This week, MuleSoft was named the #6 Best Place to Work in the Bay Area by the San Francisco Business Times, our 5th time making the list. In my role leading global talent marketing, awards like this mean a lot to me personally because they validate all the work the company puts into building an incredible workplace for everyone. It’s not because we get a trophy (which is on display in our lobby, come by!) It’s because this award is based 100% on feedback from our employees across the Bay Area. We sent out surveys to hundreds of Muleys asking for their candid feedback on their experience working at MuleSoft, and the result was getting the highest ranking we’ve ever gotten on this Best Places to Work in the Bay Area list.
We talk a lot about our culture and our values, but what’s it really like stepping into the office in downtown San Francisco every day? I’ve been at MuleSoft for just over 2 years, and have noticed some pretty cool and unique traditions that you don’t see at every company in the Bay Area. In fact, #1 just happened two days ago! Take a look at 5 of the most notable aspects of working at our HQ, and why any Muley you talk to will agree that these aren’t just awesome perks, but things that make working at MuleSoft really special.
#1 Waffle Wednesdays
Walk into 77 Geary Street one Wednesday a month, and you’ll immediately be greeted by the smell of fresh waffles on any of the three floors we occupy. One of our longest-standing traditions, Waffle Wednesday is our welcome to new Muleys hired in the previous month. They cook waffles and set up topping stations, and for an hour, everyone in the office swings by to pick up a waffle and meet their new coworkers. Our kitchen is stocked with some pretty healthy snacks, but we definitely make an exception for Waffle Wednesday.
#2 MuleyGroups
What started with a Women @ MuleSoft group is now a program focused on fostering an inclusive work environment for all Muleys. MuleyGroups are our Employee Resource Groups, which are formed and led by employees, and allow for learning and discussion for anybody and everybody. Now with Inclusion @ MuleSoft and Pride @ MuleSoft, our San Francisco office, as well as our other offices all over the world, are enjoying lunch and learns with guest speakers, development opportunities, and networking in the community. We’re excited to see these groups and other MuleyGroups take off across the globe.
#3 Flexible office space
I took that picture sitting on one of our big lounge couches in the All Hands area of our office. It’s pretty cool to be in a place that doesn’t expect you to do your work a certain way. We have a big, open area with large desks and monitors, but anytime you want, you can take your laptop to a spacious kitchen, comfy lounge area, quiet room, or conference room. Our conference rooms all have glass walls, catering to the transparency we value in our culture, and no one has offices. Our CEO actually sits two rows ahead of me! This setup really fosters the collaboration that’s so important in how we do work every day. We have a very in-office culture and are cross-functional in nature, so having an environment that facilitates that makes getting work done that much easier, faster, and more pleasant.
#4 Soccer leagues (but lots of us call it football)
Yes, we may be in San Francisco, but we have so many Muleys that come from the UK, Argentina, France, Venezuela, India, and more, that “football” is more commonly heard when we talk about our local soccer teams. We’ve gotten so much interest that we now have two teams, one of which started last year at one of the lowest tiers and is now in the premier league after winning the majors. The great thing about soccer at MuleSoft is that it’s popular among every department in the company, so the team is super cross-functional, allowing Muleys to meet people they wouldn’t typically work with and spend some time together outside of the office. The feeling of a win doesn’t hurt either!
#5 Rafting with the Mules
Every summer, our entire San Francisco team heads up north for 24 hours of being in the great outdoors. We set up tents, eat barbeque, and head out to the river. Every raft is randomly assigned Muleys so that everyone gets to interact and navigate the waters with coworkers they may not interact with every day. It’s a chance to live out our core value “be fearless” in an entirely different way, and it’s an event that we look forward to all year. You could say that you don’t really know someone until you’ve shared a raft with them out on the open waters.
Want to join the fun? We’re looking for tons of awesome people to join us at MuleSoft HQ. Check out our open positions and come #runwiththemules!
