One thing I feared when I began my job search was being restricted, confined to a small desk in a small office working in a rhythm that lacked creativity or excitement. I assumed, based on stories from friends and articles on the internet, that the working world sacrifices long breaks for the perpetual daily 9-5. Since an organization is only as successful as its employees, it made sense that 5 days a week, 12 months of the year people dedicate hours of their lives to an organization’s success. CEEK has turned that idea on its head.
I am new to the working world and to CEEK. I have nothing to compare my CEEK experience to. While I cannot compare and contrast the CEEK method to that of a traditional workplace, I can discuss how CEEK’s method has helped me develop myself and understand a new definition of personal and organizational success.
I currently work with two of CEEK’s clients and manage CEEK’s internal social media presence. It’s a fulltime job and can feel stressful or overwhelming at times. But CEEK is trying something different. It is replacing the concept of a work life balance with that of a life balance. It prioritizes its employees’ lives with the philosophy that an inspired workforce creates an inspiring and successful organization.
CEEK offers remote work, autonomy, and unlimited vacation time under the expectation that we fulfill a certain number of billable hours each year while meeting commitments we’ve made to our clients. We begin each day by discussing our accomplishments (or failures) of the previous day, our goals for today, and one thing for which we are grateful. This method promotes honest communication and openness. This daily call also puts our work into perspective. By hearing what each team member is doing, I can better understand my impact on CEEK and our clients.
I admit when I heard about unlimited vacation, I immediately began dreaming of all the places I would travel. It felt like I was given my summer breaks back, which immediately relieved my initial fears of confinement. Now that I have started working at CEEK, I feel more motivated to work hard so that when I do take advantage of vacation anytime, I will feel like I truly deserve it while also not letting down the organization. CEEK has flipped the equation. Instead of defining my success through the success of the organization, CEEK allows me to define my success however I want. Because I have the power to create an effective work schedule that fits just right for me, I can discover what success and balance truly means.
For what it’s worth, I have already taken advantage of CEEK’s method. As I write this, I am sitting in a café overlooking the Mediterranean Sea in Israel. The CEEK team back in the U.S. is just waking up and I am preparing for the daily call by defining my goals for today. I am excited to support my team members and I look forward to work. It feels great.
I am grateful for CEEK.
