PDM Perks – What it’s Like to Work at Power Digital
Last month Power Digital had the honor of receiving an award for being #8 on San Diego Business Journal’s list of Best Places to Work in 2016. The event was held at the beautiful Paradise Point Resort and Spa and was filled with vino, appetizers, and of course networking. It was an honor alone to be a top 10 finalist among the 100 San Diego companies that were awarded, and we were beyond thrilled to learn we placed so highly!
We wanted to share a little bit about how we do things at Power Digital, so we’ve compiled some of our “perks” here to give you a glimpse into some of the things we feel are important for facilitating a stimulating, enjoyable, and healthy work environment. But before we do, it’s important to note that the biggest perk of all is getting to work with incredibly talented, fun-spirited and motivated people – it’s our people of Power Digital who make this place one of the best places to work – the perks are just the icing on the cake!
Outside of working with such a great team, San Diego Business Journal has also stated that millennials are changing the labor market, making “work perks” a must to retain quality talent. We’ve always been advocates of investing in our employee’s growth and happiness and we believe that this investment alone is a huge catalyst to our success.
Without further adieu, here’s a little glimpse into some of our #PDMperks:
First Class Culture Events
Around here culture events never seem to get the short end of the stick. PDM loves taking time outside of the office to have fun, bond, and reward our team for their hard work. From girls nights at Vin De Syrah, to company wide yacht parties, escape rooms, brewery Fridays, guacamole competitions with our friends at Positive Adventures, and fun at the bay, we always have something exciting around the corner!
Unlimited Paid Time Off
We’re big advocates of having a work life balance and making sure our employees take the time to do the things they love. Here’s the way we see it: If you can get organized and get ahead, you should be able to travel or take time off for whatever ‘me time’ you need to recharge and live life to the fullest. This year alone our team of 32 has traveled to all of the destinations listed below. (I’d list our US travels too but then we’d be here all day!)
- Greece
- Belgium
- Ireland
- Holland
- Thailand
- Sweden
- Denmark
- Iceland
- England
- Hong Kong
- British Virgin Islands
- …and more!
Leadership Development
From the top down the company is run treating everyone as equals and making sure everyone has a voice. We encourage autonomy and frequently are giving ‘props’ to encourage our teammates. This year Power Digital launched a leadership program designed to invest in the continual growth of our employees. Through literature and class discussions, this program fosters PDM’s leaders of tomorrow. We even awarded our top performers from the graduating classes of our first two leadership programs with a 5 star dinner at Mr. A’s downtown.
Dress Up Days
Who says we’re too old to dress up? We might be hard working adults, but our team will be the first to tell you we’re still kids at heart. Each month we have themed dress up days designed to liven things up and bring in a little competition. Some of our past themes include 90’s Day, Aloha Friday, and Twin Day.
Catered Lunches Monday – Thursday
PDM definitely knows that the way to the heart is through the stomach, with catered lunch four days a week we’re struck by cupid on the daily. If you work here you can forget about packing a lunch or spending $8-$15 a day on Chipotle. Some of my personal favorites include Lemonade, Sushi Deli, Phil’s BBQ, Urbane, Tender Greens, & Carnitas Snack Shack.
We Give Back
This year we launched ‘Empower Digital’ so we can place a conscious emphasis on impacting our community for the better. Empower Digital makes a difference through hands on volunteer work, fundraising events, and partnerships with local non-profits. (This month we even hosted a digital marketing panel to share our knowledge with local businesses. All proceeds from the event were donated to the SD Humane Society.)
Fully Stocked Fridge/Snacks
My stomach rests at peace knowing it doesn’t have to forfeit breakfast even on rushed mornings. From KIND bars to cold brew coffee, our fully stocked fridge and pantry never seem to disappoint. As a part of our Health & Wellness program, we’ve got plenty of good-for-you snacks as well, including a smoothie bar on Wednesdays! Although we do take pride in being healthy, we’re also big believers in balance which is why we’ve also been known to pop the top of a well deserved cerveza every now and then. 😉
Incentives
From Padres games tickets to cash and department winning pools for our ‘goals’ competition every Friday, we know things are always a little more fun when there’s something on the line. Life might not all be about winning but front row seats sure don’t hurt!
Compensation
PDM believes in making sure each and every employee from entry level to the most senior positions are fairly compensated, taken care of, and on track for continued growth. PDM offers employees commission for bringing on new business, adding additional services, client re-signs, and recruiting new team members. There is no limit to earn a little extra! We also have a profit sharing pool to reward hard working team members each quarter for their contributions.
Year Round Holidays
At PDM we think every holiday deserves to be celebrated from the First Day of Summer, to St. Patrick’s Day, Valentine’s and beyond. Of course, our Winter holiday party is where we really pull out all the stops (last year’s party consisted of catered dinner downtown followed by bottle service).
Conference Sponsorships
Conferences can be extremely pricey when they’re on your dime. But, they also can offer a lot of value. This is why Power Digital encourages our employees to pitch us for a sponsorship if there’s a conference they see value in attending. My coworker Sam and I just attended the Yellow Conference in Los Angeles and had an incredible experience. (Check out the recap here!)
Guest Speakers
Life’s better with a little inspiration. This year we’ve had the pleasure of hosting the following speakers at our office to shed a little of their knowledge for our employees professional and personal development. We even made time to get out of our comfort zone and laugh with an improv class and get our zen on through stretching and yoga. (Conversely, we also have visited Basic Agency & Mirum to speak ourselves.)
Entrepreneurship:
Branding:
Leadership & Management:
Credit & Home Buying:
Health & Wellness:
- Improv with Gary Ware
- Nutrition/Stretching with Kali Stewart
- Yoga with Kristie Lyons
Best Team Around
The fact that I would hang out with every single one of my coworkers outside of the office and have fun doing so speaks volumes. Finding the right ‘culture fit’ is something we do not take lightly and because of this I made 32 new friends when I joined the PDM squad. Our team is filled with intelligent, friendly, and social people who always have each other’s back. We frequently hang out together on weekends and even when planning concerts and weekend getaways. When one of our teammates has something difficult going on in their personal life, our team is the first to step in and shower them with support.
President’s Club
Ah, president’s club! It’s no surprise I saved my favorite ‘perk’ for the end. Each year PDM has team members set goals to qualify for an all expenses paid vacation and some much needed R&R. Past president’s club destinations have included Hawaii & Costa Rica. This year the team is hustling with a caribbean cruise to Jamaica as our motivation. Yea Mon!
Bragging Rights
The community notices too! In addition to placing so highly at the best places to work event, we also were honored as the second fastest growing company in San Diego and as a finalist for San Diego’s healthiest companies (not to mention we have some big thing in store for 2017).
As I’m sure you can see, working at Power Digital gives you the opportunity to grow into a leader faster, work in a fun and fast paced agency environment, strengthen your business skills, and have a crazy ride along the way. It sounds like a huge win as an employee right? I certainly count my lucky stars. But, the words of Ken Blanchard rein true: When you invest in the people, they invest back in you!
