This Is How Fintech Market Leader Rocket Mortgage® Fosters Innovation From exciting events and hack weeks to an open culture in the workplace, here's what makes the Rocket Mortgage® Technology team thrive.

While there's more to life than work, careers play a major role in our lives. Most adults spend up to a third of their lives working, according to the World Health Organization. It's no surprise that top-performing employees expect more than just a paycheck from their workplace. Facing challenging problems and creating pioneering solutions at a company where new ideas are fostered is part of a fulfilling career. At Detroit-based Rocket Mortgage®, innovation is at the center of how the tech team operates every day.

An open, supportive culture where out-of-the-box ideas are welcome.

At its core, working in technology is all about solving problems. Rocket Mortgage® is constantly evolving and developing ways to serve clients in a rapidly changing environment. Members of the tech team are faced with new puzzles to solve from one day to the next. Working in such a dynamic environment requires a culture that is always open to new ideas.

"Working in Rocket Mortgage® technology, everyone is empowered to make decisions," says Product Owner Karen Webster, who has been on the Technology team for more than 7 years. "If that decision turns out to not be the best one, then you are not penalized for it, but rather rewarded for thinking outside the box."

At previous jobs, Webster says she faced red tape, which made processes move slowly. Rocket Mortgage® spurs team members to act quickly and raise new ideas. "I love the culture and the fact that everyone is embraced and welcomed," Webster says. "The team I was on for the past few years was like family. We all supported one another."

Failure is part of taking risks and innovating. As Webster's experience illustrates, setbacks at Rocket Mortgage® aren't a bad thing. "When you allow team members to fail and bounce back, to make things better, you will always foster growth," she says.

Events and space to flex your creative muscles.

Throughout the year, the Rocket Mortgage® Technology team's calendar is packed with events and conferences (virtual for now) to enhance their skills and tackle new problems. Each year, Tech Con brings together internal and external experts to discuss the latest developments in tech. This year's event brought together 4,000 attendees from across the company, along with members of the community, and included keynote speakers like Arlan Hamilton, founder of Backstage Capital. Last year, renowned quantum physicist Dr. Shohini Ghose joined the team at Tech Con.

"The sessions provided for the growth and development of our team members are incredible," says Webster, who volunteers every year to help make Tech Con happen. "For a company to be so passionate about growing their team members and providing a free conference, it is amazing."

Each quarter, Rocket Mortgage® Technology team members have a full week they can dedicate to a passion project that could be the next big breakthrough for the industry. Hack Week gives team members the time and space to think freely while engaging with their colleagues.

"It's really interesting just to get an idea of what other teams do, the technologies they're working with, and the problems they may face," says Senior Software Engineer Dan Ford. "It just shows you what else is out there. It opens that door."

With an ongoing speaker series and an Inventorship Program that rewards tech team members for their novel creations in the tech space, there are ample opportunities for team members to connect and celebrate one another's work while expanding their perspectives on the field.

Flexibility to get the job done today, room to grow for tomorrow.

In today's increasingly connected and constantly changing world, flexibility is essential. Responsibilities outside of work change over time and Rocket Mortgage® technology makes work-life balance a priority. Rocket Mortgage® technology offers a work-from-home option – even beyond current conditions – and the tools and support to get the job done, whether team members are in the office or at home. In addition to developing a full-fledged COVID-19 testing site for the community, Rocket Mortgage® formulated a COVID-19 response plan to work with team members' work-life balance needs. In fact, since COVID-19 has presented new caregiving responsibilities for many team members, Rocket Mortgage® partnered with Care.com, waiving membership for team members, providing unlimited access to the world's largest network of caregivers for everything from babysitting to pet sitters.

While giving team members the tools, culture and flexibility to do their best work, Rocket Mortgage® is also committed to offering the opportunity to continue learning. Rock Academy offers team members a path to earn a degree while working. With more than 200 programs to choose from, options range from professional certificates to graduate studies. All in-network degrees are fully covered and up to $5,250 per year can be applied to an out-of-network program. Rocket Mortgage® even offers education coaches to help team members choose the best program to fit their needs and receive support during the transition to student life.

At Rocket Mortgage® technology, opportunities to grow and improve are available every day. Perhaps most importantly, the culture encourages team members to be the best version of themselves, today and in the future.