Nowadays, Christmas sweaters are often synonymous with the word “ugly,” from bold colors and playful patterns to on-trend embellishments. Holiday sweaters can be pretty, modern, and (dare we say it?) stylish.

The holidays are all about promoting laughs and good times. Wearing a funny Christmas sweater is the perfect way to be festive and creative at the same time. Here at CodeScience, we asked our employees to participate and wear their Ugly Christmas Sweater during our weekly company video call. Once in a while, it’s fun to let go and wear something hideous. It reminds us of the joys of not taking oneself too seriously.

We are spreading Christmas cheer in one’s best (or worst!) style by making a memorable fashion statement with the most over-the-top, extravagant Christmas sweaters. We’ve rounded up some of our favorite Ugly Christmas Sweaters modeled by our own CodeScientists.

Trust is Built with Smiles

Just like in-person-office cultures, remote-office cultures can differ wildly. Our culture is made up of our employees, customers, and partners, which represents the way that we choose to live and express our values. We foster (and are thankfully known for) a culture of quirk, fun, and excellence.

One common thread that runs deep across every method of managing a remote team: trust. Employees need to trust that their managers are looking out for their best interests. Managers need to trust that their employees are engaged and motivated at work. Part of this trust is built during the hiring process—selecting candidates who are self-motivated—and the rest is built over time with each positive interaction.

While we don’t see each other in an office setting day in and day out, we are a “camera on” company. For many recruits, it can be awkward chatting with their future manager for the first time through a webcam. But from my firsthand experience, being able to see your peers and clients builds trust faster and creates better communication. There are many stories of CodeScience teams working with new clients whose cameras are all off, and by the end of the project, that entire client team has come around and has their cameras on.

Costumes and Creativity

If you’ve spent any time exploring the culture section of our blog, then you’ve likely noticed we love costumes and dressing up. In a recap from our annual All Hands meeting, you’ll notice that many employees talk about how surprised and delighted they were to see the participation in our silliness.

Many are introduced to our penchant for costumes on their first day at CodeScience. It is our tradition to encourage new employees to dress up in costume for their first day and meet the company on our weekly check-in to bring a smile to everyone’s face.

When employees are given the chance to bring their creativity to work, they thrive. When they get the chance to connect with others who also bring their creativity, they stay.

As I talk to potential CodeScientists, I spend a lot of time focusing on what truly makes CodeScience special. We feature our values and our priorities on our About and Careers pages, so they are visible and available to anyone who wants to learn more about us.

If you want to learn more about our values, culture, and priorities, our CEO, Brian Walsh, shares his thoughts here.


If you’re interested in joining our family and bringing what makes you special to our company, then check out our careers page: https://www.codescience.com/careers