January 28, 2020

We know that’s a big claim, and we can’t really say they’re THE happiest. But we do work hard to make sure everyone is happy and appreciated.

Pat on the Back

There are many reasons Pangeans love coming to work. Our kitchen is always stocked with snacks, we have the occasional happy hour, and company events such as our holiday party in the winter and a boat trip in the summer. But we go a step farther with our “Pangea Props.” In this program, employees give a shout out to coworkers for demonstrating our core company values, such as kindness and empowerment. These virtual tokens of appreciation are worth points that add up and can be exchanged for prizes, gift cards, or even cash.

Every month in our All-Hands meetings, everyone gets together to talk about what’s going on in the company, the industry, or our customers’ communities. At these meetings, the employees who received the most props that month get a special mention.

The Science Behind Happy Workers

Besides the fact that it’s a nice thing to do, we give props because appreciated workers are more productive workers. No, really. Harvard says so. The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania even did a study on it. The University of Warwick says productivity could be as much as 12% higher for happy workers. Expressing your appreciation for another person not only boosts his/her mood; it boosts your own also. We’ve all heard of the benefits of keeping a gratitude journal. So between those giving props and those getting props, we have a lot of happy, productive employees.

Results

Even though Pangeans come from all over the world – from Russia to Chile – what brings us together are our core values and love for what we do. We support each other and learn from one another. It’s no wonder, then, that we were named one of Built In Chicago’s 50 Best Places to Work for the second year in a row.

Want to learn more about working at Pangea? Contact HR at hr@gopangea.com