Menlo Innovation’s Viking helmet
At Menlo, a software company, everyone works in pairs, and when a pair reports on its work in the morning meetings, each partner holds a horn of this helmet. The helmet, then, is what management expert Edgar Schein calls an artifact—a visual manifestation of a company’s culture, an object the work force recognizes as an expression of what it believes about itself.
Veson Nautical’s model ship
Veson has a large collection of model ships, many given to the company by clients. Employees see those gifts as a testament to the value of their work.
Linhart Public Relations’s warrior angel
New hires are given a warrior angel crafted by a local artist to ward off evil spirits (and bad press). The tiny mascots have become a prominent part of the office décor.
Arc Aspicio’s rescue dog
Arc Aspicio has both a real in-office dog mascot and this stuffed dog, Maggie. It represents the company’s support of the National Search Dog Foundation.
Galileo Learning’s rubber chicken
Rather, chickens. They are everywhere at Galileo, reminding employees that the purpose of the company is to create fun for kids.
N-Link’s buffalo statuette
n-Link was inspired by its work with Native American tribes to give this statuette to outstanding employees. The inscription reads, “Just as the American Indians relied on the buffalo for their survival, n-Link relies on its employees for it survival.”
The FruitGuys’s banana suit
The FruitGuys are serious about recruiting more people to a healthy, happy, fruit and veggie lifestyle. With that in mind, it’s a right of passage for the company to send new employees—donned in a banana suit—out on the streets to give away free bananas.
Symmes Maini & McKee Associates’s bike
SMMA strives to serve its clients through sustainable design and employees live their lives considerate of the planet through initiatives like recycling, hybrid cars, and subsidized public transportation. The company bike, not only symbolizes this ethos, but is also used by team members to travel to local meeting. The company also supports the Ride for Kids charity race each year for the last 10 years.
