Nap Pods, Beer Bonuses, Office Happy Hours: What A Way To Work

ST. PETERSBURG, FL -- The St. Petersburg-based software company Squaremouth has been named one of the best companies to work for in Florida by Florida Trend.

The honor comes just weeks after Squaremouth was named one of America’s Best Workplaces by Inc. Magazine.

Established in 2003, Squaremouth provides search engine comparisons of travel insurance policies from every major travel insurance provider in the United States and allows customers to purchase insurance online.

In 15 years, the company's annual sales have grown to more than $18 million.

Co-founder and CEO Chris Harvey believes one reason for Squaremouth's success is its workplace culture.

"Our greatest investment will always be in our employees," he said.

The honors come just as Squaremouth is making a major change that will provide even more perks to employees.

After outgrowing its downtown penthouse office, Squaremouth purchased a 60-year-old, 20,000-square-foot church, and is transforming it into a state-of-the-art work space.

"Purchasing this building gives us the freedom to create whatever we want," said Harvey. "We ask everyone to contribute their ideas, and we discuss the construction plans weekly during company meetings."

The church, which spans a city block on Central Avenue, is undergoing a transformation designed to create a unique workplace for Squaremouth's employees. Once the pews were removed from the sanctuary and donated to an orphanage in Haiti, work began to transform the church into a modern work space. Preliminary plans include tree houses for meeting spaces, a suspension bridge, nap pods, a badminton court, snooker table, video games, a bar, a gym and a spa. Future plans also include a public coffee shop and co-working space.

“The church provides the right amount of space for us to continue to grow comfortably. The location was also a big draw for us as Central Avenue continues to be revitalized; we’re excited to be a part of that,” said Harvey.

Even before purchasing the church, Squaremouth was committed to providing a unique culture and benefits for employees.

Employees are given unlimited paid vacation (with a 10-day minimum), mandatory birthdays off with a $200 beer bonus, arcade games, paid lunches, napping couches, a company boat, a relaxed dress code, an office happy hour on Friday afternoons and a quarterly bonus based off profits, in addition to traditional medical and 401k benefits.

Employees agree their favorite aspect of Squaremouth's culture is the transparency. The only walls in the company's last office were glass.

"Our culture is built to promote equality and collaboration," said Harvey. "We believe in complete transparency, from our floor plan to financials. There are no assigned desks, and employees can't sit in the same seat twice in a row. This encourages collaboration and camaraderie. Every employee knows each other's salary, and major company decisions, including new hires and employee raises, get a majority vote. We know keeping employees happy has a direct impact on how they perform."

"We work in a very open environment. This is really representative of the company on a larger scale – everything is transparent, from coworkers' salaries to the company's financials," said design team manager, Anna Gernandt.

Despite major changes and accelerated growth, Squaremouth has remained true to its roots: no outside investors, no upselling tactics, no sales goals or commission. Instead, the company focuses on providing exceptional customer service and improving its website technology.

“When I tell people about Squaremouth’s culture, they’re completely shocked. Sometimes they don’t believe me. People always have questions and all I can say is that it works,” said Squaremouth project manager Emily Phinney.

Images via Squaremouth

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