NOVATO -- W. Bradley Electric has grown in revenue and workforce in the past three years as the economic recovery has trickled down to construction activity in the Bay Area and beyond.
Revenue grew from $65 million in 2012 to roughly $75 million a year now. The company has 180 full-time employees in six divisions.
"Employee tenure average 9.3 years, which is three times the national average," said Leslie Murphy, CEO since 1999 and second-generation of the electrical contracting company her father started in 1977. "This contributes heavily to customer retention while creating a foundation that is well-suited to attract top talent, ensuring the company's continued success."
The contraction of construction activity leading up to the economic recession and a few years after forced the company to shrink its workforce. But as work returned, the company has been able to hire back some of them. Offering incentives and benefits has been key to attracting and keeping top talent.
In addition to standard benefits, there is a wellness program with an onsite gym and yoga classes plus confidential financial, legal and mental health counseling offered three times a year.
But regularly scheduled executive, manager and company meetings to let everyone know where the company is headed help create a collaborative culture in a growing company, Ms. Murphy said.
"Even the owner knows my name," an employee noted. "I've never seen that before."
"Employees here are serious about their work and strive to achieve efficient results," another said. "Help and training is available should one chose to seek it."
On top of the wellness committee, there are committees for choosing targets for giving committee and "random acts of kindness," which surprise people in the community with positive gestures. Volunteer efforts supported include Bay to Breakers, Organs R Us, Art & Wine, Walk for a Cure, Diabetes Ride and AIDS Walk.
Special perks include painting classes, Ping-Pong games in the large headquarters atrium decorated like an arboretum, monthly frozen yogurt, Monday breakfast and sometimes pizzas delivered to job sites, which numbered 80 this summer.
