St. Louis-based KAI Enterprises is honored to announce it has been named a Top Workplace by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch for a third consecutive year. The recognition is based solely on employee feedback gathered through a third-party survey administered by employee engagement technology partner Energage, LLC.
The confidential survey uniquely measures 15 culture drivers that are critical to the success of any organization including alignment, execution and connection.
“Earning a Top Workplaces award is a badge of honor for companies, especially because it comes authentically from their employees,” said Eric Rubino, Energage CEO. “That’s something to be proud of. In today’s market, leaders must ensure they’re allowing employees to have a voice and be heard. That’s paramount. Top Workplaces do this, and it pays dividends.”
Minority-owned KAI, which specializes in the design and construction of community-focused projects, prioritizes diverse perspectives and actively invests in a work environment where its employees (architects, engineers, interior designers, builders and support staff) feel respected, included and appreciated.
“We are honored to have been recognized by our employees for three consecutive years as a great place to work,” said KAI CEO Michael B. Kennedy. “Our employees are our most valuable asset, and we strive to provide a work environment that encourages their growth and makes them feel like they’re part of something special, because they are. It’s what we strive for.”
When KAI employees were asked on the recent survey to describe KAI’s culture, the words most frequently used included: inclusive, diverse, community, flexible, progressive, hustle, and supportive.
Some of the anonymous survey responses included:
“KAI is very family oriented. Family comes first. Team oriented. The benefits are AMAZING. KAI Management tells us what they are doing and what to expect. If something changes in their plan, they let us know and explain why it changed. They CARE about us (employees), truly care!!”
“I feel a part of something important. My opinion matters. I can be myself, and I feel accepted.”
“We invest in our people and processes – continuously improving for better outcomes. Our workforce is driven by our core values of serving others, listening to understand, giving back, loving one another and hustling. We bring empathy, respect, honesty, efficiency and open minds to each project and each other.”
“I feel like I belong to a group who is truly dedicated to my success.”
“At this point, I feel a commitment from Leadership and that they are listening when I voice my concerns. The department I’m in has seen some impressive growth over the past few years, and that is visible in the financials and the implementation of new policies and processes. I feel confident moving forward in my role and that gives me a peace of mind that is sometimes hard to find in a career and a position.”
KAI Enterprises is a national design and build firm providing delivery-oriented building solutions with a diverse portfolio of experience, in-house multi-discipline professionals, and expertise in both design and construction delivery. Founded in 1980, KAI has grown into one of the largest minority-owned firms in the AEC industry. For more than 40 years, KAI has been instrumental in transforming communities through its expertise in residential, commercial, K-12, higher education, healthcare, science and technology, aviation, mobility, sports and entertainment, government, water and community-focused projects. KAI Enterprises is comprised of four distinct business units—KAI Design, KAI Engineering, KAI Build and KAI 360 Construction Services. To learn more about KAI, visit www.kai-db.com.
Energage is a purpose-driven company that helps organizations turn employee feedback into useful business intelligence and credible employer recognition through Top Workplaces. Built on 16 years of culture research and the results from 27 million employees surveyed across more than 70,000 organizations, Energage delivers the most accurate competitive benchmark available. With access to a unique combination of patented analytic tools and expert guidance, Energage customers lead the competition with an engaged workforce and an opportunity to gain recognition for their people-first approach to culture. For more information or to nominate your organization, visit energage.com or topworkplaces.com.