Celebrating the Toast.org Rotational Program: Empowering Engineers to Make an Impact
Ani Boyo
Liz JacksonAt Toast, we believe that growth and development are not just about climbing the career ladder but also about making meaningful contributions to the world around us. This belief is embodied in our Toast.org R&D Rotation Program, a unique initiative that allows our engineers to step into the realm of social impact, honing their skills while driving positive change. This post outlines the Toast.org rotational program impact, program structure if you wish to replicate, and anecdotal feedback from engineer participants.
The Essence of the Program
The Toast.org R&D Rotation Program is more than just a job experience; it's an opportunity for our R&D employees to immerse themselves in high-impact projects that address pressing social needs. Over a three-month period, participants engage in challenging assignments that stretch their abilities and expand their understanding of our business and its potential to make a difference.
Key Benefits
Enhanced Skills and Career Growth: Participants sharpen their skills by working on diverse projects alongside leaders and peers from different functional areas. This exposure not only broadens their technical expertise but also equips them with a holistic view of how our business operates, paving the way for future leadership roles.
Strengthened Networks: Through the program, employees build strong networks with mentors, sponsors, and peers. These relationships foster collaboration and provide invaluable support as they navigate their career paths within Toast.
Increased Motivation and Retention: By investing in our employees' development through this immersive learning experience, we enhance their motivation and engagement. Knowing that their growth is a priority boosts their commitment to Toast, contributing to higher retention rates.
Exposure to Senior Leaders: Participants gain direct access to senior leaders, allowing them to learn from the best and receive guidance on their projects. This visibility helps them understand leadership styles, organizational goals, and the broader impact of their work.
Program Structure
The rotational program is meticulously structured to ensure a seamless transition and valuable experience for all participants:
Eligibility: Full-time Toast R&D employees with at least one year of service and in good standing are eligible to apply.
Duration: The program runs for three months, with participants fully immersing themselves in their new roles.
Support System: Each participant receives continuous support from their rotation manager and their originating department, ensuring they have the resources and guidance needed to succeed.
Success Stories
Our program has already seen remarkable contributions from several R&D Toasters. For instance:
Katherine B - a software engineer in Boston - implemented a withholding functionality into the Fundraising product. This feature makes it easier for restaurants to easily start a campaign that disburses funds monthly to a 501(c)(3) charity.
Aayam P - a senior software engineer in New York - laid the foundation for a POS food waste tracker. This tracker in the POS helps restaurants log excess food during a staff member's shift.
Leah S - a software engineer in Boston - developed an excess food reporting system that allows restaurants to see their food waste insights. Restaurants can view their data by day, by waste reason and by item.
These projects are just a few examples of how our engineers are not only advancing their careers but also making a tangible impact on our community and environment.
Case Study
Liz J describes her rotation experience (Q3 2024):
Doing a Toast.org rotation has been a highlight of my Toast career. It’s satisfying to build things in such an entrepreneurial environment and to know that what I’m building is helping restaurants reduce food waste while providing a delightful experience for guests.
On my Toast.org rotation, I built stock refresh functionality that allows restaurants to begin each day with surplus bundles on their menu.
Surplus bundles are a feature that allows restaurants to sell food that would otherwise go to waste, typically at a steep discount for the guest. Guests pay a few dollars and receive a surprise bag full of whatever the restaurant may have otherwise thrown away.
In initial product research for surplus bundles, restaurants said they'd be more interested in using surplus bundles if the available bundle quantity refreshed to their desired value each day. We've now granted their wish and added automatic stock refresh to the surplus bundle creation flow. Now, users can choose a quantity of surplus bundles that will be available each morning when the restaurant opens without having to manually update the item stock.
Building stock refresh functionality involved partnering with our menus team to build everything in a way that is generalized and extensible so we can incorporate stock refresh into core menu workflows in the future. I had full control and flexibility in this project and built the whole thing from the ground up: I wrote the technical design, created the project plan, set my own interim deadlines, wrote all of the code (aided by my code reviewer from Toast’s menus team), tested every piece of it, and demoed the end-to-end flow to various stakeholders.
The stock refresh project has given me a burst of excitement for engineering work. It’s deeply satisfying to release something I’ve been working on for the bulk of my rotation and to know that my work helps power a reduction in food waste at restaurants across the country. I’m grateful to our toast.org team for the rotation program and look forward to seeing what future rotation teammates build.
Measuring Success
We measure the program's success through several key metrics, including participant satisfaction, retention and engagement rates, and continuous feedback for program improvement. Our goal is to ensure that every participant finds the experience enriching and transformative.
Join Us in Making a Difference
At Toast, we are committed to fostering an environment where our engineers can thrive both personally and professionally. The Toast.org R&D Rotation Program is a testament to this commitment, providing a platform for our engineers to grow while making a meaningful impact on society.
We invite you to celebrate this journey with us and learn more about the incredible work our participants are doing. Together, we can continue to innovate and drive positive change in the restaurant industry, one changemaker at a time.
____________________________
This content is for informational purposes only and not as a binding commitment. Please do not rely on this information in making any purchasing or investment decisions. The development, release and timing of any products, features or functionality remain at the sole discretion of Toast, and are subject to change. Toast assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this document as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Because roadmap items can change at any time, make your purchasing decisions based on currently available goods, services, and technology. Toast does not warrant the accuracy or completeness of any information, text, graphics, links, or other items contained within this content. Toast does not guarantee you will achieve any specific results if you follow any advice herein. It may be advisable for you to consult with a professional such as a lawyer, accountant, or business advisor for advice specific to your situation.