Given the nature of their work, most subcontractors do not operate out of one location; instead, their employees are spread throughout multiple jobsites. Depending on the size, type of work, and geographic diversity, employees may never come to the “shop.” This can make communication challenging. We asked some of our Specialty Trade CFMs about their company communications.

Christine Kettelkamp, CFO, CCIFP, Jenco, Inc.

 Jenco, Inc., in Scottsdale, AZ , is a specialty contractor which services and installs electrical work, as well as automated building controls, across Arizona. They have been in business more than 30 years and have 200 employees.

“We believe that different mediums reach different people, so we use a multi-prong approach to communicate with our employees. We have a “self-service portal” where all announcements are posted, and we also send texts and emails through the same portal. For company meetings, such as open enrollment, we send postcards to the employee’s home so the spouse is aware. We also have a quarterly company “huddle,” either live or virtually, where announcements are made. As far as customizing to individual groups, we’re able to isolate specific groups of individuals in our portal and in our messaging system to target specific audiences.“

Karl Kortman, CFO, CCIFP, Kortman, Inc.

Kortman, Inc. is a Phoenix, Arizona based subcontractor, specializing in the construction and service of electrical systems and low voltage solutions for life safety and intelligent buildings. Established in 1983, Kortman, Inc. employs 80 – 100 field and office employees.

“We have found our human resources information system, BambooHR, to be the most effective employee communication tool. The software includes an announcement feature, as well as individualized form-filling abilities. It allows us to have communication points company-wide, to select groups, or to individuals via computer, mobile app, and email. Each team member has secure access to their own files as well as documents and forms related to benefits and employment. They can also view and request PTO as well as see timesheets, wage history, employee support resources, and more.”