Thanks to Fox 26 Houston for this fantastic story!

This year, Houston-based natural gas exploration company Hilcorp has officially redefined the meaning of a big holiday bonus.

The company has just rewarded every one of its 1,381 employees with a $100,000 bonus to end their year. In celebration of what has been one of the best years in the company?s history, the President and CEO of Hilcorp wanted to reward their team for meeting their expansion goals. Hilcorp was also just named by FORTUNE as one of the 100 Best Companies to work for and their latest move is only reaffirming their status.

Hilcorp was founded in 1989 and operates in areas including the Gulf Coast of Texas and Louisiana and in areas of the Northeast United States, the North Slope and Alaska?s Cook Inlet. Today, the company is one of the largest privately-held natural gas and oil exploration and production companies in the country. According to Hilcorp?s official website, their formula is to grow their organization by leveraging their core competencies and using their operational expertise to expand.

The effort was led by CEO Jeff Hildebrand and President Greg Lalicker, who have been described by one of the company?s secretaries, Amanda Thompson, as ?amazing motivators.? The two leaders wanted to truly motivate their employees by encouraging them to help double the size of Hilcorp over a five-year-period. When the organization met this expansion goal Thompson says the team ?cried with happiness for each other.?

This isn?t the first time that the natural gas company has rewarded their employees either. According to Thompson, in 2010, the organization rewarded their employees for reaching the same goal of doubling their size and allowed team members to choose between a $50,000 car or a $35,000 check.

The monumental day for the employees, which has been described as ?surreal,? was meant to reward them for their work in expanding the organization.  The company has yet to announce what their next major goal is for their employees. However, there is no denying that after this massive outpouring of gratification to their team, Hilcorp can bet that their staff members will work hard to reach whatever new milestone their company leaders set for them.