Smokeball recognised as a top workplace for women in 2023 in Australia
In commendation of its commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace, Smokeball, a legal practice management software developer, has been acknowledged in the Great Place to Work Australia's Best Workplaces for Women in 2023 List. This honour follows its earlier inclusion in the inaugural Great Place to Work Australia's Best Workplaces in Technology, as well as the WRK+ Best Places to Work.
The company received this accolade in recognition of its active efforts to create a phenomenal work environment for women, particularly in the traditionally male-dominated software development industry. Notably, the company boasts almost equal representation between genders, with the executive level largely female-led.
Bianca Bowron-Cuthill, General Manager of Smokeball Australia, commented on the listing, "This particular recognition fills us with immense pride. Diversity and inclusion are crucial in every sector, but given that women represent a mere 29% of the tech industry, our pursuit of empowering all staff and positioning them for success is critical to us. We are quite unique in the tech world with 42% female staff and an executive body largely composed of women, underlining the direct experience and strategic importance of equality."
Earlier in the year, Smokeball was ranked 16th in the large company category at the inaugural Great Place To Work Australia's Best Workplaces in Technology. The company stood out among hundreds of Great Place To Work certified organisations, representing the voices of over 30,000 employees in Australia's information and technology sector.
In addition to this, Smokeball secured the 6th spot in the WRK+ Best Places to Work list, which analysed the employee engagement strategies of 101 Australian organisations. Out of 17 different categories, the company had an impressive overall engagement score of 94%.
One of the highest-ranking areas for Smokeball was diversity and inclusion, with staff awarding between 98-99% on all related questions. The firm also performed exceptionally well for well-being and mental health initiatives, providing each employee with a $1000 well-being allowance with no specific usage criteria, supporting mental, financial, or physical wellbeing.
Beyond monetary support, Smokeball hosts several unique events annually, designed to enhance both personal and professional growth. Among these is an annual hackathon called Shipit, allowing employees to unleash their creativity in proposing solutions for client service improvement. The company also organises an annual two-day event, Fizz bash, aimed at exploring new technologies and fostering cross-functional collaboration.
Incorporating strategic goal setting into its organisational culture, Smokeball encourages its staff to strive for greatness through its Big Hairy Audacious Goals program. Hunter Steele, CEO, Smokeball, explained, "To ensure employees have ample time to achieve their objectives and receive continual feedback, we operate in four-monthly sprints instead of traditional calendar quarters."
The CEO further highlighted the company's focus on team building and employee pride, saying, "Monthly, we host two huddles to review our results and connect as a company. Here, we delve deep into our performance and recognise the outstanding achievements of our team. We celebrate wins, big and small, in line with our 'make it happen' value."
Smokeball currently employs 155 people across Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane.
