8 minute read
How to Build a Company Culture
By Michael McConnell
If you ask John McGow, foreperson with Local 80 who has 30-plus years in the industry, to describe the company culture at Dee Cramer Inc., he answers with a story. “Being a construction worker, you ocassionally get injured. Most of the time, you get some stitches, fill out paperwork, and that’s it. Nobody checks on you, and if it isn’t serious, in a day or two, you are back on the job,” he says.
However, the scenario at Dee Cramer is different. McGow had an accident while working for the SMACNA Detroit member company. “I got injured on a job on a Saturday,” McGow recalls. “Sunday comes and company president Matt Cramer and his brother, Rich Cramer, vice president of service, came to visit me in the hospital. I didn’t even know they knew I was hurt. I’ve never really seen that at another company.”
To McGow, 58, that’s an example of the caring, family- focused company culture that Dee Cramer is known for. And after more than three decades in the HVAC industry, McGow says he knows that environment isn’t as common as it should be. “I can definitely see a difference working here as opposed to different companies where sometimes you are just a number,” he says.
What is Company Culture?
“Company culture” refers to the values, beliefs, and behaviors of an organization. It impacts everything a company says or does, encompassing the way it treats customers and employees. Company culture can be supportive—or cutthroat. It can be rigid or flexible, welcoming or cliquish. A nurturing culture isn’t something that the construction industry is historically known for, but with a labor shortage that’s only expected to get worse, forward-thinking construction companies are realizing a positive, encouraging culture is critical to their long-term success.
One example of such thinking is at The Waldinger Corp., a mechanical contractor based in Des Moines, Iowa, with 14 offices throughout the Midwest. Dan Hampton is the company’s sheet metal division vice president. The 54-year-old started at the company in 2005. He encourages managers to talk to their staff regularly. “Ask about their ambitions. See what motivates them, what makes them get up and want to be there every day,” he says.
Waldinger has long emphasized culture. Emily Porter, the company’s chief people officer, says that even with 4,000 employees, the company strives to create an inclusive environment where everyone is heard. “People know that their ideas are valued,” she says. “We have a lot of innovation that happens simply from people bringing their ideas forward. And we’ve found that has been a big driver of our success—whether that’s in the field, in our shop, or in our offices.”
In today’s labor market, Porter says it’s a necessity. “People are looking for a way to differentiate between employers,” she says. “They’re asking ‘What makes you different?’ And when you’re in a tight labor market, you’ve got to have more to the value proposition than just ‘Here’s how much we’re going to pay you.’”
That’s why Waldinger leadership has spent the last several years clarifying the organization’s values and demonstrating that they’re more than just aspirations or slogans. “I think that’s been a big draw for us,” Porter says. “First and foremost, we’re really a people-centered organization, and you’re going to see all of our decisions focused on that element. We have several development programs to help you grow with us in your career. So, whether that’s taking you from a project engineer to becoming a project manager, whether that’s developing somebody who’s in the field that wants to become a foreperson… we’ve got very formal development programs that really help you accelerate in your career and grow much faster.”
It’s something that Jacob Clark, 27, says he appreciates about working at Waldinger. A third-year apprentice with Local 45 in Des Moines, he came to sheet metal work after several years in warehousing. “At other places I worked, I felt like I was just another numbered employee,” Clark says. “That’s not true here. “There’s a lot of people at Waldinger who know me by name.”
Creating an Inclusive Environment
Rubiena Duarte encourages construction companies to be open-minded about their culture. Duarte is CEO at Culture Paradigm, a firm that helps companies with diversity and inclusion efforts. She spoke at two sessions on company culture during the February 2024 Partners in Progress Conference in Orlando, Florida. Duarte says fostering a diverse, inclusive culture can help tackle the construction industry’s ongoing labor shortage.
With Baby Boomer retirements well underway and older Gen Xers not far behind, the industry must appeal to today’s twentysomething workers. “For them, yes, getting a salary and having a job is important,” she says. “But other than that, they’re wanting to know, ‘Who am I working for? What is the culture? And am I going to feel okay to show up as somebody who identifies as transgender or a person who is differently abled?”
These are questions the industry will have to answer, Duarte says. She encourages labor and management representatives to meet regularly to discuss issues in a judgment-free way. “The key is to continue having open, transparent, and real conversations,” she says. “Understand that it is not about meeting ‘demands’ but collectively coming together on solutions that are better for the bottom line, which in turn impacts the culture and labor force.”
Sheena Jones has only been in the sheet metal industry a few years, but she’s already focused on creating the more welcoming, diverse culture Duarte talks about. A fourth-year Local 36 apprentice with Murphy Co. in St. Louis, Jones says she was drawn to sheet metal after taking part in a preapprenticeship program sponsored by Building Union Diversity (BUD). The group works to encourage women and minorities to consider construction careers.
Despite the group’s mission, as an African American female, Jones was disappointed she didn’t see anybody who looked like her on BUD-sponsored visits to several training facilities. But that changed when she went to the Local 36 training center. “There was a white woman and a Black man,” she says. “And I just lit up… It was such a difference from the other training schools that we had visited, just because I could see myself represented. I realized, ‘Yes! This is the one. I’m going to go for it.’”
Since then, Jones has become active in Belonging and Excellence for All (BE4ALL) and on the RISE Committee— efforts by SMART, SMACNA, and the ITI to increase recruiting diversity. “We believe it’s an initiative that other trades are going to adopt,” she says. “We want to create a culture where everyone is welcome and everybody feels supported. We are pioneering this whole culture shift.” ▪
5 tips for building a strong workplace culture
According to Rubiena Duarte, openness, acceptance, and action are some of the keys to creating an inclusive company culture. Duarte is CEO at Culture Paradigm, where she helps corporations improve inclusion efforts. Duarte has the following five tips for creating a stronger workplace.
1. Establish core values: Be clear about what your organization’s core values are. Ensure all members understand what they mean and how they should guide everyone’s behavior.
2. Embrace transparency: Foster an environment where leaders are as transparent as possible about decisions and changes. It will also make employees more comfortable sharing feedback with management.
3. Have a sense of belonging: Create an environment where employees feel like they are accepted for who they are and that their contributions are valued and respected.
4. Recognize employees: Acknowledge their small and large successes. This does not have to be a cash bonus or award. Shoutouts in meetings, coffee with the CEO, or just a thank you go a long way.
5. Act on feedback: If a leader seeks input from employees or members, they should have a plan for acting on it. People want to see that an organization is listening to them.
Michael McConnell’s experience encompasses B2B and B2C copywriting, online journalism, and newspaper reporting. The former editor of a monthly magazine for HVAC and sheet metal contractors, he’s always interested in finding out the stories behind interesting people and projects. Contact him at mrmcconnell36@gmail.com.
According to Rubiena Duarte, openness, acceptance, and action are some of the keys to creating an inclusive company culture. Duarte is CEO at Culture Paradigm, where she helps corporations improve inclusion efforts. Duarte has the following five tips for creating a stronger workplace.
According to Rubiena Duarte, openness, acceptance, and action are some of the keys to creating an inclusive company culture. Duarte is CEO at Culture Paradigm, where she helps corporations improve inclusion efforts. Duarte has the following five tips for creating a stronger workplace.
According to Rubiena Duarte, openness, acceptance, and action are some of the keys to creating an inclusive company culture. Duarte is CEO at Culture Paradigm, where she helps corporations improve inclusion efforts. Duarte has the following five tips for creating a stronger workplace.
