Millennial Impressions

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Alexia George, 25

Marketing Strategist | Net Conversion (No. 36 Small)

“They don’t hire on resumes, but more on people” and how they fit into the team and culture, says George. The company’s owners took her out to lunch before they hired her two years ago. “They were more intrigued about me — how I grew up in New York City and my family,” she says, with credentials, such as her MBA, secondary to her background as a whole.

The company celebrates employee birthdays or a co-worker’s upcoming marriage, with cake and champagne. It hosts Movie Fridays in the office, with lunch provided. There is plenty of time for fun, she says.

Then there are the cozy robes. Each worker is presented with an embossed robe with a sleep-inspired nickname when they join the team (hers is AleSiesta George). When the office gets chilly “everyone walks around in their robes. It’s to just have a comfy environment,” she says, where everyone feels like family.

Dayami Emory, 30

HR Generalist | Apollo Bank (No. 10 Midsized)

It’s a two-for-one when your boss also happens to be your mentor, as is the case with Dayami Emory. “I get inspired by her work ethic, and it resonates,” Emory says of Melissa Pineda. A five-year employee who previously worked at an IT company, Emory says her Apollo co-workers are inspiring. “From the leadership on down, they’re all one of a kind,” she says.

The bank also prioritizes employees’ wellness.

The focus and audience of its annual wellness fair are broad. Not only does the fair cover topics of physical health — including fitness, nutrition and areas like dermatology — but it features information on financial wellness, as well. And it isn’t just an employee event. Emory says it’s specifically planned on weekends so employees’ families can attend, too.

“We’re always trying to expand it and have different speakers that we didn’t have in the past,” she says, ensuring relevancy and value.

Anthony Littleton, 26

Pricing Analyst | Cone Distributing (No. 13 Large)

“We reference it as Team Cone. When I say, ‘Team Cone,’ everybody works together,” says Anthony Littleton of the culture at the beverage distributor.

Littleton, a five-year employee, has earned a college degree while there, working his way up through areas such as delivery, merchandising and sales. Littleton says that employees are cross-trained to help one another, making for a more cohesive workforce, where each understands the roles of others.

Unlike other companies, if things are busy, upper leadership is not above pitching in, Littleton says. “Some people don’t know what their VPs work on. Ours put on shorts and tennis shoes and are slinging cases of beer,” to help out, he says.

Development opportunities also keep Littleton engaged at work. The company offers training and advancement opportunities for those who want it. “I have a CDL license, and I’m forklift-certified,” he says.

Job security and management’s willingness to get employee input add to Littleton’s job satisfaction.

Tags: Best Companies, Feature