Change is inevitable at all growing companies. But how business leadership supports their team members through change is what sets them apart.
SimplePractice employees know this from personal experience. In the past year, the healthtech company has seen its fair share of growth, doubling its headcount to 350-plus people. Helping its team members transition through any type of change is its calling card.
Take Director of Mobile Engineering Oleksandr Skrypnyk for example. For eight years, he worked for the company as a mobile engineer based in Ukraine. In 2020, Skrypnyk applied for a work visa so he and his family could move to California. When he received the visa and made the move one year later, Skrypnyk was confronted with a swath of changes.
But SimplePractice made this potentially overwhelming experience a positive one.
“My manager worked with our legal team and completed all the necessary paperwork. It was such an easy transition,” Skrypnyk said. “Everything was prepared for us when we landed in California. SimplePractice even set us up with an Airbnb and a rental car. It was incredible.”
How else has the company supported its team members as it continues to grow? Built In LA sat down with three team members to find out.
What they do
Like many people during the throes of the pandemic, JP Checa struggled to adjust to remote work. But SimplePractice’s frequent messaging around work flexibility aided in his transition. Go for a walk. Get out and about. Don’t feel tied to your desk. This encouraged Checa, the director of product design, to take daily walks with his aging 14-year-old dog. “My dog eventually had to be in a wheelchair. But since I was home, I was able to take him out for walks at a flexible time, and felt the support of my company in doing so,” Checa said.
What drew you to SimplePractice?
I’ve long admired this industry from afar, and like many others, it’s seen a lot of changes due to the pandemic. There’s a large demand for health and wellness services, and making that process as seamless as possible for providers is essential. I wanted to make an impact.
What’s an example of a recent change your team went through?
Earlier this year, our product team transitioned how we product plan. We went from being output driven to outcome driven. It’s actually a big change that completely alters our frame of thinking. When we were output driven, we constantly thought about what we could release and when. Now that we’re outcome driven, we’re more focused on the result, and how we get there. We’re six months into this change, and it’s really helped us have stronger alignment with our company goals and the projects we’re pursuing. This change has taken a lot of communication and buy-in — and it’s working.
What’s one change you’re looking forward to in the coming year?
We’ll be introducing a new culture deck. We currently provide every new applicant with a culture deck. But in the past few months, we’ve taken steps to revisit it and look for ways to improve upon it. A lot has changed in the three years since we originally released it, and I think this new and improved version will be a positive change.
When a SimplePractice recruiter called Erin Collins at the end of 2021, she remembers thinking: This could be a call that changes my trajectory. It was. Collins joined as a partner marketing manager, and since then, has felt SimplePractice’s support as she’s acclimated to a new, growing company.
A new job is a big change! What was your onboarding experience like?
The onboarding experience was phenomenal. I’m remote, and on day one, I was paired with a cohort of other new people. There was a Slack channel just for us newbies, and we met every day and talked about our experiences. That was really nice, because right off the bat, you didn’t feel like you were going through this alone. Early on, SimplePractice set us up with tasks that took us through the product. It allowed us to step into our customers’ shoes and better understand the product, which is crucial when joining a new company.
What’s an example of a recent change your team went through?
I’ve taken on more responsibilities as my team has gone through some changes. These added responsibilities include collaborating with more internal stakeholders, sharpening the playbook for new SimplePractice Enterprise partner launches, and helping SimplePractice Enterprise healthcare partners be successful. I’m lucky to have an awesome manager who’s supported and empowered me throughout this process. She didn’t force any of this onto me. Instead, she asked if I was interested in taking on these extra responsibilities. It’s been a great growth opportunity.
What’s one aspect of SimplePractice’s culture that you appreciate?
We really care about mental health. From perks like daily guided meditations and wellness holidays to organized forums where we can openly discuss reactions to troubling events in the world, we’re actively conscious of mental wellness. One of the first meetings I attended as a new employee was a conversation around self care and what it can look like for different people; we spent the hour sharing different ways we each practice self care and that week I received a little candle and card in the mail from SimplePractice. Those kinds of conversations and forums always help make me feel heard and appreciated as an employee.
Oleksandr Skrypnyk is grateful that SimplePractice supported him in his move to California, but he’s just as grateful for the company’s continued support of its team members who remain in Ukraine. During the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, the company has paid to temporarily relocate team members to safer parts of Ukraine. “SimplePractice has provided financial aid, and anything else we can do to help,” Skrypnyk said.
What drew you to SimplePractice?
I was one of the first hires at SimplePractice. I joined because of the people and the founders. I shared their same vision and mission, which is driven by simplification. We’re trying to simplify historically-complex processes. The amount of paperwork clinicians deal with is terrible. SimplePractice is simplifying that process so that clinicians can focus on their jobs. I like to simplify things, so it was a perfect fit.
What’s the biggest change you’ve experienced as you’ve watched the company grow?
The biggest change has been process. It’s inevitable when a company grows — and grows as fast as SimplePractice has — that some structure and processes come into play. For us, process means establishing a framework that allows us to move fast and grow together.
What changes are you most looking forward to in the coming year?
I’m a technical person, so the biggest change I’m looking forward to is a new product that might finally be released. I can’t share too many details, but it’s a mobile application that will change our workflow. I’m really excited about it!
