Who are we?

Decisions are made democratically

‍It is obvious that in a collective you make decisions together. So we do, too. What direction should the company go in, what projects make sense to work on, and what coffee should be in the coffee machine in the office. All important decisions (especially coffee) that can be taken in plenary. However, we acknowledge that not all decisions can be democratic, as, for example, hiring and dismissals can potentially become like a "tribal-council" — that is, a popularity contest rather than a business.‍

Everyone gets paid the same

‍An engine doesn't work without all its parts, so why should some parts be worth more than others? Whether you are a recent graduate or have 30 years of experience, Creative Oak earns you the same salary. And the classic question, of course, is: “Does that mean you don't earn more the longer you work in the company?” Yes and no! One of the decisions that must be taken democratically is, among other things, how much salary should be paid. So it is a common decision whether we should get more or less in wages. And if people make good efforts and the company has a healthy economy--why shouldn't we be rewarded with more in wages?‍

The (semi) four-day work week

‍Lately, there's been quite a bit of hype around four-day workweeks, where you work four days, to keep one day a week completely off. At Creative Oak, we don't just work to be free, but because the work is meaningful. It also complicates collaborations, as it makes it impossible to contact a 4-day workweek company on a “day off” when all employees have time off.

There are five days in a standard working week—we recognise that, and we want to invest in the fact that you can easily spend five days a week at work and still be happy about it. At Creative Oak, we have therefore chosen that one of the five working days should be spent on something you are passionate about. Whether it's self-development, pottery, a cool piece of software, or a desire to immerse yourself in an exciting project. It may also be that on that day you want to work on your projects in the Company - it is up to you. The only “expectation” with this “day off” is that you use half an hour in the morning and a garden hour in the afternoon to go through your inbox, so that our partners do not wait for answers in vain.

As long as the work is inspiring, fun and constantly evolving, we believe that a five-day work week can work. That's why we make sure that all our employees have one day to challenge themselves by learning something new or doing something that is inspiring. We also believe that it benefits the company that our employees have great opportunity for self-development—if you learn something new that you can offer our customers, we don't get stuck in old learning; we promote new learning.