Clinching the World Series after more than a century is the least of the reasons why employees say they love working for the Chicago Cubs organization.
Sure, the team passed out 2016 World Series rings, which one employee said more exciting to get than her wedding ring. But front-office employees say what’s so grand about working for the Cubs is the ability to claim projects as their own and run with them.
The roster of employees behind the team, they say, is filled with team players. The Chicago Cubs is No. 37 among midsize employers in the Tribune’s list of Top Workplaces, as measured by Exton, Pa.-based consultancy Energage, formerly WorkplaceDynamics.
The Cubs were picked as one of the top workplaces for midsize businesses, and the new office building at the corner of Clark and Waveland contributes to worker satisfaction.
The 141-year-old organization has been in startup mode since the Ricketts family purchased the franchise in 2009, said Crane Kenney, president, business operations. Kenney described the culture as “being nimble and taking chances and rewarding success and learning from our failures.”
Also helping create a good workplace: the team’s front office is housed in a new building adjacent to Wrigley Field that opened earlier this year.
The staff has tripled since the Ricketts took over — and the new four-floor, 100,000-square-foot workspace gives the likes of trendy-cool offices such as at Google and Facebook a run for their money. There are the standard open spaces, stand-up desks and windows providing plenty of natural light.
But the showstopper is a glamorous “living room” designed to allow staffers to step away with their laptops and work (or lounge) in massive contemporary-chic velvet sofas and leather chairs.
The expansive space, with its wraparound outdoor terrace, is decorated in delicate blue hues with reclaimed wood tables and modern chandeliers. A shuffleboard table has the Cubs logo on the disks. On Thursday evenings, staff happy hours are hosted at the bar.
Shred415, a local upscale gym, comes to the office to conduct classes. To de-stress, yoga classes are offered on the field. Chefs provide breakfast, lunch and dinner on game days, and breakfast and lunch when the team is on the road or it’s an off day.
