Abstract

The case is about the employee experience initiatives at Pandora Media Inc. (Pandora) that aimed at creating a positive work environment at the company. The HR system at Pandora was designed in designed in such a way that every employee could contribute to it as their unique experience with the company. Employee experience at Pandora revolved around its music business, which the company felt was a great way to make employees relax and to motivate them to work in a more productive way. Pandora initiated a number of innovative programs to boost the morale of its employees through better work place management and manager-employee relationship. Its internship program for self-motivated college students laid the foundation for shaping its recruitment system. However, it remained to be seen whether the company could go on to make a profit with its employee experience initiatives at a time when it was confronted with consecutive annual losses.

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

• Understand the employee experience initiatives undertaken by Pandora.
• Analyze how the employee experience initiatives help Pandora to create a positive work culture.
• Identify the challenges faced by Pandora to continue with its employee focused programs.
• Explore ways to overcome those challenges.

Keywords

Employee experience; Manager-employee relationship; Employee engagement; Mentorship; Job satisfaction; Work environment; Competitive advantage; HR system; Perks; Culture; Pandora Employee Resource Groups; Best Places to Work; Internet-based music radio