eROI

In September 2007, Inc. magazine ranked eROI one of the 500 fastest-growing private companies in the U.S. Only a month later eROI Landed 10 new clients and hired 10 new employees in a span of 10 weeks, nearly doubling in size over the next several months.

eROI isn't your typical pocket-protector web assembly line. As a professional interactive design company, the key to their success is consistently attracting, recruiting and retaining top of the line talent. Their web site declares, "We're proud to be complete web geeks, but we also know how to live offline."

The company's rapid growth posed a challenge to the cohesive culture that the eROI team had worked so hard to build. They brought Recess on-site to provide weekly yoga - a key cultural component of their evolving corporate talent retention strategy.

Employees got the message.

Jill Bruhn, one of the 10 new hires, started taking yoga on the very first Friday that she worked. She was hooked, "The class was laid back and welcoming. It was really inviting. Since I was just starting here it helped me to get to know my co-workers better."

Even employees who had been with eROI since early on found that just having a convenient class on-site became a great coping mechanism for dealing with the pressures of growth and balancing work and life.

"Yoga Fridays are more cheerful. Personally, it helps me get in a good mindset for working, especially if it has been a rough week," says web developer Meggan Shadel.

Julie McCreery, who manages the web developers, agrees, "I started doing yoga here after I had a baby. I went from being on my feet every day for three months to sitting at a desk. Joining the yoga class was way easier than a gym, because I just keep my mat at work and I'm already here when class begins."

eROI's President, Ryan Buchanan, is a regular participant in the on-site yoga class. Employees find having the CEO present makes working together less intimidating. "It keeps it light and brings everyone on the same level in that class," says web developer Christine Baker.

Ryan agrees, "Recess is great for work/ life balance and it makes employees more vested in the company."

The company found that even those who don't participate in the yoga class benefit. "Even the people who don't do yoga ask the people who do about the class. It gives us something to talk about and brings us together," explains Christine.

As part of a firm-wide strategy, Recess has been a great fit. "It definitely plays into the whole philosophy at eROI," says Jill.

Word of mouth about the program has created buzz about how fun it is to work for eROI. "Everyone is super impressed that we work at the kind of place that offers yoga," emphasizes Meggan.

The stats:

Number of employees: 50
Results:
better posture,
less intimidation than a gym,
increased the "cool place to work" factor,
fewer aches due to carpal tunnel, tight necks and backs,
improved employee relations and sense of team.

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