K2 Electric, in the Valley since 2003, has a distinct culture built around their core values. In a recent employee survey, about 90% of team members said they know what is expected of them at work and have the resources to complete their given tasks. K2 is proud of their internal training, their commitment to safety and empowering their employees with opportunities to learn and grow. This translates directly into their brand promise of:

Teamwork:

• Commitment & trust
• Open lines of communication
• Diversity of capabilities
• Adaptable to changing conditions
• Confidence and freedom to make decisions

 

The three partners sat down earlier this year to reflect on their brand promise and recently discussed what value and experience their customers can expect to receive. It is their hope to deliver on this promise and to continue to perform to be preferred. Below is what they had to say…

 

How do you exemplify the five pillars of your Teamwork brand promise? (Jared Kredit, President)

Commitment & Trust:

No matter the challenge, when we are on a project, we are committed to whatever it may take to meet deadlines and get it across the finish line.

Open Lines of Communication:

Robust internal process of regular coaching for improved performance.

Externally, we are a phone call away, transparency and access to executive leadership are a cornerstone of our communication strategy with clients.

Diversity of Capabilities:

Operating throughout the state of Arizona, direct for owner or G.C. subcontractor, design build to labor support, and a full suite of specialty disciplines like thermal imaging we aim to be a value add solution for whatever our clients may need.

Adaptable to Changing Conditions:

In a digitally advancing marketplace we continuously equip our teams to meet the industry and our client’s needs to stay with the latest in software and hardware to meet schedule and performance demands.

The labor market is continually being constrained by a lack of new skilled workers, so we look for ways to develop that talent and to optimize more efficient ways to construct with a less experienced labor force.

Confidence and Freedom to Make Decisions:

We develop and train our team members to empower them to deliver consistently for other team members, clients, and industry partners.

 

What are some best practices to putting this brand promise into action? (Nick Kredit, Estimator)

K2 maintains an environment internally and externally that allows our team members to admit missteps without fear of reprisal.  Processes like incident reports, team leadership meetings and 30-day reviews enable us to learn and create a culture of honesty.

Embracing technology by giving every field leader a Surface Pro with programs like PlanGrid and Blue Beam has enabled our team to promptly receive information and perform at the highest level on today’s quick build schedules.

 

What are some benefits of K2 offering diversity of capabilities? (Matt Kuiper, Vice President)

By being diverse in many areas clients can count on us to not only perform large project work but offer 24/7 support in Service and Special Projects as well. We are experienced in other specialties like lighting retrofits and thermography making K2 a one stop shop whether you are a G.C., or a small business owner.

Our clients like to work with people who understand their needs and can offer solutions unique to them. By having a diverse team, we can accommodate these unique challenges and offer better, more tailored solutions. A diverse company helps us form stronger, more authentic relationships with a broader range of customers, allowing us to outperform competitors long-term.

 

How has adaptability been beneficial to K2, especially this year? (Nick Kredit)

K2 has never shied away from entering new markets.  If it requires electricity, we will figure out a way to build it.  This attitude has opened many doors for us over the years and placed us into markets like solar and large multi-million-dollar projects.

Our flexibility and resilience were put to the true test this year when we shut down our office but had to continue to operate our business and build jobs safely.  Our team stepped up immediately by using new software programs to work remotely and swiftly implementing new safety guidelines in the field.

 

How can leadership help support and empower their team to have the confidence and freedom to make decisions? (Matt Kuiper)

To me the (5) key elements are:

1. Consistently encourage and promote training and developmental programs
2. Instill a culture of communication by being approachable and transparent as leaders
3. Set clear and measurable company goals
4. Involve employees in making influential company decisions
5. Recognize team members for outstanding work