Spreading the Love: 500 Okta Employees Around the World – And Growing!
As Okta’s Head of People Operations, I consider myself one of the luckiest people at the company. Every day, I get to talk to people across all functions, see how they’re doing and find Okta DNA among new hires that join our family – which we’re excited to celebrate is still growing after we recently reached the 500 mark. (Did I mention we’re hiring?)
From our San Francisco HQ and Seattle to Toronto, as well as London, Sydney and our newest office in Amsterdam, pride and passion runs strong throughout our global team as we continue to grow. It’s easy for us to see how that DNA takes shape – we’re here everyday – but we pulled together a few quotes for those outside these walls to get a glimpse at what makes Okta different:
1. Our teammates are talented, unique and ambitious – both in and out of the office. At Okta, we’re passionate about our jobs, company, products and customers. We work hard and learn from each other every day, in every department and at all levels. People with Okta DNA are the best in their fields.
“I love the transparency and openness of the executive team and the employee ‘work hard, play hard’ attitude.” – Rebecca Haugen, marketing associate, Okta San Francisco
“I can depend on my co-workers to execute with skill, no matter what the area. This has allowed me to do some of my very best work.” – Joel Franusic, senior developer evangelist, Okta San Francisco
That motivation and talent extends beyond the office. Outside of work, Okta people are photographers, musicians, artists, Tough Mudder runners. Our COO and co-founder Frederic Kerrest is an avid heliskier. Vice President Operations & Chief of Staff Angela Grady runs marathons. CFO Bill Losch fly fishes in his free time. Director of Partner and Alliance Marketing Jean Lozano makes her own olive oil and balsamic (it’s delicious), and Senior UI Engineer Ren Buenviaje bakes extraordinary gluten-free treats.
2. Okta is a place to grow. As the Okta family grows and our footprint expands around the world, so do the individual personalities who make it up. We are staunch advocates for everyone’s productivity, challenging and supporting each other as we continue to take Okta – and ourselves – to the next level of success.
“Okta’s culture is a training ground for building teams that can support folks to move up and give you every opportunity to grow. The emphasis on promoting is something they actually mention in the interviewing process, and could be considered a company mantra. That shows, especially as we grow globally.” – Grant Bauer, corporate account executive, Okta London
“It’s a unique opportunity to be part of a company that’s been named the only leader in the space by multiple credible sources. But the reason it’s such a special place is 100% due to the people we hire.” – Ryan Young, corporate account executive, Okta San Francisco
3. We love our customers – all 2,000+ of them! Whether they’re an airline, pharmaceutical company, food producer or national non-profit, our customers sit at the very top of the priority list. Their success is part and parcel to our own success. We’re laser focused on going above and beyond to understand the unique challenges our fast-growing customers face and to find new ways to solve problems.
“Here we believe passionately about our products, but also thinking about our customers. Listening to their problems – their problems are our problems. We’re problem-solving folks and we have fun doing it!” – Tom Hill, support community manager, Okta San Francisco
Everybody is motivated to deliver and to treat our customers and prospects very transparently and honestly. Sure, it starts with adoption and the strategy of the customer’s IT team, but the real success for them is not about the ease of rolling out applications or lowering helpdesk calls for account support ... Sure that is a big value, but letting end users do their work at any place, on any device, that is the real value." – Marcel Griffioen, Okta Amsterdam
“Going to work isn’t just about making Okta successful; it’s also about enabling our 2000+ customers to accomplish their company missions faster.” – Jamie Lee Rice, web marketing manager, Okta San Francisco
4. Nobody can match the greatness of our office traditions (and snacks).
From Fancy Fridays, wine and cheese Wednesdays, birthday Ben & Jerry’s and competitive sack races to a healthy selection of snacks, an espresso machine and beer on every floor, it’s important to us that our office looks, feels and smells fantastic and – most importantly – is a happy, energized place to be.
“Birthday Cookies & Cupcakes, Wine Happy Hour on Wednesdays, Beer Pong Tournaments to celebrate EOQ, our annual company picnic and flexible PTO!” – Alyssa Smrekar, senior customer marketing manager, Okta San Francisco
“20+ types of beverages in the kitchen to choose from when thirsty.” – Harrison Riley, manager of business operations, Okta San Francisco
“All of the traditions make it fun, but the best part is that we can start new ones like the Halloween Costume, Diwali or even the Christmas lights decorating.” – Michael Sisario, senior engineering program manager, Okta San Francisco