Fire 
Do you know of organizations or individuals that set the innovation scene on Fire? Tell us about them by completing a nomination for Inno on Fire.
CHICAGO INNO'S 2019 COOLEST COMPANIES
As Chicago’s tech and startup industry becomes more saturated with growing and sustainable companies, offering a competitive salary, a 401K and decent healthcare benefits is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to recruiting and retaining talent.
Similar to how the tech industry has largely set new standards for what an office environment should look like, it’s also raising the bar for what kinds of workplace benefits and perks employees have come to expect.
Instant Alliance, founded in 2001 by Rona Borre, is a Chicago recruiting firm for tech and finance companies. Borre said in the last several years, she has seen more and more companies emphasize benefits that make their employees’ lives easier.
Often times this looks like regularly catered meals, child care, and on-site yoga classes and massage therapists. But the most popular benefit seems to be flexible work-from-home policies.
“Millennials and employees are looking for a lot of flexibility in their work schedule and a work-life balance is extremely important to people,” Borre said. “People have to work harder than ever, but on the same token, they don’t always have to be in the workplace. If they do, I see a lot of companies making it really easy and convenient for employees to get things in their personal life done or accommodated while they’re at work.”
In a new survey published by Chicago-based recruitment firm CareerBuilder, 15 percent of employees said low compensation or lack of benefits were among the reasons they left their last job. But other than their salary, benefits are the next most important thing they consider when applying for a job.
When asked about workplace perks, 42 percent said half-day Fridays would make them more willing to stay at a company. Other popular perks included on-site fitness centers and award trips.
“At the end of the day, companies want productive people that are happy,” Borre said. “If you can do things for your employees to simplify their life, they’re going to be more apt to go the extra mile at work.”
In this year’s Coolest Companies competition, more than 100 tech companies told Chicago Inno why they are the “coolest” company in the city. “Cool” can mean a lot of things, but really, a business is cool if its employees love showing up to work every day.
Here are Chicago Inno’s 10 Coolest Companies of 2019.
ActiveCampaign
The Chicago-based email marketing company, launched in 2003, has grown to more than 400 employees. To keep their staff happy, ActiveCampaign offers several perks, such as giving their employees time to give back to the local community. ActiveCampaign adopts families for holiday gift-giving, recycles arts and crafts for shelters, hosts high school students and mentors first generation college students. Additionally, the startup gives employees a day off to volunteer for a cause that matters to them. In addition to the standard benefits, like 401K and healthcare, ActiveCampaign also offers pet insurance for employees’ furry friends.
Basecamp
Basecamp, founded in 1999 by Jason Fried, Ernest Kim and Carlos Segura, makes a project management tool for businesses. Basecamp employs about 55 people, most of which work remotely. Fried’s rationale: Why limit your talent pool to a single city when talented people are everywhere? Besides a really flexible remote policy, Basecamps says it also offers its employees competitive salaries and healthcare plans, and 4-day summer work weeks, a $100/month fitness allowance and another $100/month allowance for a massage. One of the most generous perks: Basecamp gives every employee a holiday gift. Last year for tenured employees, each received a paid vacation to one of 16 locations around the world.
Enova
Launched as an online startup in 2003, Enova went public in 2014 and has become one of Chicago’s largest fintech companies. It holds nearly 1,000 people in its offices, where employees can play a game of table tennis, have a beer after work or even get a massage. Enova says it also offers its employees training, events, free food and a flexible work environment. According to an internal annual survey taken by Enova in September 2018, 74 percent of its employees would recommend Enova as a great place to work.
Envoy Global
Local startup Envoy Global, previously known as VisaNow, which helps companies recruit, hire and manage an international workforce, offers its employees in-office chair massages, lunch and learns and a one-month paid sabbatical for employees who’ve been with the company for more than seven years, said Lindsay Dagiantis the vice president of HR at Envoy Global.
G2
G2, the Chicago-based company providing business software reviews as well as a platform to purchase them on, has grown to about 340 employees. To keep them all happy, G2 takes diversity seriously. The company is currently developing an initiative called G2Together to help educate all of G2 about identity and how employees can be more inclusive. G2 also offers below-market premiums for medical, dental and vision, and even offers a free medical plan. G2 offers equity upon hire, based on performance, because “ownership is cool.” Lastly, every G2 employee gets up to $5,250 for tuition reimbursement per year.
Jellyvision
Jellyvision, an employee communications software company, has grown to more than 450 employees. More than 1,500 companies, including 114 of the Fortune 500s, provide Jellyvision's software, ALEX, to their employees. The company has consistently been recognized for its awesome workplace culture because it prioritizes diversity, giving back to the local community and team outings that keep the staff connected.
But one of the most unique qualities about Jellyvision’s culture is its graceful leave policy, a practice that allows all employees to be transparent with their bosses about their decisions to look for other jobs without fear of retribution. Kelly Dean, the chief people officer at Jellyvision, said the policy allows for the company to better prepare as it replaces outgoing employees.
Reverb
At Reverb, an online marketplace for buying and selling music gear that was recently acquired by Etsy, it’s not unusual for employees to keep a mini synthesizer at their desk or spend some time in the office's “jam room.” Music is everywhere in this office. Even the walls are lined with records and electric guitars. Additionally, employees have access to ping pong matches, free lunches, healthy snacks and a mentorship program.
Solstice
Chicago-based tech company Solstice, a digital innovation consulting firm that helps companies craft digital strategies, and build hardware and software, offers its employees a slew of perks and benefits, such as a $5,000 annual training budget for employees, a game room, a prayer room and standing desks. But the most unusual perk Solstice offers is what it calls “Ferris Bueller's Day Off,” a policy that gives every employee an extra day of PTO as long as they spend it with another employee.
Vital Proteins
Vital Proteins, the Chicago startup making increasingly popular collagen supplements, lets its employees know it loves them in a variety of ways. The company offers catered lunch on Wednesdays, meditation rooms and an in-house café, where a resident barista whips up lattes for employees made from the company’s signature collagen products. Additionally, employees can find fridges in the office stocked with Vital Proteins product that they’re free to help themselves to at any time.
Yello
Chicago startup Yello, which works with Fortune 500s and other large corporations by giving them resources to find and contact top talent, tries to make its workplace as fun and community-oriented as possible. Besides standard healthcare, paid vacation and 401K benefits, the startup offers its employees personalized awards, in-office yoga classes and plenty of ping pong.
