One big perk of working here: “You can relate to and talk to anybody in the company.”
Here's an important intangible that Pacheco Koch Consulting Engineers offers people who work there: “It's just fun,” says Dorothy Witmeyer, a landscape architect who joined the company two and a half years ago. “You can relate to and talk to anybody in the company.”
The company, whose Fort Worth offices are on the West Side in the 6100 Western Place office tower, aggressively promotes a relaxed workplace that fosters teamwork, productivity and innovation.
Pacheco Koch encourages employees to remain active, bringing in guest speakers on eating right, organizing teams that participate in fun runs and races, hosting challenges like weight loss or steps, paying for fitness sessions with Camp Gladiator, and regularly offering chair massages.
“When you sit and work, you're not as fit as you can be,” says Witmeyer, who's played competitive soccer.
The company also encourages employees to get to know each other personally outside the office, sponsoring company softball, soccer and flag football teams for employees and family members.
It hosts employee outings at Six Flags Over Texas and Possum Kingdom. And it's also sponsored bowling nights, sand volleyball and kickball teams. Each of Pacheco Koch's teams has an organizer of group activities – called TOGAs – who's charged with organizing team events and companywide summer and holiday parties every year. Events have included socials like crawfish boils and chili cookoffs. Fridays are half-days and begin with a company-provided breakfast each week.
“There's a lot of support here,” says Holly McPherson, the company's business development director who joined the company and launched the Fort Worth office seven years ago. “It's a very young atmosphere here.”
The company's benefit packages include paid healthcare for employees, employee options for expanded plans, 401(k), and retirement and investment planning. The firm pays 100 percent of premiums for employees' medical and dental coverage.
Witmeyer, who earned her degree in landscape architecture at the University of Texas at Arlington and spent a year working somewhere else before she joined Pacheco Koch, obtained her license in the spring. The firm paid for the tests.
The firm was launched in Dallas 26 years ago and now has offices there, in Fort Worth and in Houston. The fun culture was promulgated long ago at the Dallas offices, McPherson says. “This is just spillover,” she says. The Fort Worth office, which opened with three employees, now has 35.
The company thrives off of a team approach, with easy access to leaders. “They're right here,” Witmeyer says. “You can walk right into their offices. It's very much a team atmosphere.”
The company also hosts regular training programs for employees. At monthly “lunch and learn” meetings, employees give technical presentations. Pacheco Koch also hosts regular brown bag presentations and webinars to keep employees up-to-date on industry issues, refresh their technical skills, and give them continuing education credits for their professional registrations.
Pacheco Koch is active in the community, sending volunteers into organizations such as the Ronald McDonald House and Lena Pope Home and regularly participating in walks, runs and toy drives.
Beneficiaries include CANstruction, Hearts and Hammers, Race for Wishes, and Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Walk for a Cure. The firm also hosts a blood drive for Carter Blood Care and a merit badge event for local Boy Scout troops where Engineering, Surveying, and Drafting merit badges are offered.
The Fort Worth office holds a golf tournament with clients each year that benefits a local organization, raising money through the sale of raffle tickets and mulligans. The tournament raises $7,000-$8,000 annually. “There's a lot of options for community development and being who you want to be,” Witmeyer says.
Events such as the tournament help build and maintain business relationships. More than 90 percent of business comes from repeat clients, the company says. “We have very strong relationships with our clients,” McPherson says.
At a Glance
What The Company Does:
Civil engineering, land surveying, landscape architecture
Employees:
175
Fun benefits:
Fully-paid health and dental insurance premiums for employees, quick eligibility for 401(k), participation in sports leagues
Payoff from engaged employees:
More than 90 percent of business comes from repeat clients.
What the company says about its employees:
“We attribute our success to the energetic and focused individuals that make up our staff.”
Dorothy Witmeyer, landscape architect
Years with company: 2.5
With a strong leadership that places a premium on investing in employees, Pacheco Koch, PK, offers a wide array of opportunities for personal, professional and team-oriented development. Mentor programs, various business and financial training opportunities develop employees professionally, while community involvement, sponsored recreation leagues and family-focused events support employees personally. While working at PK, I have built multifaceted relationships with co-workers and often consider the people I look up to as experts in my field as friends. Fueled by a collaborative environment that encourages participation from every level, Pacheco Koch's smart and fast growth is exciting to be a part of. Not only do employees work collaboratively on projects, but internal decisions impacting the firm are made with input from all stakeholders. Even as a young professional, my opinions are always respected. Pacheco Koch's work-life balance is supported by offering employees a 4.5-day work week. With a half day off on Fridays, I've been able to visit family in Northwest Arkansas and go on more weekend camping trips than I would have otherwise. Although I have the freedom to use that time as I wish, I often find myself enjoying an afternoon of fun with co-workers – further developing a sense of the PK family.
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