The One Where They Chillaxed

The dog days of summer are nearly over. Fall is creeping in, and unfortunately, the pandemic is still very much present in our lives. Safe to say, it’s been a crazy 18 months for everyone at Notarize, both personally and professionally.

In just the past year, our team has more than doubled in size, and each person has worked incredibly hard and made sacrifices to serve our customers and subsequently drive an incredible year-over-year revenue growth of 600%.

In today’s world, it’s easy for mental health to spiral to the point of burnout. We’re not exempt from it here at Notarize, especially with high growth volume.

At a recent company meeting, our CEO and founder Pat said, “It’s a classic cliché that startups are a marathon and not a sprint, but what no one admits is that it’s actually both. It’s a dead sprint that lasts way longer than anyone can survive. And this year, it was all of that plus the world falling apart around us.”

So, he decided it was time to take a break.

From August 9 through 13, we launched “Operation Chillax.” Most of our team members were able to take a full week off, while employees with day-to-day functions integral to the business took staggered weeks off.

It was an opportunity for all employees to really, truly disconnect, decompress, and take a well-deserved break from the Slack, email, and the everyday grind.

What did the team do during their epic week off?

It started with a care package from Notarize that included a beach towel, sunglasses and chapstick so the team was ready for some fun in the sun. Some folks booked vacations to new and exciting destinations, while others saw family members for the first time since the start of the pandemic. Some spent more time with their family at home. Others caught up on sleep.

Here are a few highlights from our team from our week of chillaxin’:

Lauren Hintz, Director of Strategic Projects

“During Operation Chillax, my husband and I took our first family vacation since our first baby was born! We stayed at a beautiful home on Lake Erie and enjoyed so much uninterrupted family time. Thank you to Notarize for giving us all an additional week off to rest and recharge from such a difficult last year.”

Val Zhang, Strategy & Operations Lead

“I got to visit Alaska for the first time, see the glaciers and spend some much needed time in nature! I spent the week decompressing and traveling with friends, making some unforgettable memories. This week showed me how Notarize values employee mental health and I'm so grateful and refreshed to get back to work.”

Alexandra Solimano, Senior Customer Success Manager

“Working for a company that values all of you is a game changer. I didn't realize how much I needed our Operation Chillax week until I was chillaxing! It was so wonderful to slow down, not have any deadlines and most importantly, spend uninterrupted time with loved ones, and I love that Notarize recognized these needs and found a way to make it happen.

I spent a lot of time outdoors in Falmouth, MA: I ran my second Falmouth Road Race (virtual edition) with my mom as my race crew and cow bell ringer, I took in some gorgeous ocean views and got a selfie with Nobska Lighthouse, and I celebrated with a decadent meal at the Black Dog Heights Cafe.”

Sameena Bemat, Senior Product Marketing Manager

“Many companies say they stand for wellness and employee wellbeing, but Notarize has shown it time and time again. Having the week off and not worrying about 500 emails when I got back was so huge! I was able to take a breath in a busy year and read, enjoy my favorite city and have a going away party before I move later this month, & spend quality time with friends.

We’ve all been through the ringer with this pandemic and can’t express what knowing Notarize actually cares about me as a human being means.”

Now that we are back and fully rested, it’s clear from the team feedback that “Operation Chillax” was a resounding success. At the end of the day, our employees are valued members of our team, and if we need to take a week off every-so-often to recharge, then we’re all for it.