The Joy Code

We’re facing a work identity crisis. Two years ago, we knew what we were great at. Today, it’s harder to tell. Our work sprawls out across departments, we are developing our craft in new ways and saying goodbye to old ways. There’s one thing that’s always been hard, and with agents in the mix it’s only getting harder: teamwork.

Great teamwork is when we all want the same thing, where you can do something that I can’t, I can do something you can’t, and agents can do things neither of us needs to do. Joy is built for the humans in the middle of it all.

We humans are adaptable, social, creative, and capable of great things. We believe the future of work will anchor around human craft, and agents will be best used where their involvement doesn’t negatively affect that craft.

The Joy Code exists to make clear what Joy is for, what it protects, and what it will not do. It applies to customers, community members, and anyone passing through. Anyone can hold us accountable to it.

Humans function better with clarity than complexity

Simplicity supports attention, understanding, and execution. We follow YAGNI. Joy gives each human the clarity of their work, structuring it into domains and seats.

Humans grow through safe reflection

People improve from reviews when it’s safe to do so. With Joy Standards, and Craft, Joy gives a safe, private space for the person to reflect on how it’s going.

Humans at work are adults, and should be treated like adults

When it comes to how we’re performing at work, our individual performance often is in our manager’s hands. At Joy, we put your record into your hands. We believe that if you see it as you work, you’ll have more agency over it.

Humans drive the company forward in many different ways

The easiest way to see someone driving the company forward is through their individual contribution to their role. An arguably more valuable way to see a company driven forward is the initiatives that keep you glued together as one company.

Whether it’s contributing to culture, offering support to colleagues, or going above and beyond outside of your role, or living out a value, those are core contributions. Joy makes these contributions visible, and allows you to include anything we miss. Then it’s up to you, if you want to make your work visible to your team and manager.

Humans aren’t equally good at self-promotion, and shouldn’t need to be

When work becomes about who you are, your internal-PR and self-promotion skills, it becomes more about what you say, and less about what you’ve done. Joy provides you a record of your work. No more brag docs, or trying to talk up your achievements. Instead of talking about the person behind the work, we believe better equal opportunity, with fewer biases, comes when we put the focus back on the work itself.

Humans thrive through connection

Feeling part of the same team is a big way for people to feel valued at work. Joy is built with Ubuntu at its core: I am because we are. We design for connection and interdependence while celebrating the different perspectives each person brings.

Humans share more freely when trust is clear

Trust grows when people understand how their information is used and protected. Joy is transparent with privacy. What is shared is clear. With whom it is shared is clear.

Humans are shaped by the systems around them

People succeed when structures, expectations, and tools reflect reality. Joy builds the future architecture of work: where the way we work together, reflects how we actually work. When it isn’t working, it’s visible to the company on a group level, not an individual one. A high performance culture is a collective thing, not an individual thing.

We are all in this together

We’re on a mission to bring the joy back to work, and are conscious that all actions have consequences. Joy takes our responsibility for environmental, social, and governance impact seriously through the choices we make, focusing on reducing harm and contributing positively wherever we can. We actively consider our biggest negative impact: an AI-native company, reliant on data centers. We have built Joy’s token usage as efficiently as possible, as a first step.

The Joy Code exists to protect what makes us human, even as the world around us changes.

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