This version of Automata is still in its infancy. Not only are we building a new product from scratch but the business as well. This level of challenge and complexity demands a lot from the team. Therefore we’ve put a process together to address overtime that is stage appropriate and aims to support you in periods of ‘crunch’.

The examples below have a ‘Customer Success’ slant to them as this team is impacted most frequently by this type of work, however, this policy applies to everyone.

Principles

• ‘Stability’ is something we’re aiming for, not something that has already been achieved

• There will be busy periods where the team are required to achieve an outcome that takes them beyond a standard working week

• It is important that the team buy into this commitment and understand the implications. We are a flexible team. That delivers.

• We prioritise time off in lieu (TOIL). This is for a handful of reasons, including:

  • When you work hard, you need and deserve to rest, TOIL is the best way to achieve this
  • Overtime can create misaligned incentives for individuals and Automata

• However, it’s not always possible to take TOIL

  Policy for TOIL & Overtime

  • sometimes busy periods are extended and there is limited opportunity to take the time off
  • That being said, this is the result of poor planning and should flag a discussion about the manager's performance and planning, or identify a potential hiring requirement
  • We continually look to reduce the occurrences of this type of overtime and aim to avoid building an expected culture of this type of work

• The purpose of this policy is to empower managers to prioritise their teams’ rest and recovery around times of high demand

• Described below are the two categories of options for extended hours; reactive and proactive:

| | Reactive (Not pre-planned, has to be given for specific days; e.g. a team works long hours to deploy a system Mon-Thu, they are then given Fri off by their manager) | Proactive (Pre-planned, work spike identified in advance, quantified and pre-approved by manager and HR; e.g. a deployment needs to happen over a weekend so the team will work for these 2 days) | | --- | --- | --- | | Time Off In Lieu | ✔ Examples:

• Getting called onto a customer site to troubleshoot a workflow on a Friday and having to work until 11pm. Your manager then might tell you to take a half day the following Monday

• Working on preparing a system for FAT from Mon-Thu, until late every night. Your manager then might tell you to not come in on Friday | ✔ Examples:

• A diagnostics lab needs us to deploy a system over the weekend to minimise downtime while deploying

• To meet tight customer deadlines we have to deploy a 12-bench system in one calendar week and therefore have to work the weekend | | Overtime | ✖ | ✔ Examples:

• A diagnostics lab needs us to deploy a system over the weekend to minimise downtime while deploying AND you can’t take TOIL

• To meet tight customer deadlines we have to deploy a 12 bench system in one calendar week and therefore have to work the weekend AND you can’t take TOIL |

Additional Considerations

• Reactive - TOIL

  • This should be assessed in real-time by the manager of the team OR the Customer Service Manager and confirmed with their counterpart.
  • Once confirmed, the TOIL allocation must be emailed to HR by the manager.
  • This should be allocated immediately after the working spike (within 7 days) and should not exceed 2 days of TOIL.

• Proactive - TOIL

  • This should be requested in advance and be approved by the line manager and HR
  • This should be allocated and used within 1 calendar month of the work spike and should not be accrued in excess of 4 days at any one time

• Proactive - Overtime (1.5x time)

  • This should be requested in advance and be approved by line manager, HR and Finance - via email, not Slack.
  • This should only be approved if TOIL is not viable (i.e. work commitments do not allow for TOIL to be taken). This should be the exception and if all other avenues have been considered and exhausted first.

  ** If you are a Contractor - No overtime will be paid unless agreed so in writing and approved by your line manager and HR*