ideal is that employees take care of one other, the wider company, and the wider ZAGENO community.

Beyond this company-employee contract are the core beliefs that we value. ZAGENO is unique in its representation of different cultures, religions, genders, nationalities, and languages. As a company we are very open to anyone who honors this diversity as a centerpiece of our values.

Related Characteristics:
⋅ Trust
⋅ Harmony
⋅ Diversity

From my point of view, trust is a critical pillar to build a successful company. It arises from different behaviors and interactions, but keys ingredients also include authenticity, integrity, and responsibility. During my time as a scientist, I have learned the importance of these principles. Whether discovering novel insights into a disease or building a tool that helps scientists expedite their research, I believe that being transparent, accountable, humble and keeping integrity - especially in the hardest times - is pivotal. This is the only way to leave a footprint that others can build on top and continue innovation.”

 

ZAGENO wants every employee to have the flexibility to try new things, take on new challenges, and add new expertise to their skill-sets. By taking this position, the company openly seeks the positive effects that result from and environment of innovation and creativity. Conversely, the idea of rigidity or inflexibility is something that ZAGENO openly discourages. In an environment as dynamic and flexible as ours job descriptions should be considered guidelines; instead, we seek to color outside of this framework. In the end, it is an ability to deliver on promises made to customers, suppliers and ourselves that matters most - no matter how we get there. The sincere hope is that through encouraging an experimental atmosphere, we’re always learning, growing and exceeding all expectations.

Related Characteristics:
⋅ Curiosity
⋅ Learning

“I come to work every day with an entrepreneurial spirit and focus on how to most efficiently and effectively get the job done. We hire people who can work across roles and improve upon any processes and ideas they come across.  I am always in the mindset of how can I move the ball down the field, how can I take ownership and responsibility to improve something e.g. purchasing Zoom Info, or working on Google Ad Words after discovering it's what people are going online to search for and purchase. It does not have to be my idea, it simply has to be the best idea!”

The idea that “there are no stupid questions” is a common cliche’. What if it wasn’t an overused phrase but instead a company mandate to encourage an open and transparent dialogue, placing good ideas over business titles or company tenure? This is what we seek; to accomplish this we encourage a culture of asking questions where anyone is free to communicate and collaborate across key areas of the business regardless of their role. This opportunity extends to communicating to customers, who are consistently happy to work in partnership with us.

Related Characteristics:
⋅ Inquisitiveness
⋅ Transparency

"I consider my main responsibility to be helping people make decisions based on the data, but also to help them track their progress towards goals, start conversations and provide insights during discussions around the topics that are most important to them and their parts of the business. All of these things are inherently dependent on communication, as data in itself is practically meaningless without context - the "What?" and "Why?", and "When" are what help shape it into the valuable presentation of information. My workday revolves around these topics - in particular, I try to adhere to openness with stakeholders (regarding expectations, timelines, definitions, etc.) and do my best to present the information in clear and meaningful ways."

 

We do hope you enjoyed getting to know ZAGENO a bit better.