Forte News - April
Hello!
Spring is here, but as the proverb says – April weather, rain and sunshine both together 😊 We look forward to warmer and sunnier days so we can spend more time outside and start barbecue lunches on our terrace, if circumstances permit. BTW, the terrace itself and the view from there are both fabulous.
Business Update
March was another good month for us. We have lived with the pandemic for a whole year, and have managed to get through these difficult times in very good shape. Kudos to everyone for delivering great stuff to our customers! We are now almost 60 people in Kraków and continue to expand and stay busy. The design and technology teams are both growing. We also put a lot of effort in various internal initiatives that support personal development. The office may be empty, but our homes are full of work 😊
There are several new projects in the pipeline. We have started building a second team for North Kitchen. This Scandi startup needs a bespoke platform that connects a physical and a digital kitchen and includes various digital services. The solution will be based on our core technology stack React / .NET / Azure.
We have also started two new projects: A new version of an e-commerce platform for a large Norwegian car parts dealer, and a digital platform for a large Norwegian employers' association that supports private businesses’ administration processes.
We also celebrated the successful completion of the new project for Grafill - an interest organization within the field of visual communication in Norway. Also based on React / .NET / Azure, we delivered their new competition and membership management service.
Our existing customers are also keen to step up the pace and increase their teams. Last but not least, there are several potential engagements coming up related to large enterprises, startups and… product development. Yes, we want to invest in products!
To be able to deliver on these demands, we need more talents on board – especially people who are experienced in our technology stack.
People at Forte
Four people joined Forte Digital on 1 April – two developers, one designer and our first IT guy. We are happy that they have chosen to work with us and we are determined to meet their expectations. All three have already completed the onboarding process, which consists of a few meetings where the new joiners get to know some key people at Forte, and become familiar with the tools we use and the way we work. We also try to engage new people in discussions on Slack, because that’s where the action is during the pandemic! Forte employees are big fans of Slack for both professional and social stuff – often, it is something on Slack that make our day or put a smile on our faces.
More people will join us soon, but we are still recruiting, especially for senior positions. Have a look at our Career page or join us for a virtual coffee to learn more about Forte Digital.
Social Stuff
I know many of us have experienced difficulties and challenges connected to being isolated from other people and spending a lot of time staring at our own four walls. That’s why we have come up with new initiatives.
We had an inspiring training session in communication run by Norwegian psychologist Tor Åge Eikeparen, who gave us lots of precious tips. This meeting was organized by our Competency Group that focuses on targeted communication. Our other competency groups are Front-End, Artificial Intelligence, Design Systems, Accessibility, Hybrid teams and remote work, AI and Machine Learning, Microsoft Azure and Security.
Another initiative was an online meeting with WOMAI. A blind guide described the world from the perspective of a blind person and led us through his daily routine. A fantastic way to raise awareness of the challenges visually impaired people meet and a great way to teach us respect and empathy.
We have also started virtual coffee meetings to practice Norwegian. Yes, Norwegian 😊 Four Polish employees have already accepted the challenge. We hope for more, because there is no better way to learn a foreign language than chatting with native speakers!
However, the greatest initiative we have started lately is our monthly SDF – Self-Development Friday 😊 Employees can spend this day on activities promoting self-development. We organize some external trainings and workshops, but you can also go for individual trainings or practice something you find extra interesting. The goal is to learn, get inspired and have fun. It’s crucial that everyone can choose the topic they want to focus on themselves. We have already covered facilitation, public speaking in English, and Scrum, to name a few. And we have a lot of ideas for the future, including React and SEO training. People really like this initiative, it seems! We’ll keep you updated about new topics.
Do you want to learn more about Forte? Stay tuned!