Letter from the President – KEITH Culture

The old saying is “culture eats strategy for lunch everyday.” So what is KEITH Culture, why is it important, and where does it come from? These are questions we discuss daily. In an ever-competitive job market, we understand the importance and impact culture has on our team. We value what makes KEITH different and have flipped the ordinary A/E firm culture on its head, turning KEITH into something special. We are constantly working to improve the perception and reality of culture, ultimately to deliver on our mission to create, expand, upon, preserve, and enhance our communities. KEITH is proud to be recognized by the SFBJ as one of the best laces to work in the marketplace.

KEITH Culture is first defined as a team including professionalism, innovation, mentorship, community, integrity, creativity, passion, commitment, engagement, connection, growth, communication, empathy, and celebration. Each of these words and values add meaning to the KEITH Culture. We asked our team to define our company’s culture and the top three answers are all directly related to career opportunities and leadership. The top three include:

1. Enjoyable Working Environment

2. Mentoring and Continuing Education

3. Advancement Opportunities

To ensure we are achieving our firm’s culture goals, we invest in our office spaces and environment. This includes social events and teaming building, as well as the latest technology and desk spaces. We have wellness lounges, break rooms, and even video games, foosball, and ping pong for the impromptu mental break.

We also have set career paths, with various customizable for each individual and mentor/protégé relationships for each member of the team. These teams work together to define goals, alongside measurable metrics, providing opportunities to support career advancement. Setting goals and accountability leads to efficiency, structure, and promotion, in an environment where the KEITH Team thrives. We recognize and celebrate going the extra mile to achieve great results, both big and small. Prioritizing employee well-being through open dialogue, while empowering the team to grow, is critical for the company culture at KEITH.

A great company culture leads to improvements in productivity, efficiency, structure, and engagement; all of which directly correlates to reduced turnover and more satisfied clients. While we have made great progress, we know our culture is evolving daily and influenced by everyone on the team. Taking the time to invest in our culture has been one of our greatest accomplishments at KEITH and I love to see it grow and evolve as we continue to build new generations of the KEITH Team.