Employees at DRW succeed through collaboration

Actively listen. Ask lots of questions. Work hard. That is the advice Raylene MacDonald, a lead software developer at DRW, would give to people starting their career at the financial technology company, or fintech, with an office in downtown Montréal.

“Try to listen as much as you can to fully absorb what is going on around you,” she says. “Don’t be afraid to ask questions or to not know something.”

MacDonald says that when she started at the company four years ago, she was fresh out of McGill University after completing a theory-based computer science degree. DRW gave her the opportunity to apply the information learned, and connected her with mentors and a team that was understanding and wanted to see her succeed.

“Everyone understood what it was like to be in my situation,” she says. “My team helped me get exposure to all different kinds of work, thought processes and methodologies. DRW was a good place to start my career.”

A culture of collaboration is key to DRW’s success, says Cameron Mackey, manager of new technology programs. “It’s impossible for one person to have all the knowledge and experience needed. We need people to work together to ensure we are on the cutting edge.”

The fintech industry is fast-moving and those who don’t stay on top quickly fall behind. Recruiting people who have integrity, respect and the ability to collaborate means DRW will continue to succeed, Mackey says.

In MacDonald’s team, her second since she started with the company, it means sitting in the open-concept office where people can ask questions, discuss problems and come up with solutions. And whether you are a new employee or a long-time one, your opinions are valued, she says. “Even when I first started, I felt that I was able to have a voice, that I was heard, and I had a direct impact on the direction of a project.”

Innovation requires people to think outside the box, Mackey says. “Challenging the status quo is to be expected at DRW. People are encouraged to speak up, to ask questions, to offer solutions to do things better, because out of that comes new ways of doing things.”

While some employees are still working from home full time, Mackey says eventually they will return to a hybrid model – in the office for a couple of days to collaborate and at home a couple of days, where they can put their heads down and get to work.

“Before the pandemic, we were an office company,” MacDonald says. The Montréal office offers collaborative workspaces, a games room with ping pong and pool tables and a large café with unlimited snacks and a catered breakfast and lunch. The company offers lots of activities and celebrations, something MacDonald says she is keen to see return.

Mackey says the games room is always in high demand. “If you need a break, you can hop up, play a game and clear your mind before sitting down to tackle that problem you need to deal with.”

The company encourages its employees to continue learning, providing an education platform with thousands of courses. It also offers subsidies so employees can take courses outside of work, and provides opportunities to attend conferences.

“The company makes sure you have all the resources available to you to do the best you possibly can,” Mackey says. “You feel challenged. Mastery, autonomy and purpose are all things DRW does an exceptional job at providing to its employees.”

This article appeared in the magazine announcing this year's Montreal’s Top Employers winners, published February 15, 2022 in the Montreal Gazette. This article was prepared with the financial support of the employer, which reviewed but did not write its contents.