Companies are constantly seeking ways to attract and retain the best employees. One innovative Chicago-based agency does it by being a dream employer.
The instant you visit Red Frog Events’ website, you know it’s no ordinary company. Carnival-inspired graphics and games present company information under headings like “How We Roll” and “Red Frog Family.”
The Awards page is also extraordinary: Red Frog Events was named in 2011 Top Places to Work and 2012 Best Places to Work for Recent Grads. It ranked ninth on the 2012 Inc. 5000 list recognizing the fastest-growing privately-held companies in the U.S.
The company’s success comes from the fun, often extreme, international events that are Red Frog’s specialty: like the Warrior Dash, a grueling six-kilometre running race that also involves mud and barbed wire. Or the Great Urban Race, where teams solve clues and tackle physical challenges while racing around their city.
Having fun while sweating under pressure. It’s an ethos echoed in the company credo: “work hard, play harder.” The “work hard” part is obvious: during race events, near 100-hour workweeks are typical for Red Frog’s employees—known as froggers.
Red Frog hires solely from within, so becoming a full-time frogger means starting as a “tadpole:” a paid intern. Though the work is tough and expectations are high, Red Frog receives more than 2,000 resumés a month for a single three- to five-month-long tadpole position.
Red Frog’s unique office environment and culture—the “play harder” aspect—may have something to do with this. The office, dubbed Camp Red Frog, features themed conference rooms and plenty of play options: a tree house, zip line, foosball tables and dodge ball tournaments.
Stephanie Schroeder, director of HR, says: “We have a ‘fun and morale team’ that’s always thinking up and implementing theme days, company-wide field trips and other things to make our employees want to jump out of bed in the morning and come to work.”
Red Frog also claims to have the “world’s best benefits” package. It includes unlimited vacation days; 100% medical insurance coverage; 100% match of up to 10% contribution on 401(k) retirement plans; a fully paid, month-long sabbatical of the employee’s choice to Africa, Asia, Europe or South America, every five years, with spouse and children or any other one person; an office bar; a weekly catered family lunch; free dinner for froggers working past 7:30 p.m.; and free snacks and Red Bull in the office. That’s just a sampling of the perks.
“During our orientation for new, full-time employees, we consistently see jaws drop when they hear what they’ll be receiving from their new employer,” says Schroeder. Company co-founder Joe Reynolds firmly believes that treating people well attracts the cream of the crop and motivates them to work harder and with more passion.
“Our benefits package keeps happy, healthy employees,” says Schroeder. “It also works as a great recruiting tool. When you have the best benefits and work environment, the best employees want to work for you.”
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