CSA Education prides itself on creating and delivering high-quality content for the educational field. In addition to making our clients a priority, we also do the same for our internal team members, as well as our freelancers. CSA is a small company with a unique culture, and we wanted a way to show exactly who we are and what we stand for. Our core values embody who we are as a company, and serve as guidance for decision-making and all human interactions throughout all levels of the organization.
Our “We Care” value is this: We consider the members of our team, internal and external, to be our most valuable resource. Their time, energy, spirit, and humanity matter. When we care about our people, they care about their work and the clients they serve.
Practicing What We Preach
A lot of companies may say they have similar values, but do they actually put them into practice on a daily basis? I have worked for several different companies throughout my publishing career, and I can honestly say that CSA does indeed “practice what we preach.” I consider it a privilege to be a part of CSA, since it is one of the most caring and collaborative work environments I have ever experienced. Since the first day I started, I felt so welcomed and supported by other CSA team members. As I was getting acquainted with various clients and projects, everyone offered their help and/or suggestions regarding processes, systems, etc.
Programs That Show We Care
Each week, our HR department sends out a Friday Resources email to the entire staff that features fun videos, jokes, recipes, staff accomplishments, as well as links to mental health support. Not only is this a welcome brain break, but it is a great way to stay connected to our teams and get to know and care about each other outside of our day-to-day work.
We have a recognition website at CSA that allows us to acknowledge fellow team members for doing outstanding work or for providing their assistance on projects. It is a fun social feed of comments, memes and gifs, with the opportunity to comment on posts, too. Each employee has a monthly point allowance that can be given out. The “bucks” can be traded in for gift cards to restaurants, stores, or even donations to charities. We all work very hard, and this is a fun way to recognize each other’s efforts and expertise.
CSA’s wellness committee shows a genuine concern for employees’ well-being. Whether it be a hydration challenge to drink more water or weekly workouts and stretches, mindfulness exercises, or even “spring cleaning” ideas, these initiatives help staff members live their best lives by promoting healthy habits. In addition, our HR department hosts Game Breaks where we can all join a video call to play a version of a favorite board game or test our knowledge in trivia. Our Tips and Tricks calls/meetings spotlight specific company processes or shortcuts to working in the Google suite of products, all designed to make our work lives easier.
Team CSA refers to our exclusive freelancer community. CSA offers a number of benefits for our contractors, including a monthly newsletter, an online payment platform, payment within 10 days of submitting an invoice, and a portal to a private website with educational and business support resources. CSA truly values their freelancers, and treating them like part of our team demonstrates how much we appreciate and care about them. We would not be able to do what we do without these outstanding individuals!
Core Values Awards
At CSA’s all-company meeting in September, awards were given out to staff members who exemplified each of our core values. I was honored to receive an award for demonstrating the “We Care” core value. These awards were voted on by the entire company, so it meant a lot to me that my talented, hard-working colleagues nominated me for this recognition. We have built a culture at CSA that makes it easy to care about each other and our work. Because CSA cares about us, we care about each other, our clients, and ultimately, the work we do. In my opinion, we are all rock stars!
