We spend on average 90,000 hours at work. For Lexi Fives and Daniella Carrillo, that’s reason enough to work somewhere that shares your values.
“We spend more of our weekdays with colleagues than with our own families, so it’s essential that the workplace is one where leaders and teams share these values,” Daniella Carrillo, executive assistant of marketing at Magnite, said. “When openness and community are present, it shows a genuine investment in employees’ growth while also making them feel comfortable, supported and empowered.”
Lexi Fives, marketing specialist at zLinq Inc., agreed. “Work takes up such a big part of our lives and I think it should add energy, not drain it,” Fives said. “I want to be in a place where people can laugh together, celebrate wins and not take themselves too seriously.”
Fives and Carrillo aren’t alone. Over half of workers in the United States would be willing to take a pay cut to work with a company that shares their values.
Built In spoke with both about what values they think are most important to see in an employer.
zLinq provides software and services to manage enterprise customers’ communication lifecycles.
What values do you ideally want to see in an employer?
Picking a company and working for someone with similar values in my adulthood has always been really important to me because I grew up around a successful multi-generational family business that I really admire. I will always look for a company that values trust, integrity and honesty, a company that has a “work hard and get results” mindset and a company that doesn't forget to have a little fun along the way.
When it comes to trust in a company, I want to see that relationships really matter. I want to work in an environment where trust isn’t just a slide referenced in a presentation, but something built with every interaction internally and externally.
As a former collegiate athlete, working toward a goal and seeing results motivates me to do my best work. I want to work for a company that believes in getting things done, and is focused on delivering real results, not just endless meetings and buzzwords.
Work takes up such a big part of our lives and I think it should add energy, not drain it. I want to be in a place where people can laugh together, celebrate wins and not take themselves too seriously. When the culture encourages a little fun, the results usually get better!
How does your employer show a commitment to some (or all) of these?
Over my three years at zLinq, I’ve experienced the company’s commitment to its values in many meaningful ways. I started at zLinq as a full-time sales consultant. Working in person in the office, the values were tangible every single day. One memory that stands out around “getting results” was during my first year in sales. We had a big trip to Mexico for hitting the President's Club goals and I was so close to hitting my goal but needed one final deal to close. At the end of the fourth quarter, the entire executive team stepped in to help me close a deal to put me over the edge. That support not only helped me achieve the result, but also reinforced my trust in the team and of course, we had a blast celebrating that hard-earned win in Mexico.
After welcoming my first child, I’m back in a part-time marketing role and I love that I can still stay connected to our culture through the Quarterly Values Awards. Even part-time, I get to participate, nominate and vote for teammates who live our values every day. Each quarter, we recognize those who “build trust,” “get results” and “have fun.” Winners get a cash prize, but the best part is knowing the recognition is from the people you work with!
How do these values shape your feelings about your employer? What about your ability to make an impact in your role?
Raising a child at home while working part-time really puts the important things into perspective. zLinq's values are the main reason I am back working at all. Working for a company and leaders that believe and actually live out the values of building trust, getting results and having fun is such an honor.
It is critical for me that any time I spend away from my child be going to something I believe in and where the respect and trust are mutual. A prime example of building trust is the creation and execution of my new role. I am given much more freedom and grace to get the work assigned to me completed. The leaders trust that I will do this from afar and I trust them to give me challenging and relevant requests that fulfill the job I am hired to do.
I am living my 'having fun' dreams at work by digging back into the marketing world after years in sales. I can be creative and use a different side of my skillset that I absolutely love to do. Writing new content, thinking of more effective ways to reach customers, it all fills my cup!
Magnite is an independent sell-side advertising platform. Publishers use the technology to monetize their content across all screens and formats including CTV, online video, display and audio.
What values do you ideally want to see in an employer?
Openness and community. I value working for companies where anyone can make an impact, regardless of role or level. An open-minded culture encourages continuous improvement and gives employees the confidence to share new ideas. Equally important is a sense of community. When people feel connected and supported, they’re more willing to be vulnerable and contribute their best work.
How does your employer show a commitment to some (or all) of these?
As an executive assistant, efficiency is always top of mind — for myself, the executives I support and the wider team. When I first joined, I was trusted to completely revamp our marketing budget tracking process and that confidence in my abilities spoke volumes about Magnite’s openness to new ideas. Beyond that, I’ve felt a strong sense of community through the support I receive from both my immediate team and cross-functional partners. Our employee resource groups also play a huge role in building that sense of belonging, creating spaces where people can connect, support one another and bring their whole selves to work. That combination of trust and community motivates me to consistently bring my best work forward.
Why is it important to you that your work (and workplace leaders) share these values?
We spend more of our weekdays with colleagues than with our own families, so it’s essential that the workplace is one where leaders and teams share these values. When openness and community are present, it shows a genuine investment in employees’ growth while also making them feel comfortable, supported and empowered. For me, that foundation not only shapes how I feel about my employer but also gives me the confidence to make a meaningful impact in my role.
