We will carpool again one day! How a commute to work became a friendship - GVF
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, we had an opportunity to talk to two Qlik employees on how they started carpooling. During these times, we know most of our region are working from home. GVF can be a valuable resource for your organization during this time, please feel free to reach out to us for assistance.
As we celebrate Earth day, here is a look at two people whose friendship grew from starting a carpool. Emily Godfrey and Sidney Drill, two Qlik employees, carpool from Center City Philadelphia to their company’s headquarters in King of Prussia. It quickly became evident that what may have started as a practical solution to an hour-long commute, one way, had blossomed into a close friendship.
Emily started full-time at Qlik March of 2019, after interning there a year before. She and Sidney (a seasoned Qlik employee she’d met during her brief 2018 stint) reconnected and commiserated over living in Philadelphia and making the oft arduous trip out to the suburbs each workday. For Sidney, in particular, ”getting to the office” involved a train and an Uber down King of Prussia Rd. More and more, she was tempted to work from home rather than risk the inevitable delays caused by traffic and Uber wait times. Emily, on the other hand, had just moved into the city with her car… just blocks from Sidney’s apartment. It seemed like a no-brainer that the two would carpool to the office. Given the average price of fuel alone, Emily could save $520 a year by splitting the cost of gas with Sidney (plus Sidney provides plenty of free entertainment!)
During their carpool days, Emily and Sidney spent the commute bonding over life in general – sharing stories of work, friends, and family. Sidney has worked at Qlik for five years, so she has become an unofficial mentor to Emily, offering guidance on how to handle challenges, navigate the corporate waters, and grow her responsibilities. In return, she credits Emily with being one of the best reasons to make the commute to King of Prussia. During their ride, Emily offers Sidney advice, even when it comes to dating (no topic is off-limits!) And while this duo is on hold for the short-term during work-from-home ordinances, they continue to bond over “virtual coffees.” And there is no doubt that as soon as life in the office resumes, so will the carpool connection.
For more information on carpooling contact GVF at info@gvftma.com.
