We've built our offices to be a home away from home. Employees can walk to the office, catch a waft of patchouli from a candle, grab a glass of cold brew on tap and some fresh fruit, and then go to their desk. We measure employees by their daily contribution and attitude, not their title. We believe constant communication is key, and there are no rules on whom you can talk to. We're open, direct, transparent and brutally honest. We share both our achievements and our failures, because we believe failure provides an unparalleled opportunity to grow and learn.

Our leadership has created an environment that supports and enhances our employees' collective vision, values and desires by foregrounding culture. One of our internal values is "Be the CEO of Your Job." Alongside clearly defined expectations, employees receive ample resources and support to do their jobs effectively and in their own ways. We offer an employer matching platform for charitable donations, which boasts a 94% participation rate from employees, and we have developed a diversity and inclusion group dedicated to making internal culture more diverse and inclusive and pushing for more inclusive access to capital around the country.

A Levelset, we understand that company culture is the biggest driver of a company's success. We have created a space where individual growth for employees at all levels is a top priority. We encourage team members to engage with and explore other departments, take time off to avoid burnout, and communicate freely up the chain of command. When employees know what is going on across the company, we know they will feel more at home, and all of us will perform at a higher level.

Over the course of the pandemic, we have found numerous ways to connect with employees and maintain connectivity. We’ve created new virtual happy hours, learning sessions, and coffee chats with senior leaders. We have switched our benefits to divert more money to paying health care costs and created special programs to help working parents as they homeschool kids. We’re also being flexible with work hours to accommodate other challenges that have arisen from a shift to working from home.

Great company culture is a critical ingredient in our success. We ensure employees feel heard and play an active role in the company's direction, empowering employees to take personal ownership. We make an active effort to recognize each team member's value, ending each month with a celebration of recent wins. By prioritizing transparency and investing resources in management training, we create an inclusive environment that gives employees the space to grow and thrive. And to create a space where employees can feel safe while working hard, we offer perks including health care, commuter advantages and stock benefits.