Assessing a company from the outside can be tricky business – but it shouldn’t be. That’s why we’re kicking off a series to pull back the curtain on the #saslife. From our values to our vision and (almost) everything in between, we’re giving a transparent look at what it’s really like to work here.
So, where to start?
Our Culture
Culture matters. So much so that it’s been the subject of many an article, podcast, and thought leadership piece. But at the end of the day, culture doesn’t live on paper. It’s lived out among people, day to day, week to week. It’s a shared sense of purpose, a common way of doing things, and every company’s is just a little bit different. At SAS, our culture is at the center of it all.
It’s been our constant since the SAS story began in 1976, and like life and technology, it’s adapted over the years. But our guiding philosophy hasn’t changed: if you treat people like they make a difference, they will.
Our culture is a big part of what makes us unique, and over time, the world has noticed. We’ve been awarded for our culture and employee experience around the world, from organizations like Great Place to Work, Forbes and Fast Company.
So, what’s our secret sauce? Glad you asked. At SAS, our culture is based on three things: trust, flexibility and our values.
Trust
At SAS, we trust each other. Employees trust each other, their managers and leadership. Likewise, leadership trusts employees to create, innovate and do what they say they’ll do. We also extend that trust to our customers and user communities. The result? An environment where innovation and creativity thrive.
Flexibility
For us, flexibility means we treat our people like they adults they are. If you need to step away for a dentist appointment or you kid’s school play, we trust that you’ll handle it and still get your work done. We aren’t in the business of micromanagement, so our employees are empowered with flexibility to do their best work – whether that looks like working remotely, on-site, or a hybrid mix.
Values
We’re authentic, accountable, curious and passionate. These values aren’t just words on a screen – they influence everything we do, from the way we interact with customers to the software we create. They set the tone at SAS – and we hire to them, reward based on them, and live them out every day.
The SAS Employee Experience
Our culture is supported by our world-class employee experience that allows employees to pursue meaningful work, empowers them to work on projects that are making a difference, and to do it all in a world-class work environment whether you’re working from our HQ, one of our regional offices, or working from home. Here, you can bring your most creative, authentic self to work – in other words, you can be you!
Our philosophy of treating people like they make a difference has resulted in a one-of-a-kind culture and employee experience, year-over-year revenue growth and happy employees. Our culture impacts every aspect of our business – and it’s core to our strategy as we prepare for the exciting journey of IPO-readiness.
Behind the scenes at SAS
We’re excited to share more about the #saslife through this series – after all, there’s a lot to cover! We’ll be sharing the ins-and-outs of the SAS employee experience in the coming weeks – everything from DE&I to employee well-being.
But we can’t tell the SAS story alone – our people are the core of our company, and they have amazing stories to tell. Search #saslife on your favorite social platform and get to know our people for a behind-the-scenes view of life at SAS.
Stay tuned for more! In the meantime, let us know – what’s important to you in a workplace culture? And if you’re a SAS employee, what does our culture mean to you?
Editor’s note: This article has been edited since it was originally published.
