The Redpill Linpro family is blessed with long-time colleagues. Some of us have been here since the year of the millennium bug, when people played Snake on a Nokia 3210, and Britney Spears sang 'Oops, I did it again' on the radio.

– I started in January 2000, which is a long time ago. I never looked for another job – so I guess that means I'm having a good time, Yngve Sandal reminisces with a laugh.

– I've been working here for so long that I have spent more time with many of my colleagues than with many of my friends, says Margrethe Monsen.

Margrethe is the Managing Director in Norway and the Nordic Manager for CloudOps. She started working as a consultant and developer at Linpro (before the merge with Redpill) right after finishing her studies in computer science at Oslo University. By then, Yngve Sandal had already been employed for a few months. He started out as a system consultant, and today, he works as a Cloud solution architect.

– I've been working here my entire professional life. So, of course, this company is a part of my identity, Margrethe says.

In the Redpill Linpro family, we have several colleagues who have been working in the company for a long time. We have an esteemed tradition of honoring the ones who celebrate work anniversaries at our gatherings.

– I’ve been fortunate to have had the privilege of handing out some of these prizes. I think they show we have a clear mission; we aim to achieve long-term relations with our employees, as we do with our customers, Margrethe says.

One of the keys to staying for a long time at a workplace is the opportunity to develop. Both Margrethe and Yngve have had several positions within the company since they started.

Tomas Ljunggren works at the office in Karlstad and has been working at Redpill Linpro for almost 10 years. After working for some years with system interaction, he was ready for a change.

– I brought it up with my boss, and we discussed it. There were no problems, just positive responses. I got great support.

Today, he is working with analyzing performance data connected to the development of autonomous trucks.

– I really got the chance to broaden myself again. I can use my previous programming knowledge, but it is interesting and different from what I have done before. It feels good to be able to change direction so that you don't get stuck, Tomas says.

One thing that makes him stay with Redpill Linpro, except for the colleagues and flexibility in projects, is the size and structure of the company. Many international tech companies have a considerable overhead and strict hierarchy, but Redpill Linpro differs.

– I really appreciate that we have a flat structure. There are not many steps from me to the board. I understand what everyone is doing and what their role is within the company. There is inevitably a lot of fuzz and buzz at bigger organisations, but we don't have that. We work in a more slimmed and inclusive way, Tomas says.

The fact is that Redpill Linpro has grown significantly in the last few years. However, the company structure has gone back to a more flat profile.

– If I remember correctly, we were eight employees when I started in Linpro. It was the owner and the rest of us. Today, we are more of an enterprise. A mature organisation that works the correct way – and that is a lot better for everyone, Yngve says.

With time, it is natural for a company to develop and evolve. In a tech company, it is also apparent that the projects and the technology change. IT has developed in a revolutionary way over the last decades, and the atmosphere within the field was different back then.

– Today, we have a tech-based and very friendly atmosphere at work. There are no sharp elbows, and we help each other out. But the tone could be a bit harsh in the late 90s and early 2000s, Margrethe says.

Historically, there were strong opinions: this is "good" and this is "bad". Redpill Linpro, and the world in general, is a bit more pragmatic about technology choices today, and we are more concerned with each other, Margrethe continues.

Redpill Linpro has its roots in Open Source which fundamentally impacts the culture and atmosphere.

– We're an Open Source company, and Open Source is based on a sharing culture. We are very good at helping each other and continuously encourage people to share. Everything is for sharing, especially knowledge, Yngve says.

– Sharing is essential to us and part of our DNA as a company. I am happy to see Open Source succeed in the manner that it has. I believe it's a model that will continue to deliver very well within IT, Margrethe says.

Knowledge sharing is running through all levels and offices at Redpill Linpro. At the gatherings, the Tech Talks held by colleagues are the highlight for many, and lunch lectures are common in all offices. Competence among colleagues is one of the things newcomers comment on, as well as one of the most important values for the veterans of the Redpill Linpro family.

– I think it plays a big part in the fact that we are very skilled at Redpill Linpro. We have outstanding competence and are cutting-edge in many areas. So if you are a newcomer, there is endless knowledge to be gleaned from those already here, Tomas says and continues:

– I never stop learning from my colleagues, that is the best part!