---
title: Onboarding
slug: /handbook
description: Jan is a ChatGPT-alternative that runs on your own computer, with a local API server.
keywords:
  [
    Jan AI,
    Jan,
    ChatGPT alternative,
    local AI,
    private AI,
    conversational AI,
    no-subscription fee,
    large language model,
  ]
---

Welcome to Jan! We’re really excited to bring you onboard.

## Expectations

- **Take Initiative** Take ownership of an area. If you see a problem, take it and own it to completion. Your work will often not be defined, or poorly defined. Take the initiative to figure out what needs to be done, seek others out for clarification, and then communicate what you will be doing to the team.

- **Bias to Action** There are many problem-filled areas. There is no need to ask for permission or try to build consensus: just take action.

- **Speak Up** We require clear, effective and timely communication, which enables others to coordinate with you to be effective. We are a fully distributed, remote team of people from different cultures and languages. If conflicts do arise, first assume Hanlon’s Razor: “Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by ~~stupidity~~ lack of communication or too much ambiguity”. Don’t take things personally, be a professional.

- **Mastery** We are working in a frontier industry, where there are no playbooks, and expertise is developed by doing. Own your area, and build mastery.

## Code of conduct

- We operate on the basis of trust.
- We expect you to be available and communicative during scheduled meetings or work hours.
- Turning on video during meetings is encouraged.
- Casual dress during meetings is acceptable; however, use discretion (No naked top, pajamas, etc.)
- While it’s natural for people to disagree at times, disagreement is no excuse for poor behavior and poor manners. We cannot allow that frustration to turn into a personal attack.
- Respect other people's cultures. Especially since we are working in a diverse working culture.
- Sexual harassment is a specific type of prohibited conduct. Sexual harassment is any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offense or humiliation. Sexual harassment may involve any conduct of a verbal, nonverbal, or physical nature, including written and electronic communications, and may occur between persons of the same or different genders.

## Onboarding Checklist

### HR

- [ ] Service Agreement
- [ ] Equipment Loan Agreement
- [ ] Calendar events
  - [ ] Add to Google Team
  - [ ] Add to Standup & TGIF
- [ ] `#hr-*` channel
- [ ] BambooHr Log-in
- [ ] Add Emergency Contact in BambooHR

### Apps you will need

:::info

💡 In order to feel connected in a remote workplace, we encourage you to add your profile photo to all the accounts.

:::

- Company-wide
  - [ ] Google:`[first_name]@jan.ai`
    - Recommended: setup on Mobile too (i.e. Calendar, Mail)
    - We use Google Calendar for tracking meetings, etc.
  - [ ] Discord:
    - [Invite link](https://discord.gg/sZb6qxfgyx) to Jan’s Discord
    - We use Discord for day-to-day Comms in the company (ala Slack)
    - Recommended: setup on Mobile with Notifications
    - Download the desktop app
  - [ ] 1Password
  - [ ] [Jan](https://jan.ai/) - Desktop App
- Engineering
  - [ ] Code Editor (such as VSCode, Vim, ect)
  - [ ] Github
- Communications
  - [ ] Fill in your contact details [here](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1KAxya29_wb1bEESiFJeCrOec4pCG3uA2D4_VPgAn89U/edit#gid=0)
  - [ ] To make sure everyone in the remote working environment understand more about each other, we encourage you to share your `How to work with me` in the [Drive Tab](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1KAxya29_wb1bEESiFJeCrOec4pCG3uA2D4_VPgAn89U/edit#gid=0) under your name and the Discord `Internal` channel.
