What does it mean to be a part of a team? Does your share of work end when you are done with your tasks? Or do you extend a helping hand when one of your colleagues is facing a trying time?
At Emeritus, we can’t be prouder of our belief system that is centered around “All for one and one for all”. We believe that as a team, we not only work and collaborate together but help carry the load when one of our team members is down. It does not matter what situation they may be facing, we believe it is our duty to let them know they can attend to the situation, while we fill in for them. This, we believe, is not just an act of kindness or responsibility. Our team is our family, when we run into problems we solve them together, so why should a personal task be any different?
This doesn’t simply apply to tough times, we also celebrate individual accomplishments. Emeritus’s support doesn’t require a personal issue to take place for them to begin providing helping hands. A simple bad day, the feeling of unproductivity or lack of motivation or even a minor headache prompts the team to help a member work through the tough time.
Aliya Chaplin, a Learning Advisor, gave a sneak-peek into the tradition that helps celebrate the achievements of team members. “Every time we bring in an application, they display that in our group and everybody cheers. If we get too busy with work, our manager steps in and says, ‘Aren’t we cheering for our team?’. Instantly, everyone starts cheering for the team members.”
“If we get too busy with work, our manager steps in and says, ‘Aren’t we cheering for our team?’”
Emily Ousley, an Associate Director for the design team in the USA, recounted her experience with Eric, her manager. She had to tend to her 16-year-old sister who had been in a car accident. Making rounds of the hospital and juggling work was overwhelming. Eric jumped in and offered to help me, asking me what he could do. It didn’t matter what level and what responsibilities he had, if help was required, he along with the team, would pitch in and be there to help.
While being there for the ups and downs is crucial within a team, if there is a collaborative spirit, then such a team becomes undefeatable. Creating an atmosphere where collaboration can be done with ease and help simplify the overall process, is key to successful work. While our team members may be from different countries and we may face a bit of a time difference, our communication and collaboration are never compromised.
Rosa Camberos, an Associate Director for the Partner Success team in Latin America, recollects her interaction with a member of the India team, Nishant. Nishant is always available to help out no matter what time, even on a Sunday, if you drop him a message he will respond. He is the guardian angel for LATAM.
Neha Sharma, a Senior Associate Director for Brand and Communications looks back on how she received a handwritten note from Ashwin and Chaitanya. “My entire family had contracted covid during October of 2020, but I still pushed through and worked. Their letter was one of appreciation and recognition for the work I put in these past 6 months. It is very rare to receive appreciation from founders, let alone a handwritten note”. My entire family was touched by this gesture.
Chanchal Singh, Associate Director of Human Resources, recounts an incident where one of her colleagues, unfortunately, lost his father. The company was growing and we needed all hands on deck, yet we insisted and assured him that he should spend time with his family and our team would take care of the rest.
Frank Cruthers, Regional Director of Enterprise, shares an anecdote with fellow India team member Ranjeet. “I would send notes to Ranjeet at odd hours, usually 3 or 4 in the morning (according to Indian time). I would receive responses around the same time I would send the mails. It was nice to work with someone who is so proactive, but I couldn’t help but wonder if Ranjeet ever slept.”
At Emeritus, we live by “community effort”, because without teamwork, helping and celebrating one another we would not be where we are today and we would not pride ourselves in being a pioneering EdTech company creating an impact for millions across the globe.
