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O P I N I O N
Employees of firms are in many ways stakeholders of an organization’s success, and they can reap the dividends in a variety of ways. The importance of employee dividends
F or much of Urban’s first half-century, our company culture grew organically by project driven teamwork. Our culture rewarded anyone who valued transparency, accountability, and consistency. Each employee has been empowered to take ownership in their ideas and collaborate with their colleagues, chipping in to work whatever hours were necessary to see projects finished and clients happy. There was an understanding that infrastructure was necessary to American success. Each employee’s contribution to a project was important.
Jennifer Waters
Over the last decade, it has become important to my firm – as well as many others in the AEC industry – to develop a more inclusive culture. A culture with a foundation in delivering consistently competent work, empowering employees to lead professionally, and giving flexibility to employees to integrate the demands of life. It is important that firms in our industry support employees regardless of personal circumstances or goals. A strong, diverse culture comes from empowered employees who value their work but can also pursue and support what is important at home. Just like Fortune 500 companies, AEC firm’s dividends are a key value to its shareholders. Employees of firms are in many ways stakeholders of an organization’s success as they can reap the dividends in a variety of
ways. These dividends are reinvested back into the company as employee benefits which are intended to enrich our culture. The focus of these benefits includes three main aspects: 1. Wellness. At Urban, we believe employee wellness is essential. Healthy employees are not just happier, but they are also more productive. Our firm not only promotes the importance of physical fitness, but also understands how crucial mental health is as well. This includes benefits that encourage healthy work-life balances. Wellness is achieved through a variety of ways, including flextime, competitive healthcare
See JENNIFER WATERS, page 10
THE ZWEIG LETTER MARCH 7, 2022, ISSUE 1431
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