This week, the Washington Post announced the 2020 Top Workplaces in the Washington, D.C. area, and we’re on the list! This is Upside’s second corporate award after the 2019 Timmy Award for Best Tech Start Up. 

Why does it matter?

As we continue to grow and build out our team, it’s important that we put our best foot forward in attracting new talent. Part of this is applying for (and winning!) workplace awards that give our brand better visibility. 

Recognition like this means a lot to us. Our team is our most valuable resource at Upside, and we’ve worked hard to build a values-based organization with a fun and supportive work environment. Seeing that reflected in employee responses reminds us that we’re on the right track. 

How did we make the list? 

The Post’s Top Workplaces survey measured 15 different culture drivers, employee engagement, leadership, and “the basics” (like pay, benefits, and work/life balance) to determine which companies have made cultivating an atmosphere of support and respect a priority. It’s something we work toward every day, and that work is never done. 

With more than 170 people world-wide, we have to be very thoughtful about the way we build our team. Our rigorous hiring process ensures that we bring on top talent that aligns with our values, and who are driven to do good for our communities. We value the richness that diversity brings, which spans racial, cultural, socio-economic, educational, international, and opinion-based dimensions. Instead of adding filters or checks at the end of the hiring funnel, we’ve broadened the top of the funnel. This removes filters from the pipeline so that more diverse perspectives make it to the end of the hiring process.  

Once on the team, we have structures in place that encourage out-of-the-box thinking that we work together to fine-tune. Many times when we have a vague new idea, we’ll sit down together, flesh out our thoughts, and then iterate. Our organization promotes this kind of collaboration, and allows us to celebrate both our wins and our misses. The everyday excitement of building something completely new and then seeing it come to life is incredibly rewarding. 

Maintaining the relationships that are important to us personally and professionally is a top priority at Upside. Pre-COVID, Upside had a number of initiatives in place to promote closeness among colleagues. Those ranged from free lunch policy at any brick and mortar restaurant to a “Donut” plug-in on Slack that connected us with a different colleague every two weeks to meet for coffee. 

When the company moved to a work-from-home model in March, we implemented a number of other company-wide culture initiatives, including: lunch with 60+ people on a GoogleHangout, a daily workout challenge, and lunch-and-learns about lesser-known parts of our business. We also instituted new internal communications initiatives to keep everyone on the same page, complete with internal newsletters, personal video updates from the CEO, and an accelerated cadence for our CEO’s “ask me anything” sessions. 

Like most 2020 tech startups, Upside has always maintained a flexible work-from-home policy. Whether we are in the office or working from home, our productivity remains the same. And so do our benefits! Upsiders enjoy unlimited paid time off, free lunch every day from local restaurants, stock options, various professional development trainings, ClassPass memberships, health coverage, fertility care/family planning benefits, a pet-friendly workspace, and more.

What’s next? 

Washington Post plans to publish a special Top Workplaces magazine in October with the full list of winners, along with some winner profiles. The Post also plans to host an awards ceremony to recognize the 200 top-ranked companies—so we’ll be sure to update this post with pictures then! 

Do you want in? 

Upside really is a tremendous place to work, and we’re hiring. If there’s an open position at any one of our offices that interests you, reach out! You never know what this opportunity could mean for you.