Judi Peffley’s Return to Leidos — and Why She Plans to Stay
Before returning to Leidos in 2023, Judi Peffley enjoyed a short 3-mile commute to an office where her workload was always manageable. Yet, she felt stifled and missed working at Leidos.
Peffley left Leidos in 2018 when she found herself facing multiple personal hurdles.
“I was an almost 50-year-old, full-time college student, helping care for my mother who was at the end of her life while working a demanding full-time job,” she said. “I was carrying too much, felt overwhelmed and needed to regroup."
How Judi found her way back
“When I left Leidos, it was partly for a brain break. But that got old, and I missed meeting challenges in my work,” Peffley said.
By 2023, she felt like a new woman — one who was ready to take full advantage of what she knew Leidos had to offer. She’d finished her degree and had gone to therapy to learn how to better cope with balancing life’s challenges.
As Peffley realized she was ready to return to a more challenging and fulfilling role, she noticed on LinkedIn a former Leidos colleague was celebrating a work anniversary. This coworker's past promotion had opened up the original role Peffley had taken when she first joined the company. When he jokingly asked if she was thinking about "taking" his job again, she realized she wanted to return.
After nearly two years back at Leidos, Peffley has been thriving at work and plans to stay until she retires.
“I love being a buyer here because I get to be part of a solution and can help so many different people in so many ways.”
Why Judi plans to finish out her career at Leidos
“This place is so different than it was before — and I thought I loved it then!” Peffley said.
She notes that while communication had never been an issue, it’s even better now. Managers and leaders used to be the only source of information, but today, her group encourages collaboration among functional teams and maintains open communication.
“Microsoft Teams is open all day, and if my boss’s dot is green, I can call him at the drop of a hat without needing to ask for a meeting,” she said, adding that chat groups are also open to keep information flowing. “Our leaders work diligently to ensure we stay up to date on the ever-changing landscape of our industry.”
Beyond appreciating the transparent, real-time communication, Peffley cites four other main reasons for wanting to stay at Leidos until retirement:
1. People who care
Peffley praises the leadership style at Leidos, who always explain the why behind what they do each day. She adds that leaders open team meetings by inviting everyone to share “kudos” for their colleagues.
“People need that ‘thanks’ in their days, and asking this question helps to recognize people who might otherwise stay quiet and unnoticed,” she said, adding that hearing other peoples’ kudos has helped her learn whom she can go to for help with specific things. “It’s become a great internal networking starter.”
2. Processes that empower
The first question Peffley answered during her return interview was, “Why do you want to come back to Leidos?” Her answer: “I miss rules.”
At her other job, Peffley says she didn’t experience true accountability, and she missed having a clearly defined policy for procurement.
“I was excited to come back to a place where I’m treated like I’m capable, and there’s never-ending opportunities to help, learn and grow."
Judi Peffley
Senior Buyer
She believes that clearly defined processes inspire trust between employers and employees, adding that structure and guidelines help keep her team safe when it comes to compliance.
3. Paths that propel careers
Peffley notes that she encounters paths everywhere at Leidos — paths for learning and paths for career advancement.
“We have so many new tools available to lead our own learning and whole teams dedicated to encouraging us to not stay stuck in a role if we find something else we want to do,” she said. “I am constantly invited to explore what’s out there and to possibly grow into something new with Leidos.”
4. Pride in the company
“There are so many things Leidos is into. It’s an incredible company, and I never thought I’d get to be associated with the type of work we do for our country,” Peffley said. “I feel proud, and I feel safe working for a company that helps keep my country safe.
“This is it. This is the company I’m staying with until I’m done working anywhere."
Are you a Leidos alumnus like Judi? We’d love for you to stay in the loop! Join the Leidos Alumni Network to hear about opportunities to refer your family, friends and professional contacts or even rejoin the company yourself.
