If you work at Mindgrub for 5 years, you’ll get a bobblehead of yourself

Mindgrub Technologies COO Dan Cohen, Bobblehead Class of 2015, is already preparing for his big day.
While some women spend the year leading up to their wedding getting in shape, he’ll need to do the same to prepare for being immortalized in a plastic figurine.
Baltimore mobile media company Mindgrub has a unique employee recognition strategy: Stick around for five years and CEO Todd Marks will have a bobblehead made in your likeness.
Technology companies often have a lot of turnover, with employees moving on after two or three years. That’s why Marks wanted to reward employees for their loyalty to Mindgrub. But for a company that is in the business of innovation, a fancy pen or engraved plaque seems too traditional and dated.
“We wanted something unique, different,” Marks said.
So far three employees, including Marks, have received bobbleheads. Mark Mirchiandani and Patrick Zearfoss started with Mindgrub as interns in 2008. Zearfoss has since moved on.
The three bobbleheads all fit in a small wall alcove at the entrance of Mindgrub’s Locust Point office. Mindgrub orders two bobbleheads — one for display in the office and one for the recipient to take home.
Marks envisions the bobbleheads one day taking up an entire display case that will welcome visitors.
Another three employees will get their bobbleheads this year. They’re given out like awards at the company’s annual winter office party.
Custom bobbleheads aren’t cheap and could become a costly incentive for Mindgrub in the coming years. The firm went through a hiring spree a few years after launching and many of those hires will be coming up on their five-year anniversary soon. At about $90 each online, Mindgrub will be spending hundreds of dollars on custom bobbleheads.
“Totally worth it,” Marks said.
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