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Yelp Values Employee Panel: There’s Always Room For A Smile



Each year at Yelp, we spotlight exemplary Yelpers that embody our Yelp Values:

  • Authenticity: Tell the truth. Be straightforward. Over-communicate. No need to spin things.
  • Be Unboring: Never settle for standard. Creativity over conformity. Be your remarkable self.
  • Be Tenacious: Battle smart and fight ’til the end. Live for the underdog moments. Turn mistakes into opportunities to learn.
  • Play Well with Others: Treat others with respect. Value diversity in viewpoints.  Bring a positive attitude to the table.
  • Protect the Source: Community and consumers come first. If we don’t maintain consumer trust, we won’t have anything to offer local businesses.

In early February of 2021, we hosted an employee panel with one representative for each value. And while we can’t share the secret stuff we discussed here, we’ll leave you with these quotes from our panelists:

Lucien P: “One thing I love about Yelp’s culture is that we’re very flexible – we not only survived, but we actually thrived during this pandemic. People from up top asked us: What are your thoughts? What are your ideas?”

Renae K: “It’s supposed to be hard, and that’s okay. Because if it doesn’t push you then it’s a waste. It’s not fun being the smartest person in the room, it’s fun being able to ask questions, to fail, to learn from that, and pick yourself up. That’s how people grow.” 

Gülsüm C: “One thing I really enjoy about this time is the idea of a ‘walking 1:1’ You know, we sit at home in front of our computers all day, so when we have a meeting with just one other person, we sometimes take each other for a walk to get some fresh air.”

Jamie W: “I think my favorite part of my role and leading my team is helping connect those dots for other people, and giving them opportunities, and pushing them in new directions that maybe they didn’t see for themselves right away.”

Jason P: “I think that there’s a level of humor in a lot of the stuff that we’re doing here at Yelp, and there can always be room for a smile.”

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