Why Oracle is one of the Best Workplaces for Innovators

August 4, 2021 | 4 minute read
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Oracle has been named one of Fast Company’s 2021 Best Workplaces for Innovators. This award celebrates company cultures that enables employees at all levels to improve processes, create new products, or invent new ways of doing business. In light of this recognition, we’re taking a look at how life at Oracle fosters innovation and empowers employees to go beyond what’s been done before.

44 years of innovation  

For more than four decades, Oracle has delivered innovation upon which entire industries have been built. With 38,000 engineers and more than 18,000 patents, we pride ourselves on being able to innovate with the speed of a start-up, while delivering with the scale and customer focus of the number one business software company in the world.

For example, Oracle Cloud is the first cloud built from the ground up for business that can meet the needs of mission-critical applications in an environment with zero downtime. Meanwhile, our complete suite of integrated cloud applications helps businesses of all sizes adapt seamlessly to change by taking on new capabilities as they emerge. We’ve also set a new standard by developing the world’s first Autonomous Database, freeing up creators to do what they do best: dream, innovate, and build.

So what fuels this culture of innovation?

A culture that welcomes fresh perspectives

At Oracle, we believe that innovation starts with inclusion. To us, it’s abundantly clear that diverse perspectives make our teams stronger and our ideas better. But it’s not enough just to hire a diverse workforce—we also work hard to help our employees remove any barriers to success. We recognize that everybody works differently, so curating the right work environment is essential for creativity.

Support for flexible and remote working allow our employees to do things their way. Our people also know they can bring their whole, authentic selves to work. When you show up as your true self, it inspires everyone around you to do the same—and we think that’s a failsafe recipe for out-of-the-box thinking.

Continuous learning = lots of lightbulb moments

To be disruptive, you must be on the pulse of the latest digital trends and technologies. Thanks to continuous learning opportunities, our people are always exploring, growing, and mastering new skills.  Whether you want to pursue a master’s degree in predictive analytics or brush up on the latest programming language, our culture not only allows you to take time out to learn—it encourages it.

This growth mindset is enhanced by our focus on internal mobility. Our employees have the opportunity to upskill, diversify, or change lanes in their career. This means that when you find something you’re passionate about, you have the freedom to pursue it. We believe that a genuine curiosity is the best starting point for any breakthrough. Not to mention that combining fields of expertise opens up a world of new possibilities.

Celebrating our innovators

Hackathons are a cornerstone of Oracle’s innovation culture. Bringing Oracle employees from all around the world together, these intense competitions seek to create game-changing solutions to pressing world problems. From the all-women team who employed AI to fight world hunger, to the app with a mission to save the penguins, our colleagues never fail to wow us with their ability to apply Oracle technology to complex problems. Like solution engineer Skye Hart, whose brave idea is fighting human trafficking with the help of our Autonomous Database, or Miranda Nash, a leader in product management who’s unlocking the awesome power of AI-powered apps for customers. 

9 core values for engineering excellence

As you can see, here at Oracle we subscribe to the philosophy that the next big idea can come from anyone in the company—that’s why innovation is built into how we work. Our engineers embody a set of core values that drive their decisions. These values are how we deliver engineering excellence.

  1. Put customers first. We put doing the right thing for customers ahead of what’s easy for us which often means going above and beyond what they specifically ask for.
  2. Act now, iterate. We favor action. Notice something that's not quite right? Fix it. See a gap? Fill it. Struggling with a bad process? Improve it.
  3. Nail the basics. We focus on fundamentals over flash. This always guides us towards a better, more advanced solution.
  4. Expect and embrace change. We don’t hang on to outdated processes or goals. We accept new ideas fearlessly.
  5. Take risks, remain calm. We take logical, data-driven risks—because not taking risks is the biggest risk of all. We see failure as a step on the path to success.
  6. Don’t be a jerk. We seek understanding first, by listening and not speaking over one other. We help each other succeed and give constructive feedback.
  7. Own without ego. We take responsibility for the state of our team, our products, and ourselves. We believe we can produce far more together than we can as lone individuals.
  8. Earn trust, give trust. We communicate openly, act responsibly, and trust that everyone else is too. We learn from failures rather than seeking to place blame and we don’t invoke rank to convince others we are right.
  9. Take pride in your work. We strive for excellence in all that we do. We invest in things that allow us to excel at our jobs, dominate in the marketplace, and delight customers.

Want to join a leader in innovation where you’ll be empowered to do your best work? Explore our career opportunities and create the future with us.

Oracle Careers Editorial Team

The editorial team is comprised of members of the Oracle Talent Advisory group, with a wide-range of employer branding responsibilities. They partner with employees across Oracle to capture stories that showcase our company, culture and career opportunities, and help candidates envision their #LifeAtOracle.


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