Feature Article

Best Places to Work: The New Philly Workplace

By Iain Levison

Page 3 of 6

Gerard and her colleague, Kim Erk, lead me around the Beyond.com workplace and pepper me with company information. As at Gyro, the work spaces here are what they call “low cubes,” offices with no walls, to enable everyone to see everyone else. “It makes everything brighter and more open,” Gerard explains, “and it lets you see other people, so you get a sense of community.” Cynic that I am, I thought that this style originated because bosses wanted to make sure their employees weren’t playing World of Warcraft or surfing porn during office hours.


But most of the design here has been initiated with the employees in mind. There’s a gym and a game room, complete with an air-hockey table. And despite being in a generic building in a King of Prussia office park, Beyond.com’s headquarters have a bright, personal aura.

I notice a rich, warm smell coming from down the hall. It seems that vice president Steve Kraut is sautéing onions … on a grill on his desk.

“We don’t do this every day,” Gerard tells me cheerfully. “This is our end-of-summer barbecue.” An end-of-summer barbecue? These people don’t need much of an excuse for an office party. Sure enough, as soon as lunchtime rolls around, we all go outside to rows of picnic tables set up on a patio, where Kraut and other senior managers have cooked up a buffet line of hot dogs and burgers for the staff.

Food spilling out of my mouth, I hunt down CEO Rich Milgram for an interview. I have some hardball questions for him. “How do you … hire such nice people?” I ask.

“It’s all about fit,” Milgram explains. “Personality plays a key role. Finding people who fit, that trumps skill sets.” This is a paraphrase of what Steve Grasse told me, and I wonder if it’s a new and little-known recipe for business success. Do résumés no longer matter? Did they ever?

The practice of hiring people rather than résumés has achieved results that surprised even Milgram. “When I moved into our first offices, we had a staff of 22,” he remembers. “And I got everyone together, and I said, ‘This is it. This is going to be our staff.’ But we just continued to grow, and now we’ve got almost 50 people working here.” At the end of the day, Milgram says, his corporation really is nothing but people. So keeping those people happy, with the stocked fridge and the barbecues and the open-door policy and the suggestion box, is all part of the plan for success.


 

Page | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Next


Change text size
Print

Email

Write a comment
 
 

User comments

Print and internet mixup
Posted by Anonymous | Nov. 14, 2007 at 11:21 AM
COMMENT:
There must be some sort of mixup with the print versions of this article and this electronic version. In the print version, you list Duane Morris as the best Philly firm and here you list Dilworth Paxson. Why is that?
Print and internet mixup
Posted by Anonymous | Nov. 14, 2007 at 11:21 AM
COMMENT:
There must be some sort of mixup with the print versions and the electronic version of this magazine article. In the print version, you list Duane Morris as Philly's best workplace-firm. In this electronic version, you list Dilworth Paxson. Why is that?
Get A Grip
Posted by Anonymous | Nov. 29, 2007 at 10:15 AM
COMMENT:
Truly, these lawyers are doing God's work, not serving ultra wealthy corporations. Humble, kind, wise, they are. Did the syncophant writer happen to see Jesus writing a brief?
Copy of Article List
Posted by Anonymous | Dec. 14, 2007 at 12:38 PM
COMMENT:
How do I get a copy of the 20 companies addressed, even if I have to buy a copy of the issue? I am a subscriber.
Worst Place in Philly...
Posted by Anonymous | Jun. 6, 2009 at 8:27 AM
COMMENT:
This is pure PR spin, Beyond.com is one of the worst companies I have ever worked at. The pay scales are completely off for the industry. You can work there three years and still get 15 days off a year and there is no work life balance. The reason why there is a game room and junk food is to seduce the mostly under 30 set to work for next to nothing. Crappy benefits, stressful office environment, and a complete disconnect between management and employees. Basically, all the disenchanted young employees are just waiting until it's their turn on the revolving door of employees. I should spend more of my time looking on CareerBulider for a new job then trying to please our CEO.

Post a comment

(* = required field.)
  • Please check to make sure that your referer is not blocked.


Subject line of your comment*
Your comments (200 words max)*
Email*
First name*
Last Name*
Enter the code shown below.
Visual CAPTCHA
This helps prevent automated form submissions.
Philadelphia It List

Guide to Holiday Entertaining

Browse through delicious recipes and preview episodes on The Chef's Kitchen as the experts teach you how to prepare the best dishes and cocktails of the season.
 
 

Design Home 2009

Explore the two luxurious carriage homes, one modern and one country, that make up Philadelphia magazine's Eighth Annual Design Home.
 
 

FYI Philly

Watch FYI Philly on 6 ABC! Join hosts Karen Rogers and Adam Joseph for all things sizzling and buzzworthy. Each show includes content from the editors of Philly Mag.
 
 

Green House

Visit our virtual room-by-room green guide for energy-saving tips and ideas.