The Right Balance at Discover

Name: Annu S.
Job Title: Principal Software Developer, Business Technology

Search for the right balance
Before I joined Discover, I worked for multiple Fortune 500 organizations, juggling heavy workload and arduous day to day routine on a regular basis. When we welcomed a child in our family, I started to look for an organization with better work-life balance that would provide support during the delicate process of raising a family while being a productive professional. After doing some research, I found that Discover, with its flexible work hours, abundant vacation allocation and supportive people base, was and continues to be, one of the best companies to work for. That’s when I decided that Discover was the place for me.

Technical and professional development
Discover provides the flexibility and support needed for individuals to progress in their career paths in a way that is mutually fulfilling to both the individual and the organization. I have had myriad roles throughout my career at Discover. Early on, I was a developer for Discover Card and Discover Bank, working on projects like Apple and Android pay utilizing the latest Cloud development and Agile methodologies. I got exposure to implementing Lean and Agile principles throughout bank as part of my role as a DMS (Discover Management System) Change agent. Most recently, I am working as a Technical Product Owner for Deposits to modernize our platforms to the latest cloud and best technologies, delivering new capabilities and securing our systems from security risks.

Opportunities to promote collaboration
Discover is a unique organization, not only in the way that it facilitates individual growth but also in the opportunities it provides for teams to collaborate with each other. I have not witnessed another organization with as much focus on appreciating the hard work of its people, be it through numerous systems like Bravo or be it the annual President’s award ceremony that celebrates our accomplishments every year. There are numerous employee resource groups and forums that engage and support employees on a day-to-day basis taking one’s connection with Discover beyond that of an employer, to that of a family. And I am grateful, every day, for being a part of this huge, happy family!

Being different by giving back
One of the key values that each and every person at Discover regards highly in their everyday work is “Doing the right thing”. This is manifested in the products we develop, in the solutions we prioritize keeping our customers interest at heart and, particularly, in the way we volunteer. Every year, thousands of employees come together through various volunteer programs to make a difference to local schools and communities. The sense of joy and accomplishment of participating in a communal event as this is incomparable to anything you could do individually. Last year, I worked alongside hundreds of coworkers to reshape the look and feel of an entire school with a day’s worth of volunteering. This is just one of the ways in which Discover exhibits its core values, not only for its own people, but also for our surrounding community.