Between the Brackets: Natalie Qaqish, People Operations Manager

Welcome to another edition of Between the Brackets: a series we launched to introduce you to the beautiful people that make Webstacks the best agency to work at! 🚀

Today, we have a special guest: People Operations Manager, Natalie Qaqish!

She is the reason why the Webstacks team has enjoyed memorable team bonding events like the virtual coffee experience and the San Diego Padres baseball game. Let's dive in!

About Natalie

We’re happy to finally feature you on Between the Brackets - Tell us about yourself!

I was born and raised in Southern California and grew up in Corona. I lived in Los Angeles for the last 2 ½ years! I am fluent in Arabic and would love to move to Lebanon for a couple of years.

I love going to new places and trying new foods in my free time. I am also a part-time graduate student at Pepperdine University so I stay busy!

What’s your role at Webstacks and one of your favorite things about it?

I am the People Operations Manager at Webstacks. I'm responsible for the upkeep of our culture ensuring that there is clear transparency across the company and supporting every team member's career growth. I also oversee the hiring and onboarding processes.

My favorite part about my role is the direct impact I can make on the work culture. I love receiving feedback from the internal team and making adjustments wherever I can to improve their day-to-day. I work with incredible and passionate people which makes my job much more enjoyable!

What’s one fun fact about you that people would never assume?

I love watching sports! Basketball and Football are my favorites to watch, and this year I am participating in Fantasy Football 🏈 for the first time!

We all know that you love to travel. You get the entire week off - What is your itinerary looking like?

I do love to travel! If I had the week off, I would go to Greece. Visiting Greece has been my dream destination for a vacation but I have yet to visit.

People Operations @ Webstacks

What does your day-to-day look like as a People Operations Manager?

My days are spent conducting interviews, prepping for team outings, putting together our monthly lunch and learns, and building new initiatives or processes.

There is a lot that I do behind the scenes to make sure everything runs smoothly for all of our employees.

Why do you think company culture is one of the most important aspects of an emerging startup?

Company culture is not only a crucial aspect for a startup but any organization. Our employees are a critical asset to our company, and ensuring they feel supported, protected, and appreciated is one of the keys to success.

Having a stable work environment that defies toxic work culture allows us to build a stronger relationship with each other while enjoying a productive yet collaborative work environment. 

Everyone knows that we have a few Webstackers that are remote - How do you ensure our remote team feels included from miles away?

While in-person activities are back in session, it is still important for everyone to feel included. We host virtual happy hours that feature the remote Webstackers and the in-office team.

During these virtual happy hours, we hang out and catch up like we would if we were to go out in person. Shoutout to technology!

We also have Slack channels for favorite food destinations, vacation spots, and more to feel give everyone a space to share what they're up to during and outside of work.

Why should an HR or Operation Managers consider a career at Webstacks?

Aside from getting to work with talented people in their domain, Webstacks is a huge opportunity for anyone to develop their career at a fast-growing startup. HR or Operations Managers can make a huge impact within a department that is only getting started.

Webstacks values the experience that new members bring to the company and appreciates when they share what's worked for them in their roles at other organizations. The team allows members to take full ownership of pretty much anything!

Everyone has the full autonomy to present a solution for any problem or fill gaps in the processes that keep the gears running at Webstacks. If you're an HR or People Operations Manager that enjoys presenting new solutions, then Webstacks is the place for you!

Company Culture

As a part-time MBA student, how has the hybrid work style helped you?

The hybrid work style has allowed me to attend grad school and be a full-time student.

Most days I work remotely, freeing up a lot of time that I would have spent commuting. This work style has been convenient for me and has allowed me to improve my time management skills.

Since joining back in February, what has been your favorite Webstacks memory so far?

My favorite team outing was the San Diego Padres baseball game! ⚾️

That day, remote Webstackers came to the office and we had the chance to work together and walk over to the stadium. I can’t explain how happy I was to see almost the entire team make it to the outing.

From the in-person office collaboration to the team bonding at the game, it was a beautiful memory that I'll always cherish as a People Operations Manager. A strong sense of community is cultivated when you spend time with someone face-to-face rather than trying to find it virtually. 

Casey wants to know: What is your favorite animal and why?

My favorite animal is a Dolphin because they're beautiful creatures. One time I swam with Dolphins - it was one of the best experiences! 

What question do you have for the next Webstacker that is featured on Between the Brackets?

What has been your favorite place to visit and what was your favorite food that you tried there?

Editor's note: Webstacks is a full-stack marketing agency founded in 2020 that helps businesses accelerate growth by offering creative, marketing, development, and other services at scale. Webstacks is based in San Diego, California, with 30+ employees across the states. For business inquiries, please email hello@webstacks.com.