Employee of the Month Award Winners

In 2018, it wasn’t cool to say “employee of the month.” It conjured up images of the walls at fast food restaurants that featured headshots of 12 mostly embarrassed employees, not so proudly wearing their fast food uniforms. Simplifya was a cool software startup in the cannabis industry, so we called it the Girl Boss Award. It was a trendy term at the time and carried a positive connotation for about seven years.

In 2025, “girl boss” somehow became uncool. From Gemini:

The term “girl boss” is considered bad because it can be detrimental to women’s equality, as it’s often associated with a white, privileged, and ruthless form of capitalism that prioritizes individual success over collective advancement. Critics argue it trivializes female leadership by framing it as exceptional, promotes “hustle culture” that sacrifices well-being, and can overlook or perpetuate systemic issues like racism and sexism. It has become a negative label for women who are perceived as selfish and power-hungry, and its association with unethical leaders like Elizabeth Holmes has further damaged its reputation.

Wow, that’s a clear 180-degree turn from our intent to recognize employees for their accomplishments. So we’ll go with Employee of the Month and resist the urge to put 12 headshots on our website. As always, winners choose and announce the next winner at the end of each Town Hall.