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What does it feel like to work in a place where people genuinely believe their voices matter? Where colleagues collaborate freely, leaders listen fully, and teams take pride in the impact they make together?
At WithersRavenel, this is more than an ideal. It’s the everyday experience of more than 460 employee-owners across 10 offices in North Carolina, and it’s reflected clearly in this year’s Gallup Q12 Employee Engagement Survey results.
The story these results tell begins with participation. When 91 percent of our employee-owners chose to share their experiences, it signaled something powerful: a belief that their feedback influences real change. People don’t take the time to engage unless they feel valued and know their insights matter. This willingness to participate is at the heart of our culture and one of the strongest indicators of the trust that exists across our organization.
That trust carries into our engagement outcomes. WithersRavenel’s 24:1 engagement ratio paints a picture of a workforce that feels supported, included, and energized by its work. Engagement here shows up in the everyday, when teams jump in to help one another meet a deadline, when colleagues celebrate both big milestones and small victories, and when leaders make space for honest dialogue. This ratio, far above the national average, reflects an environment where people want to contribute and feel empowered to do so.
Our upward-trending mean engagement score of 4.40 out of 5.00 reinforces this momentum. Since 2020, our scores have steadily increased, showing that our commitment to strengthening communication, expanding career growth, and investing in our people is not only intentional but effective. The number itself is impressive, but the meaning behind it is what matters most: people feel they belong here, they understand their impact, and they see a future for themselves within the company.
“Our Gallup Q12 results are remarkable, especially when compared to organizations of similar size and across our industry,” said Jess Vollmer, Chief People Officer at WithersRavenel. “A 24:1 engagement ratio and a 4.40 mean score show how deeply connected our people are to their work and to each other. These results reflect the strength of our culture and the care we put into creating a workplace where people can thrive.”
These outcomes do not happen by accident. They are the result of living out the core values that have guided WithersRavenel since 1983: Integrity, Respect, Collaboration, Quality, Sustainability, and Community. These values shape how we approach our projects, how we support our clients, and how we work together as colleagues. They are also the reason engagement continues to grow year after year.
Where We Work, We Belong
Across 10 offices in North Carolina, our teams are deeply rooted in the communities we serve. Whether designing parks, planning for growth, enhancing public infrastructure, or helping communities recover from storms, our employee-owners see firsthand the impact of their work. This connection strengthens not only the projects we deliver but the relationships we build with one another.
The story behind our Gallup Q12 results is ultimately one of shared ownership. When people believe in the future of their company, they invest more deeply in its success. When they feel respected and trusted, they bring forward their best ideas. And when they are empowered as owners, engagement becomes a natural, sustained outcome.
About WithersRavenel
Founded in 1983 by Tony Withers and Sam Ravenel, WithersRavenel is a multidisciplinary Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) company providing engineering, planning, surveying, and environmental services. For more than 40 years, we have partnered with public and private clients to deliver innovative and community-focused solutions across North Carolina.
Career Opportunities
At WithersRavenel, careers grow in a workplace built on shared ownership, collaboration, and purpose. Every employee-owner plays a meaningful role in shaping our success.
Explore our career opportunities and discover what it means to build your future at WithersRavenel.