After over a year of living—and working—through a pandemic, we’re honored to be ranked third on the midsize companies list of 2021 Bay Area Best Places to Work. While this may be our fourth time on the list, this year, in particular, is an important milestone for us. As we entered unfamiliar territory with COVID-19, we wanted to ensure our employees had everything they needed to not only get through the pandemic, but prosper in it.
We’re dedicated to our culture and, at its core, our values. Relying on Trust, Humility, Balance and a Growth Mindset to guide how we conduct ourselves and our business has led to our supportive, employee-focused work environment.
Trusting Each Other
Switching to a completely remote workforce requires trust. Yes, leadership needs to trust the employees to execute tasks efficiently and effectively from home, but employees need to be able to trust leadership as well. Without an in-office presence, it’s important for us to keep leadership decisions transparent within the organization.
During our weekly Town Hall Zoom meetings, for example, we always ensure there’s time set aside for Q&A. Anyone can ask anything through the lens of our values. This open format allows employees to directly connect with the leadership team.
“Companies benefit when they put forth strenuous effort to strengthen and maintain trust. It’s part of the molecular DNA of a great culture. At Iterable, we leverage our weekly Leadership AMA at Town Hall using Sli.do to amplify our value of trust. We receive an average of some 100 questions and sentiments monthly. Providing outlets for Iterators to create real-time feedback loops drives engagement and a sense of belonging, which ultimately builds trust.”
Staying Humble
To stay grounded in what’s happening around us—outside of Iterable—and keep an open dialogue, we have created Affinity Groups. Our Affinity Groups, which are founded and run by employees, aim to bring various perspectives, issues and conversations to the forefront. These groups work separately, and together, to ensure members of the Iterable team feel represented, included and educated on how to be a better ally.
Our Affinity Group leaders make sure everyone feels welcome.
In addition, Iterable strives to be a responsible global citizen. We understand we’re merely part of a bigger picture and we need to do everything in our power to contribute to the betterment of our planet. This past Earth Day, for example, Iterable planted trees on behalf of our customers and worked as a collective group in our own communities to clean up our neighborhoods.
“There are a lot of companies that take their values very seriously, but I have found few companies that are willing to embody those values as completely as Iterable.
While our growth has been remarkable, I think the most breathtaking aspect of Iterable is our ability to remain humble and never waver from what motivates our direction. Iterable has fostered a sense of respect and responsibility for the world around us as global citizens and everyday we are encouraged to live through the lens of these values.”
Maintaining a Work/Life Balance
Since the line between home and office was erased during COVID-19, it was important for us to give employees time to decompress. During the pandemic it was decided that everyone would have the first Friday of every month off. We refer to these as Balance Days because we want to highlight the importance of taking time for yourself, especially given what we’ve all gone through in the past year.
As a result of implementing Balance Days, we’ve seen an increase in both morale and productivity. We even have a Balance-themed Slack channel where we share what we did during our time off to get to know each other on a more personal level. Balance Days have been so beneficial for our team, they’re now a permanent fixture on the Iterable calendar.
“Balance Days are something that I never experienced before coming to Iterable. I think they are one of the many signs that Iterable truly cares about their employees. I was hired and onboarded during the pandemic, and having built-in days to focus on regeneration and self-care were just so important. It was a wonderful surprise when it was announced that Balance Days would be kept as an employee benefit, indefinitely! I deeply value our Balance Days and I am so grateful for this company, our values that we live by, and the constant support from our leadership. ”
Continuing to Grow
While we were all working from home, Iterable continued to grow our team and add members, like Caitlyn, to the Iterable family. However, in the past year we adapted our onboarding process to keep employees safe while still creating a welcoming experience.
With our fully remote onboarding in place, employees are now mailed everything they may need to get started on their first day. And, in order to simulate an in-office experience, each new employee gets sent a welcome box filled with fun Iterable swag, which would normally be waiting for them on their desk at the office.
Remote onboarding has its challenges and it’s definitely not the same as being in an office together, but we’re hoping our remote onboarding efforts have made the transition as easy as it can be until we’re all back under one roof.
“Remote onboarding has been an exciting challenge. It’s really what the cohort decides to make of it. I’m there to facilitate and try to make it as engaging as possible. Mainly, I just want to share the company culture a bit so folks know they’ve made the right decision to join us.
With each new cohort, I like to treat each hire as another human-being who is doing their best during a global pandemic. #Balance and #Trust are key. To me, the humanistic culture is what makes Iterable stand out. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how much leadership continues to put resources towards the PEOPLE.”
Proud to Put People First
When fully remote, it’s tougher to keep connections between employees. First and foremost, however, we’re people, not just employees or even Iterators. We’re people with lives, families, challenges, needs and wants. Putting our values first as an organization helps us ensure that we’re not only treating employees well, but we’re treating people well.
Treating people well means prioritizing diverse perspectives and, with that, understanding the value of an open dialogue between all members of the Iterable community. We’re proud to uphold our values and aim to empower Iterators to grow both personally and professionally.
If you’re interested in joining the Iterable family, check out the careers page for open positions!
