This is a crazy place to work. Being relatively new to Southwest, I am still learning about our unique traditions that combine to make this such a FUN place to work.
My learning started when I was driving into the parking lot and checking my speedometer to make sure I was not going over the posted speed limit of 18 mph. Pretty random speed, but I assumed it had something to do with our stellar safety record. I must admit that attending my new hire class wearing pajamas was also a new experience for me, but, after all, we were putting our last 737-200 plane to bed.
As I went to set up our department tent at last year's "32nd and Last" Chili Cook-off, I did ask someone, "why is this going to be the last after 32 years?". Only to find out that our original Employees initially started with the "2nd and Last" Chili Cook-off because there was so much speculation (from others) that we wouldn't be around for a 3rd year. Incidentally, I thought this year's "33rd and Last" Chili Cook-off will go down in history as one of our best. But I think I'm finally getting it. Our department Culture Committee recently raised money…you know bake sales and stuff, to fund our Easter Egg Hunt, Halloween skit, Holiday party, and the most bizarre to me, the Message to the Field Tailgate. Having worked for three other major companies, it blows my mind that Employees will raise money to buy matching Company T-shirts, hire the "Hamburger Man" to cook burgers, buy a few adult beverages, and go celebrate in anticipation of the "Message." The Message to the Field is a series of events around the country where our Employees gather to hear from our leaders Gary Kelly and Colleen Barrett. 
A state of the Company message is delivered, and Employees stand and cheer (in their matching T-shirts). The tailgate occurs prior to the Message and would rival most Super Bowl parking lots. Maybe lots of Companies do this type of thing but it was new to me. Would you buy a Company shirt, bake a cake, and volunteer to give up an evening to cheer your Leaders? I hope so. If not, you should check our Careers page at southwest.com .
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This company brings out the "goofy" in me. Last year was quite a bear in terms of hard work and stress. So when our department themed Halloween as "Pirates of Marketing", I went all out. Yes, I got goofy and decided to dress like a parrot. I had more fun that day, sitting on the shoulders of "Pirates", running around making bird noises & flapping my wings. Our Leaders may have thought me a little nuts on any other day, but on Halloween - anything goes.
I even flew to Lubbock that night in my costume. The guy next to me chuckled most of the flight, saying he'd never sat next to a 6 ft. parrot before. He was generous, I'm only 5'3". When I told Granny she would be picking me up in a parrot costume, her response was "How will I know it's you?". "Granny, I'll be five foot parrot, you can't miss me!"
Thanks for keeping it FUN!
Sounds very promising. I mean, any employee who would be willing to raise money to buy shirts, etc. should be very motivated. And if you have lots who are willing to work together and do the same then... wow! If I was in the airline business, I would probably consider checking out your "career" page, as well. :-)
I'm wondering, does Southwest Airlines gives out Reward System to its workers?!
Worthwhile magazine sat down with Southwest President Colleen Barrett a few months ago for an article about the keeper of the culture. You can read it at http://www.worthwhilemag.com/Articles/CultureQueen.aspx
Melissa, you don't have to be in the airline business to have a career at SWA. I was in the insurance industry for - well let's say many years; now I'm at SWA on the Marketing Team. It's a different, wonderful, place.
And Jena, I thought that was very original to come as a parrot. We LUV our "goofy" Jena!
Melissa,
I echo what Deborah said in her response. Even if you are not in the airline industry, you should check out our "career" page. We are always looking for individuals that want to have fun and work hard at the same time!!!!
Jena, thank YOU for keeping it fun! Can I borrow your parrot outfit sometime...or any other large animal costume?
Norizyan, there are so many rewards that the Employees enjoy at Southwest. We have great benefits, great profitsharing and as Jena posted earlier, we get to wear silly costumes and have FUN!
Where is the best place to post this comment: I Love Southwest Airlines for two huge reasons.
(1) You can change flights without paying a $100 fee (you only have to pay the difference in fare, which is, ahem, fair enough:-).
(2) Several of the flight attendants have superb senses of humor. I know at least one sings a wonderful song over the PA about Southwest. Others have a lot of fun with the preflight and inflight instructions. This is so marvelous because it makes us all relax a bit and realize we're all Americans living in a wonderful country enjoying the finest mode of travel humanity has ever devised.
It's hard to find a way to tell management at SWA about all the great people on the flights -- so I hope this is the beginning of my enthusiastic feedback!
Richard
I have grown up with this company my father has been with Southwest for 23 years and I just had my 7 year annivesary.
Growing up with the SWA culture I would have to say it is very unique. Before I came to work for Southwest I worked for a
couple of companys one was a corperation and the culture was not there. It was just a job that I hated so my father convinced me
to join the SWA team (not alot of arm twisting on his part) and I have not looked back yet. I have held three diffrent jobs with in
SWA, Ramp agent, Operations agent and the most recent is Flight attendant. Our culture even encourages people to change departments. I really don't even consider this a job anymore I have TOO much fun at work to call it a job Its just a way of life that
I luv! You also make a lot of life long friends sad to say but there are some people around the system that have known me since
I was in diapers but I have a big SWA family and it keeps growing.
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