Five times we're charmed.
As recognition of a firm that supports, inspires, and empowers its employees, RAND Engineering & Architecture, DPC was named one of the 2014 Best Places to Work in New York City by Crain's New York Business for the fifth time. One hundred companies from diverse fields were named to the annual list, which Crain’s established in 2008.
RAND, which ranked number 94 this year (our highest ranking was number 8 in 2009), was one of only two engineering firms and the only architectural firm to make the list. In its profile of RAND, Crain said the firm’s mark of distinction is the way it “empowers employees to reinvent themselves, often with the help of company-sponsored training, and to navigate a different path from the one for which they were hired.”
Retraining for Growth
The flexibility to reposition oneself and mark a new course at the firm is integral to RAND’s unique culture. “Rather than force fit employees into rigid job descriptions, we look beyond their resumes to make the most of their abilities and long-term career goals,” said RAND Founder and President Stephen Varone, AIA. “Embracing people’s desire for change and giving them the chance to retrain and re-direct their talents helps them grow, and it enables them to continue contributing to the company’s success.”
Like many of the firms on Crain’s list, RAND offers an array of incentives that make it a Best Place to Work. Among the many perks that RAND employees enjoy are in-house yoga sessions, personal training and kick boxing classes, exercise and recreational rooms, an intramural bowling league, a book club, lunch-time film screenings, summer outings and holiday parties, and professional development training.
Giving Back with Satisfaction
One highlight that has proven particularly popular with the staff is the RAND Gives Back program of charitable donations and volunteering. RAND Gives Back activities, which the company supports both through contributions and time off for staff participation, include a mentoring program with New Alternatives for Children, blood drives with the American Red Cross, and outings with Children's Happy Faces Foundation.
“Giving employees the opportunity to get personally involved in the organizations and causes they believe in gives them a deep sense of satisfaction and fulfillment,” said RAND’s Human Resources Manager Joanna Kuther, who oversees the RAND Gives Back program. “It makes them feel that they and RAND are part of something bigger—that they are working for a firm that serves not only its clients but also the community.”
To be eligible for Crain’s’ Best Places to Work in New York City list, businesses must employ 25 or more workers within the city's five boroughs. Employees answered a confidential 87-question survey, and those scores were combined with scores from a 93-question employer survey covering a wide range of practices and policies, from benefits to opportunities for advancement. Results from the employee surveys accounted for 75% of the total score; results from the employer surveys constituted 25%. More than 21,000 employees in New York City were issued the survey.
To see the profiles of the 100 firms that made the list, visit Crain's 2014 Best Places to Work in New York City.
