When it comes to office generosity, there are many ways to make an impact. But one account manager at this St. Paul startup is going above and beyond, sharing her Pandora station with the whole office, all at once!
Whether it’s a playlist of tunes inspired by Taylor Swift, Dave Matthews Band, or the soundtrack to La La Land, the big-hearted Pennie Holmes is unplugging her headphones and unselfishly sharing her music with all 80 employees in her open-concept office space .
“I used to use headphones, but it was really annoying because I couldn’t hear when someone was trying to get my attention,” Holmes explains. “Now it’s a win-win: I feel more connected to the office and everyone in the office definitely feels more connected to me, because they are listening to my Pandora station!”
What a gift to everyone in this loft building!
Humbled coworkers tried to downplay their emotional reaction to Holmes’ benevolent behavior.
“I’m not sure what makes her think that we want to listen to a radio station built off of ‘Kiss Me’ by Sixpence None The Richer,” coworker Lauren Pucci says. “Now I just wear my headphones without any music on, just to block out the noise.”
Holmes has been so generous with her playlists, she has never at any time put pressure on others to make requests or play their own music.
“Sometimes people come over and say, ‘Hey, what if we listened to this?’ or ‘How about I play my own music for a while?’” Holmes shares. “It’s so sweet that they want to chip in but I always tell them, no, this is my way to give back.”
“You really don’t have to do this,” said Holmes’ supervisor Lucille Mooney. “In fact we are currently amending the employee handbook to prohibit it.”
Holmes doesn’t expect anything in return for her actions.
“All I ask is that I’m allowed to bring my cat to work with me. I’m sure everyone will love her. She’s a cuddler and a bit of a prankster.”