At SurveyMonkey, fostering employee growth and nurturing innovative thinking is integral to our culture. We also highly value curiosity—it’s our superpower, and part of our mission. That’s why we created Curiosity Week—an immersive virtual learning experience for our team members. This company-wide program aims to expand our teams' thinking, spark curiosity, and foster continuous growth and innovation.
What is Curiosity Week?
Curiosity Week is a five-day journey of discovery that facilitates connections among employees. Originally started in November 2021 as a once-a-year event, Curiosity Week has evolved into a biannual offering, with professional growth learning sessions tailored to various departments and interests. For example, sessions like "Product Show & Tell" provide insights into our latest developments and innovations, while "The Psychology of Success" explores personal development. Our goal is simple: to provide every team member with an opportunity to embrace a growth mindset by exploring new topics and ideas.
Listening to our employees
At SurveyMonkey, it should come as no surprise that we value feedback, so when it comes to our employees, we ask, listen, and act. After each Curiosity Week, our Learning & Development team conducts surveys to gather insights and gauge the impact of each session. This feedback loop allows us to continually improve and refine the program, ensuring that each iteration of Curiosity Week is more impactful than the last. In fact, our commitment to excellence shines through in the consistently high levels of employee satisfaction, with participants awarding Curiosity Week sessions a glowing 4.7 out of 5-star rating!
Evolving with each year
As we reflect on the evolution of Curiosity Week, each year brings new learnings and insights, prompting us to adapt and innovate. Let's take a closer look at how Curiosity Week has evolved over the years:
- Curiosity Week 2021: Setting the stage
In 2021, Curiosity Week took center stage with 30 sessions spanning three time zones. From the highly-rated "Product Show & Tell," to the engaging "Speed Networking," participants seemed to enjoy the diverse array of offerings. One attendee commented, "‘Designing Your Impact’ was hands-down the best workshop I’ve ever been to. The workbook was amazing, pacing was good, loved the one-to-one breakout rooms." Another participant praised the “Speed Networking Event” as "a wonderful way of getting to know our colleagues across geos and teams." - Curiosity Week 2022: Building momentum
In 2022, Curiosity Week offered 24 sessions led by 14 instructors and attended by 849 participants. Sessions like "Cookalong," "Micro MBA," and "Finding Your Footing as a Remote Employee" drew rave reviews, with participants calling them “truly enlightening” and saying, "Experiencing our product firsthand was delightful." - Curiosity Week 2023: Embracing innovation
In 2023, Curiosity Week continued to innovate, offering sessions on topics ranging from "The Psychology of Success" to "AI in SurveyMonkey." The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with participants calling them “hands-on and useful” and “incredibly beneficial, both personally and professionally.”
Curiosity Week 2024: What’s next
In 2024, we kicked off Curiosity Week with a bang as participants had the opportunity to attend sessions like "Better is Better Forum" with Becky Cantieri, our Chief People Officer, and "Writing with Clarity & Brevity" with Katie Miserany, SVP of Communications. This marked the first of two planned Curiosity Weeks in 2024!
Reviewing the feedback, it became clear that employees value time to do self-paced learning. So in 2024, we did not offer live sessions on the Friday of Curiosity Week. Employees were instead provided a curated list of self-guided resources. It’s all part of our commitment to empowering our team members to drive their growth journey.
Looking forward
As we reflect on the evolution of Curiosity Week, one thing is clear: the learning never ends. We remain committed to listening to our employees, adapting to their needs, and continually evolving to ensure that Curiosity Week remains a beacon of inspiration and innovation. As we continue to find opportunities for exploration and growth, together, we'll shape what's next.
Curious to learn more about SurveyMonkey? Check out our careers page for open opportunities.
