Before the pandemic, Zoom was about 15% remote as a company. As usage of its platform skyrocketed, those remaining employees were experiencing the same challenges as the rest of the world — balancing work and increased family obligations while trying to stay healthy and sane during a public-health crisis.
For Oldham, the pandemic response required a two-pronged approach: The company needed to address the skyrocketing demand and step up to support more than 4,400 employees. One of its first investments was in a mental-health platform and physical-health benefits to cover gym memberships, grocery and food delivery, office furniture, and more.
Oldham helped launch meetings to discuss diversity and a series of events for the children of employees. She also forged a partnership with an HBCU, Claflin University, and has participated in Next Chapter, an initiative to help formerly incarcerated people learn to code.
Oldham said that about a third of the company's total workforce was hired after the pandemic began. So they have less familiarity with coworkers and the overall company culture.
"The workplace has forever changed, and employers need to support flexibility in the workplace," Oldham said. "I'm currently working to be sure employees return to a safe office designed around employee needs, in a hybrid model geared toward enhancing collaboration and productivity while allowing space for employees to be humans first."