LogInResolution Games' Head of People & Culture Natalie Mellin spoke about the work organization at the company, explained how they create a welcoming atmosphere for beginners, and shared some tips on getting hired.
Introduction
I’m Natalie, and I head up People & Culture at Resolution Games. As someone who has worked for almost two decades with people and culture matters for companies like Spotify and King, it may surprise some to learn that my educational background is actually in art and gender studies.
Just before Resolution Games, I had my own small business consulting primarily for tech and games companies. After a while, I missed being part of a team and building a company – and that led me to Resolution Games.
Work Organization at Resolution Games
Resolution Games prides itself on its ‘flat’ structure. While there are key decision-makers on every team, we firmly believe that great ideas can come from anyone. Whether it’s to solve a problem or to introduce new ideas to a project, we’ve structured our teams in a way that everyone feels safe and empowered to speak up and share their thoughts.
The company is divided into a variety of teams with unique focuses. Each game has a dedicated team (or in some cases, more than one) working on its ongoing development. But we also have teams dedicated to exploring new ideas or perfecting approaches. Last year we announced a dedicated AR division, for example, that focuses on pioneering software experiences for the next generation of mobile AR and mixed reality headsets. We also have a team dedicated to creating "tinyverse" experiences; the popular social hubs inside of games like Demeo and Blaston that give players an opportunity to connect for play and other activities outside of a core game experience. We have teams dedicated to our in-house tools and teams dedicated to providing additional help when projects need it. In short, we’re built around the idea of teams helping teams.
This structure works well for us, but its success is entirely dependent on a strong company-wide spirit embracing free and open communication. We use popular workplace tools to stay in touch, but we also embrace an in-office culture as much as we can, especially in the more exploratory and creative parts of the process. At the end of the day, there are a few simple substitutes for brainstorming and chatting with your team in person.
Important Skills
We value people who take initiative and are intuitive problem solvers. We know that a lot of studios aren’t interested in people coloring outside the lines, so to speak, but we feel people can only succeed when they’re given the space needed to do so.
The other side of that coin is that team members need to take that initiative if they want to shine – whether it's proposing new ideas for a game or more efficient work processes, offering solutions to another team, or simply straightening up a garbage bin that they notice has been knocked over. We expect everyone to act and help improve the company. We’re all on the same team here, and that comes with a shared responsibility to do our best every day.
Creating a Welcoming Atmosphere
While we’re proud of our onboarding process, it’s really the weeks that follow that will make or break whether or not a newcomer feels welcome — and that largely comes down to a company’s overall structure.
Our teams are kept relatively small and nimble for a good reason: not only does it help foster faster decision-making and an improved focus for those teams, but it also makes it a lot easier to get to know your teammates and build bonds quickly. And with our reliance on cross-team collaboration, new staff get to know everyone fairly quickly in a way that shouldn’t become overwhelming.
Of course, there are plenty of more fun ways to get to know your fellow team members at Resolution Games. Whether you jump into playtests for new projects, join us for our Friday evening hangouts, or participate in our annual company retreats (this year we took over a whole castle!), there’s always a chance to get to know the team better and start to feel like you’re really a part of things.
Managing Burnout
Crunch is a serious issue in the games industry, and we have no interest in making it the norm at Resolution Games. We’re very focused on work-life balance, maintaining standard office hours, and letting our teams disconnect whenever they’re out of the office. If for any reason team members need to work above and beyond their normal hours, lieu time is arranged to accommodate for this. That said, we don’t like for anyone to make this a habit: the goal is to keep everyone rested and ready for work, which just isn’t possible when studios are asking people to go beyond the standard 40-hour work week.
Exercise has been proven to be a key driver of positive mental health outcomes. With that in mind, we also provide funds for our team members to get gym memberships or engage in other physical activities and encourage Resolutioneers to exercise during work hours to help keep them feeling fresh and clear-minded.
Working in a Post-COVID Environment
We believe something special happens when we get time to work in the same space, and that time spent together is an important ingredient for creativity, innovation, and culture. However, we also understand that we’re living through unprecedented times and compromises need to be made for the safety and well-being of our team.
We currently aim to have employees in the office for a minimum of two days each week, which gives us the ability to have that in-person connection regularly while also ensuring that our offices aren’t at full capacity on any given day.
Beyond COVID, we also believe there are times when team members may want or need more flexibility in terms of where they work, and so we’re considering the current situation a pilot project of sorts to help us better understand whether or not there could be value in offering something akin to a hybrid model once we’re safely on the other side of the current pandemic.
What Should Aspiring Artists Focus On?
Practice, practice, practice. And, as mentioned above, always be willing to learn and grow. In your portfolio, show your best assets as well as the breadth of your skill, focusing not only on your creative skills but also your level of proficiency with tools, especially those used daily.