Why Culture Matters Now More Than Ever
How Chegg Got it Right in the Age of COVID-19
In April 2019, I took a job in New York as an office and facilities manager. Just shy of my one-year anniversary, the pandemic hit and all our employees, started working remotely. With trepidation, I asked myself, what’s an office manager without an office?
Thankfully at Chegg, I am more than my job description and more than just a number. In the office, I was the ‘office mom’ — I made sure the employees had snacks, welcomed out of town guests, watered the plants, was the connection with our HQ in California, and I dealt with all the issues that come with an office building in New York City. I helped create an office environment where employees loved to come to work. I was able to take care of the employees while they focused on taking care of our customers, the millions of students Chegg serves.
I can’t tell you I wasn’t worried, I knew I needed to provide for my family. Thankfully, the transparency, compassion, and support of my boss at Chegg was unwavering. She reassured me that I am the connection for the employees during this challenging time. That the connection employees have with each other is more important now than ever. As 2021 approaches, I am their advocate to vouch for them as we plan our way out of this pandemic. For instance, our team in New York all travel by public transport, unlike many team members in our San Francisco Bay Area who travel to the office by car.
I shouldn’t have been surprised that the company that I fell in love with as soon as I interviewed with my boss, Denise, in early 2019, was the company that supported me for the past 9 months. The moment I walked into my first interview, I knew this company would feed my soul as much as it would feed my pocket. The company’s mission — putting students first; to ensure that we help students save time, save money, and get smarter — has a soul. I knew I could learn from my boss and with seven to 10 years of experience, I could grow my career here.
This is why I am so proud that Chegg is listed at #22 in Comparably’s ‘Best Places To Work’ Company Culture award for 2020, which was announced yesterday. It is so well deserved. Chegg focuses so much on ensuring our employees are happy from the aesthetics of our offices around the world, to our Healthcare benefits (especially for women!) to all the support we’ve been given during COVID-19.
Work/life balance is so often touted as a benefit at many companies, but at Chegg it truly manifests every single day. Earlier this year I had life changing surgery. Not only was it affordable with my Chegg healthcare plan, but my recovery afterwards was possible because of my team’s support. Their overwhelmingly supportive reaction meant so much.
My commitment to Chegg has only grown because of their handling of the pandemic and their continued commitment to our employees. I’m a lifer at Chegg!
