Great “Place” To Work – Redefining “Place” During the Pandemic

Cerami applied for “Great Places To Work” status before 2020 and when the results came in saying that 85% of employees think Cerami is a “great place to work” compared to 59% of employees at a typical U.S. based company, we were gratified.  And prouder still that 98% of people said they care about each other here.  We got the news that we made the list just before COVID-19 hit and kept the news to ourselves.  We were curious to know how our employees would answer those same questions, when the “here” was no longer in our Manhattan office, but in their own homes.

Three months after the Great Places To Work survey, we conducted one of our own.

The results show loud and clearly that it’s not the place, it’s the people. Sheltering in place has only made us bond more, more productive and increased our connectivity.

Adrienne Petrella, Marketing Manager shares,  “I feel closer to my co-workers, having seen their families, their knickknacks and entered many of their kitchens. I publish a WFH newsletter each week, filled with news, games, and recipes from our team members. Cerami Cucina, a much-anticipated feature of then newsletter, has made our bond stronger.”

We’ve found ways to stay closer to our clients, also. We sent out gift cards for socks from Bombas with the message that we are with them “until they get back on their feet.”  We’ve also arranged so many happy hours and coffee breaks that we never could have fit in pre-pandemic, and this has been great for mutual intelligence and connecting in a more personal way.

For the rest of our careers, when we look back at the year we were Certified Great Place To Work, we’ll think of how well we all fared in our apartments and homes and we may even miss the camaraderie and friendships that flourished during this time.  Our 2020 pre-COVID-19 Survey said that 91% of people are proud to tell others they work at Cerami.  Now that number is 98%.  And that’s just great.

Trish Mills, Managing Director of Human Services, Cerami Associates