When it comes to employee benefits, most companies have the standards (medical coverage, dental, 401K, etc.), but underneath the foundational benefits are often unique “perks” that make employers stand out.
At phData, we have competitive benefits, but we also have some unique perks that make working here so enjoyable and fulfilling.
In this candid blog, we will explore a number of those perks that make phData one of the best employers in the world.
Honorable Mentions
Before jumping into our list, we have to call out a few honorable mentions of perks that didn’t quite make the top six but are still amazing.
Home Office Allowance – Employees get a nice home office allowance when they start that they can use to purchase goods to make the home office of their dreams. Items often include Bluetooth headphones like AirPods, fancy standing desks, monitors, and much more!
Anniversary Gifts – Employees are rewarded with various gifts after each work anniversary. The gifts vary by office but often get better and better the longer you stay at phData. From receiving $2,500 towards a dream vacation to phData covering a year of a subscription service of your choice (Spotify, Audible, etc.), there’s something to look forward to on each work anniversary.
Learning Culture – At phData, we hire world-class engineers, architects, data scientists, machine learning experts, and AI professionals. When you pair hiring gifted people with a culture of collaboration and learning, you’re bound to pick up a new skill and get expert guidance. Whether it’s from Ravi Kumar, Deepa Ganiger, Dakota Kelley, or Kate Wilhelm, there are so many talented people to learn from on a daily basis at phData.
High-Growth – High growth means more chances for career growth at an elevated timeline. From managing people to working more closely with other departments or leading a project team, there are many more career advancement opportunities at phData than other enterprises.
Lastly, before we reveal the top perks, we should mention that some of these perks are slightly different depending on office location. For example, PTO and Holidays differ widely across LATAM, India, and the US. Additionally, SWAG varies depending on the region, but overall, most of these perks are consistent.
Another thing to call out is that these perks are in no particular order.
What are the Top Perks of Working at phData?
1. Technology Certifications Bonus
Our mission is to be the world leader in delivering data services and products on a modern data platform. To achieve this goal, our employees must constantly be up-to-date with the latest technologies.
While covering the expenses and time off to get certified in the myriad of modern data stack technologies we work with is good, phData takes it a step further by offering a paid bonus for each certification.
That’s right; not only are employees encouraged to stay up-to-date with the latest tech, but they’re also incentivized with handsome bonuses. Thanks to this perk, phData employees achieved 697 technology certifications in 2023.
Additionally, phData employees can choose which tech they’d like to get certified in. Here are a few of our most popular certifications:
AWS
Dataiku
Fivetran
Tableau
Sigma Computing
Power BI
Plus many more!
Fun fact: Did you know that phData has the most advanced Snowflake certifications among service partners in the world?
2. phData Academy
Being the best at what you do is not possible without a robust continuous learning program, especially in the always-evolving tech industry.
phData Academy is our internal platform dedicated to the ongoing learning and development of our employees. As an organization committed to fostering employee curiosity, we recognize that learning is a continuous journey that empowers individuals to enhance their skills and reach their full potential.
With this in mind, phData Academy is a valuable resource that provides our employees with access to a diverse range of learning content tailored to their needs.
The content and courses range from leader training to specific titles like Solutions Architect Bootcamp and much more! By investing in the growth of our employees through phData Academy, we not only enhance their career trajectories but also cultivate a culture of continuous learning within our organization.
3. Remote-First
phData is officially a remote-first organization (and has been since 2021). What does that mean exactly? Remote-first allows all current and future phData employees to work remotely, permanently. Additionally, we do have three exceptional offices worldwide that employees can work from as they please, but there are no mandates about coming in.
For some people, working remotely 100 percent of the time is ideal, while others prefer a hybrid approach. Ultimately, we encourage our employees to do what works best for them, simple as that.
This perk differs from other companies because employees can leverage remote-first to work anywhere. Whether it’s being a Snowbird and spending the winter working in a warmer climate or immersing oneself in a new location by working from coffee shops, phData supports a flexible work environment.
4. PTO
Solving the world’s toughest data and AI challenges is hard; sometimes, you just need a break to unplug and reset completely. We take vacation days seriously here at phData.
While trends like Unlimited PTO sound really appealing, it’s been revealed that employees actually take less time off due to peer pressure and perceived expectations around ‘acceptable’ amounts of vacation. At phData, we found a decent middle ground of four weeks of PTO. When you factor in holidays and personal days, it’s nearly two months of paid time off, not too shabby.
What makes phData stand out on the PTO front is that we frequently encourage employees to use all of their vacation days and not just taking a vacation but actually taking a vacation — no checking Slacks, sending emails, or taking calls.
We’ve built our culture around working hard and playing harder. Whether it’s a vacation on a beach in Mexico, exploring the streets of Tokyo via go-kart, or spending your honeymoon on a once-in-a-lifetime African Safari, time off is important at phData.
5. Blogs (Content Palooza)
We’re solving the world’s most challenging data challenges, and if we can benefit others by sharing our knowledge, we will do it! That was the idea behind our Content Palooza program. We’re already documenting our work, so why not put it in a blog format to help others?
Thus, Content Palooza was born, a unique perk of working at phData that allows employees to boost their income by writing thought-leadership blogs that showcase their specialized knowledge.
Through content Palooza, phData has written almost 1,000 blogs, with nearly 300 written in 2023 alone. Our content varies from super technical deep dives to comprehensive overviews. Here are a few examples of recent blogs our team has put together:
Depending on the topic, phData employees can earn hundreds of dollars per blog, resulting in thousands of $$ annually. Here are a few fun examples of what phData writers have purchased with their blog bonuses:
I got a ticket for myself, and pitched in for my grandma's ticket to go on a family vacation. We got to celebrate her 90th birthday, as well as New Year's together in the Caribbean, where we got to bond as a family and see my grandma rejoice. I also got to scuba dive in caves and see dolphins up close. Quite the rewarding getaway that came from some great blog bonuses!
Whether it's funding a new addition to my sneaker obsession, supporting what my wife describes as "never-ending" deliveries of various car parts, or a vacation to apologize for the first two, a fresh blog post has become my favorite irrational purchase scapegoat. Could the bonuses be invested into the next big meme stock or our 15-year-old's college fund? Maybe, but as my man Drake said, “I guess you lose some and win some, long as the outcome is income.
6. SWAG
While this might be more of a vanity perk, we have some genuinely amazing swag at phData.
Folks receive swag on their first day and at various anniversary milestones starting at the six-month mark. Additionally, folks can earn even more swag for helping with special projects, being in the right place at the right time, or attending events. Here are a few brands that are known to have ‘phData’ embroidered or lasered into their products:
Vuori
Travis Mathew
Nike
Yeti
Fjallraven
Swell
Camelbak
Outdoor Voices
johnnie-O
Conclusion
Well, there you have it, a nice little overview of the top perks of working at phData. We didn’t cover the complete list of perks, but to truly uncover them all, you’ll just have to find out for yourself by applying and working here.
Speaking of working here, phData is hiring globally for several different roles. If you’re looking to upgrade your career, apply today!
You can also learn more about working at our three global offices with these nifty links:
