Chicago-based Pangea Properties announced it has been named one of “Chicago’s Best and Brightest Companies To Work For®” by the National Association for Business Resources, which recognizes businesses that provide an exceptional work environment for their employees through innovative and thoughtful human resource practices.
The honor comes just two weeks after Pangea was named Chicago’s third-fastest-growing company, according to the annual “Fast Fifty” list published by Crain’s Chicago Business, with revenues of $68.3 million in 2014, up from $450,000 in 2009.
“At Pangea, we believe building a successful business starts with assembling a world-class team, and creating an inclusive environment where employees are not only able, but encouraged to share their ideas is an essential part of that process,” Steve Joung, co-founder and CEO of Pangea Properties, said. “By recruiting individuals who believe in our mission of developing and preserving workforce housing in underserved neighborhoods, and bringing our team together for various community outreach initiatives, we’re able to foster a sense of camaraderie while simultaneously improving the neighborhoods our company serves.”
The annual “Best and Brightest®” competition, which draws hundreds of applicants each year, evaluates finalists in the following areas: Compensation, Benefits and Employee Solutions; Employee Enrichment, Engagement and Retention; Employee Education and Development; Recruitment, Selection and Orientation; Employee Achievement and Recognition; Communication and Shared Vision; Diversity and Inclusion; Work-Life Balance; Community Initiatives; and Strategic Company Performance.
Since its inception in 2008, Pangea has grown to more than 450 employees, including field teams responsible for the day-to-day management of Pangea’s rental properties, as well as customer service representatives who staff the company’s in-house contact center. Pangea’s executives and team leaders regularly solicit feedback from employees through a variety of formal and informal gatherings, including quarterly meetings, monthly lunch outings and weekly brainstorming sessions.
Pangea also conducts a semi-annual employee satisfaction survey designed to identify strengths and weaknesses of the company, the results of which are used to form focus groups that pinpoint specific areas for improvement.
More than half of Pangea employees participate in the company’s volunteer efforts through the firm’s Pangea Cares program, which organizes food drives, park cleanups and other beautification efforts that help revitalize the lower-middle-income neighborhoods in which Pangea invests. Employees also have the opportunity to mentor local students through the Pangea Foundation Program, which offers a paid, hands-on apprenticeship that helps high school juniors and seniors prepare for college and their future careers.
In addition to promoting the education of students who live in the neighborhoods served by Pangea, the company also supports the professional development of its own employees by offering training courses that teach employees how to use Excel and basic coding skills to extract and interpret data.
“Our team plays as hard as we work, and our employees appreciate that,” Joung said. “By taking the time to cultivate relationships both inside and outside of the office, we’ve been able to create a work environment that’s not only one of the best in the real estate industry, but all of Chicago.”
