2️⃣Set up your workspace
👋 Introduction
From hardware to getting onboarded onto all the tools we use, set up your workspace in the first week of joining Obvious.
1️⃣ Hardware
During fellowship
When you join (online/offlice), you will receive an office laptop and a charger.
If you need anything immediately, such as an adapter to connect to your existing monitor, and if the value of that material is under Rs.5,000, you could get an approval from your manager and ask Jaya to procure and ship it to you.
Post-fellowship
After successful completion of your fellowship period in 3 months, you have the option of requesting for hardware from this list:
| Device | Vendor | Key Specs | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
Computer | Apple | 14/16" | Rs. 240,000 |
Monitor | Dell | 27" 4K or equivalent | Rs. 50,000 |
Keyboard | Recommended: Mechanical | Rs. 5,000 | |
Mouse | - | - | Rs. 2,500 |
WiFi Router | - | - | Rs. 2,500 |
Table (Sit-Stand) | Ikea/Haworth | - | Rs. 50,000 |
Table (Regular) | Ikea/Urban Ladder | - | Rs. 15,000 |
Chairs | Haworth | - | Rs. 15,000 |
Monthly Mobile and Internet Allowance | Your choice | - | Rs. 2,000 |
If there’s a device (or devices) that are important for your work, which are outside this list, here are the guidelines:
Have a conversation with your manager. After your manager signs off the purchase, share it with Jaya.
We have unusually generous allowances for computing equipment, but be judicious while choosing your equipment. Spend company money like it is your own money. No, really.
If you purchase something from a vendor outside this list, we may not be able to use it if you leave, and you will need to buy it back from Obvious at the rates mentioned later in the document. Read: if you purchase a crazy, RGB-encrusted keyboard, there's a very strong chance that no one else will want to use it, and we will ask you to purchase it back from Obvious.
Caring for hardware
While all our hardware is insured, we expect you to treat all of it with care.
If you lose something, inform Jaya: If there is any loss (device/ instrument/ charger), please report that loss immediately to Jaya.
If something gets damaged: If there is a damage on anything that is an office asset (tech hardware/ desk/ chair), please report it immediately to Jaya. The next steps are:
Jaya gets a certified technician to assess damage
Depending on the nature of damage, the cost is identified, so is the ownership of the repairs (as in, who pays for it)
If there is no timely intimation of damage, and the technician is disagreed on either what caused the damage/ the extent of the damage, that cost will be passed on to you
Retain the original packing material of hardware sent to you: If ever you need to ship them elsewhere/ to Bangalore, you need these.
If you are moving houses/cities: Find safe transportation options. ****The expectation is that you care for the hardware like you would for your own possessions.
Any damages during transit will be borne by you.
You will also need to inform Jaya of damages as they happen, so she can get the certified technicians to handle this.
If either of the above does not happen, the cost of replacement will need to be borne by you.
💻 We have a Device Test Lab planned, where we house older devices to ensure that all the websites and apps that we make work on a range of hardware and software.
Laptop Refresh
Laptops can be refreshed if it's outdated and is actively impeding your productivity. If you feel you need a new laptop to be effective at your job, reach out to your manager, and you'll be set up with a new machine in accordance with the table above.
2️⃣ Software
We use a lot of software to manage our own organisation. Here's a laundry list of the different bits and bobs that are floating around, which might be useful to you.
Google Calendar
Log in with your Obvious account to Google Calendar to see everyone's availability, block off a meeting or just see what your own day looks like.
Slack
The majority of our communication happens inside Slack. Make sure that you follow the appropriate Slack-etiquette.
As long as you have an Obvious Google Account, or you have been given guest access, you will be able to log in.
Notion
Notion is documentation central for us. You can access most of what we do by looking around across different teams updates. You will get an invite from one of the admins: Rahul, Dhruv or Sindhu.
Figma
Figma is where we do most of our design work. Whether you’re a designer, a writer, an illustrator or a developer, Figma is a must-have. Reach out to Tejasvi to get added to the Obvious Team on Figma.
Google Drive
Google Drive is good to keep documents that need to shared externally (think sales decks) or to store documents that have a long shelf life (think our website illustrations, videos etc). Obvious has shared drives for different work streams and you can see this using your Obvious email ID.
Razorpay x Payroll
RazorPay x Payroll is where all your financial information resides. You can access old salary slips, view the upcoming month's salary slips and apply for reimbursements on expenses incurred during work. The login is created by the People Experience team and you get an invite to join.
Pause
Pause is our leave management system. Once the People Experience team sends you an invite, you can get onboard.
3️⃣ Setting up your workspace
Ergonomic workstations are a given at Obvious. Every team member gets a height adjustable table and chair so they can set up their workstation to be comfortable and just right.
These happen after the first three months of your work at Obvious.
Here’s a detailed guide on setting up an ergonomic workspace for yourself.
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