[SPONSORED] Prioritizing Culture & Community

When you work for a service-based business, its success is a product of its employees. If you are reading this and doubt this fact, it may be a sign to seek change. One local Kent business understands how important this is by prioritizing efforts to promote individual employee and team appreciation, leading to an appearance on Seattle Business Magazine’s Best Companies to Work for the past 3 years.

Barghausen Consulting Engineers, Inc., is a multidisciplinary firm focused on providing civil engineering and land development expertise to clients throughout the United States. Its growing team of more than 200 includes engineers, surveyors, planners, architects, energy systems designers, permitting experts, landscape architects and experienced administrative professionals.

Photo courtesy of Barghausen Consulting

This consulting firm is not shy about investing in its employees. Barghausen recently made significant changes to its people, including increasing the benefits package, maximizing employee rewards and clearly defining the firm’s mission.

One of the most notable improvements was her 401K retirement match. The company previously offered a dollar-for-dollar match of up to 4% of employee retirement contributions. It doubled their match percentage to provide a 200% match to that 4%, bringing the total employer contribution to 8%.

Barghausen also introduced “Half-Day Fridays,” an annual program that runs from Memorial Day to Labor Day. The program allows employees to bundle and flex their hours for a four-hour workday on Fridays. The firm closes its doors at 12pm on Fridays, encouraging employees to have a healthy work-life balance.

Photo courtesy of Barghausen Consulting

Employee health is another benefit that Barghausen takes seriously. Medical, dental, vision, disability and life insurance are all offered at no cost to full-time employees. The company pays 100% of the employee’s monthly premiums and 50% of the dependent’s monthly premiums.

Photo courtesy of Barghausen Consulting

Other benefits include 120 to 160 hours of paid time off based on tenure, free gym memberships and free tickets to Seahawks, Mariners, Kraken and Sounders games, along with hosting free after-hours events for employees to bond outside of work (44 events organized in 2022). Barghausen also celebrates employee growth by funding licenses, certifications, training and other educational opportunities for individual roles. More than 30 employees were promoted from within in 2022, with six licenses and certifications to further their career growth.

To read more about Barghausen benefits or to apply for an open position, please visit www.barghausen.com/careers or contact [email protected].