cactus culture

Our culture and values

Through this presentation, you will discover the nature of our business, how we work, how we relate to people, and

what it takes to succeed at Cactus.

Our culture & values

Our businessHow we work How we relate to our teamOur values

Our business

Our business is growing. It cuts across geographies and cultures. It is client-

centric and fast-paced.

What does this mean for you?

Our business is global. It spans numerous time zones and cultures. Regardless of what role you play at

Cactus, you will find yourself interacting with people representing varied geographies and cultures.

You will thrive if you feel at home with this diversity.

Our business is fast-paced. Our customers expect us to respond immediately and deliver at high speed.

Be prepared to match this pace. At times you might run out of breath!

Our clients are both corporate & individuals. And they return to us again and again.

Because every client has a unique need, you will have to tailor your work accordingly. Plus, you will need to

remember their preferences the next time they request our service.

You need to be client-centric, and process-centric.

Growth is a way of life at Cactus.

But growth also brings change.

If you want growth, you have to become comfortable with change.

To be successful at Cactus...

You need to be fast and accessible

You need to have a strong client focus

You need to work with people across cultures and geographies

You can question change, but don’t resist it

How we work

Freedom and responsibility

With Freedom comes Responsibility. You will enjoy a high degree of operational autonomy and ownership.

Simultaneously, you will often be expected to demonstrate a great sense of responsibility.

Micro-managing is not our style.

Work ethic

The unpredictability of our business is best surmounted by a good work ethic.

Good work ethic means working with integrity - being reliable, being responsible, and taking initiative.

Talent is worthless when unaccompanied by a sound work ethic.

Simplicity

Simplicity fascinates us.

It is possible to keep things simple and still achieve great results.

Anything that gets complicated could perhaps be done differently.

Flexibility

We have minimum rules. And we take pride in being flexible. We bend backwards and make exceptions to

accommodate our clients and our employees.

But we also expect you to be flexible when we need your support.

Our culture is informal, not casual; understanding this distinction is vital.

For example, everyone is on first-name basis and you can wear whatever you feel comfortable in.

Being informal is a choice – being professional is a necessity.

Informality

Confidentiality

Our clients trust us with their work.

Gaining trust is difficult – especially when challenged by geographical and cultural barriers.

Not handling any client or company information with confidentiality can amount to a breach of trust.

Win-Win solutions

We are not into sports, where someone must lose.

It is possible for everyone to win. Look for win-win solutions.

But when faced with a conflict of interest, always put the customer first.

CommunicationOpen communication is encouraged.

(Does that sound clichéd?)

We’ve added ‘responsible’ to it.

This means you can question anything and anyone. But be prepared to stand by what you say. And use a

constructive tone to get the desired impact.

Decision-making

Many of our decisions are collaborative.

This can get frustrating, because reaching a consensus is difficult and time-consuming. But collaborating beforehand is better than debating afterward.

Once a decision is made, you just move on. Even if you disagreed with it in the first place. The keyword is

collaborative and not consensual – you can agree to disagree.

Quality

Quality is what differentiates us from the competition. Our focus on quality has brought us this far: A sizable proportion of our business comes from

clients who appreciate our quality.

So, always deliver quality, no matter what role you play.

Meeting deadlines doesn’t mean compromising on

quality.

Deadlines

Timely delivery is a basic requirement.

We are fanatical about meeting deadlines.

We honor our commitments despite power failures, floods, riots, and worse.

Tech-friendly

Being tech-friendly is a must.

Use automation to your advantage. It will leave you time

to focus on the more important tasks.

If you are not comfortable with technology, you need to get comfortable fast or you’ll find yourself

handicapped.

Feedback

Feedback is our binding glue.

Whether it’s with clients, supervisors, team members, or peers, giving and receiving feedback is crucial.

You must be receptive to positive as well as constructive feedback. We’ve seen it help us grow as individuals

and as professionals.

Relationships

We are a team and not a family. The relationships you develop with your colleagues

should help—and not hinder—your work.

Recognize the thin line between personal and professional relationships

at work, and act in accordance.

To be successful at Cactus...

Use your freedom to build the organization Stay simple Make decisions for Cactus as if they are for

yourself Use all resources to the optimum Agree to disagree

How we relate to our team

An ideal Cactizen is…

PositivePassionateModestA Self-learner Sensitive OpenResponsibleCuriousCourageous

Who is hired?

While hiring…More weightage is given to talent/potential and work

ethic than to experience. Experience is always welcome, although you might be required to unlearn and relearn

several things.

We aren’t brand conscious: If you have the talent and potential, you’ll fit in

regardless of your grades and educational background.

We look for people who are in sync with our culture and values.

This is so important that we have not extended offers to some candidates with plenty of experience and

knowledge simply because they did not fit in.

Getting started

You might find your first few months at Cactus quite difficult. We select people carefully and we expect

them to come up to speed fast.

Of course, we will help you along the way.

Designations

If you attach great importance to designations, you might feel

undervalued at Cactus.

Here, designations will not earn you respect.

Your capabilities will.

Compensation When you join Cactus, your

compensation will be determined based on internal structure.

After you have acquired depth in your role (which could take at least a year), you will find your pay

exceeding market standards.

This becomes possible because you start adding higher value.

If you aspire for great compensation, be prepared to deliver great performance.

Tenure

Compensation

Growth for t

enured employees

Gro

wth

for

perf

orm

ers

Who gets promoted?

People who are thought leaders or people leaders

ORcreate an astounding impact at work

ORenjoy building systems

Plus...

are constantly driven,

have a high level of ownership, and

consistently live our values.

And if you are keen on fast-track growth, you might just have the opportunity.

Being a vibrant and growing organization, there is often scope for new things if you are

passionate and persevering.

Here, a great work ethic will serve you well.

Fast Growth

Becoming a manager is not the only way to grow.

The managerial and technical tracks run parallel at Cactus.

Becoming a technical expert can win you as much recognition

and growth as that of a manager.

Career Paths

We acknowledge people’s need for variety and change.

You will find people who have transitioned

successfully from one role to another.

We support such moves, where possible.

Career moves

When an individual fails to perform, we follow these three approaches:

1. Provide feedback 2. Provide training/coaching 3. Find a more suitable role

If nothing works, we part ways amicably.

Consistently poor performers do themselves and the organization no favors.

Performance issues

To be successful at Cactus...

Consistently deliver good performance so that your juniors and peers can rely on you.

Self-improvement is the key.

Don’t shy away from spelling out your career ambitions.

Our values

Our Values Why do we have values? To define the character of the organization: A core through which it grows and stays

healthy. To define the type of relationships we build internally and externally. To create a common thread of understanding and work principles that guides us.

When recruiting, we look for people whose values are aligned with ours.

We educate people about our values. And

we publicly recognize those whopractice them.

Integrity

Trust

Excellence

Innovation

Communication

Fun

Our core values

Integrity

You do what is expected of you even when no one is watching.

You are reliable and responsible in all circumstances.

You don’t need written rules to help you differentiate right from wrong.

You have the courage to admit to mistakes.

TrustYou begin relationships with trust, not suspicion.

You trust that people are generally good

and do not mean harm.

You make yourself worthy of gaining the trust of people you work closely with.

You are as open and transparent in your dealings as you can be.

Excellence

You raise the bar in everything you do.

You exceed client expectations.

You refuse to accept sub-standard output.

You can be depended upon for seamless execution.

Innovation

You find new and better ways of doing things.

You strive to improve our business continuously.

You think laterally.

You challenge the obvious.

Communication

You listen well.

You have an opinion but it is conveyed without offending others.

You spot gaps in communication and strive to close them.

You speak out; you don’t remain a passive spectator.

Fun

You find ways to enjoy your work.

You can be yourself at work.

You celebrate diversity.

You have a life outside work.

Living our values and sustaining our culture are the keys to success and growth—For

Cactus and for each of us

Thank you