23andMe handles tests for ancestry and health risks with respect – San Francisco Chronicle

Sophia Majeed, principal clinical scientist and project team lead in the 23andMe Therapeutics group, knows how volatile and potentially controversial the biotechnology field is. The company, which has 579 employees, has been through a couple of contentious rounds with the FDA over whether its products are safe medical devices. Theres also the ethical question of what 23andMe does with the data its collected from people after theyve received their DNA results.

For Majeed, the workplace has to be a safe and secure environment. 23andMe workplace culture encourages people to speak out and be their authentic selves, Majeed said. Our CEO, Anne Wojcicki, sets the tone by encouraging people to have difficult conversations, and she doesnt shy away from responding to tough questions.

The San Francisco Chronicles Top Workplaces in the Bay Area competition honors the best workplaces in the Bay Area, as recognized by their employees. This is the 13th year Energage has surveyed Bay Area employees and its first year working with The San Francisco Chronicle.

Wojcicki founded the Sunnyvale-based 23andMe in 2006 with Linda Avey and Paul Cusenza. Avey and Cusenza are no longer with the company. The direct-to-consumer DNA testing company enables consumers to test for ancestry and health risks through genetic information obtained from saliva samples. It ranked second among large companies in the 2022 Bay Area Top Workplaces survey.

The 23andMe lab analyzes the genetic information in the saliva and digitally returns the results to the buyer. There are three levels of testing kits (Ancestry and Traits, Health and Traits, and 23andMe+ Membership), and the process could eventually unlock genetic information that will predict certain illnesses or help generate therapies and cures. The company is named for the 23 pairs of chromosomes in a normal human cell.

I appreciate working here, not because there arent things that can be improved, but because we value each others humanity, and we acknowledge that we must continue to work to be the best versions of ourselves, Majeed said.

That sentiment is echoed by employees in the survey:

I feel that I am challenged to grow and do my best work while working on interesting projects that positively impact our customers lives. I am fully utilized doing work that is meaningful to myself and others.

I trust Anne, the CEO, to lead by example. I care deeply about my colleagues and enjoy working with them. I feel valued and included. My manager is supportive and helpful. When I disagree with a direction, I feel encouraged to speak up and heard if I do. Im excited about the future. Most importantly, I believe in the work were doing and value how impactful and important it is.

My manager provides feedback and support as problems arise, identifies opportunities for me to grow, and has given me responsibilities that have encouraged skill building. Most importantly, my manager has built a strong and trusting relationship with me, which helps me feel like I can try new things and fail without danger of retaliation.

To me, workplace culture determines social norms and defines acceptable behaviors at work. It reflects the core values of the company and senior leadership.

Majeed has seen the company grow not just in size but in understanding how to grow in a way that supports its employees as well.

I am surprised most by the cultural evolution at 23andMe in the last few years, Majeed said. I have seen our commitment to authenticity manifest in a more self-aware and compassionate culture; one that values feedback, self-improvement and honesty.

More Top Workplaces 2022: Large

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23andMe handles tests for ancestry and health risks with respect - San Francisco Chronicle