Brasfield & Gorrie is a nationally recognized construction firm and one of the region’s best workplaces.
The multibillion-dollar company has its hand in diverse markets with building projects that transform communities. Its success, however, can be boiled down to two ideals, East Group president Keith Johnson said.
“It’s about doing what you say you’re going to do and treating people like you want to be treated. That’s the difference maker at Brasfield & Gorrie,” said Johnson, who leads the company’s 500-plus-employee Atlanta office.
“How we treat people day in and day out is the backbone of Brasfield & Gorrie, and everything else is secondary.”
Credit: Phil Skinner
Credit: Phil Skinner
Brasfield & Gorrie ranks first among large businesses in the 2024 Top Workplaces survey sponsored by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and its partner Energage. It’s the 10th time — and fourth consecutive — the firm has received a Top Workplace ranking.
Putting people first has been the guiding principle for the company since Miller Gorrie founded it in 1964 in Birmingham, Alabama. Gorrie remains chairman of the board of the privately owned, roughly 3,800-employee firm, which is headquartered in Birmingham and has 13 offices across eight states. The Atlanta office opened in 1984.
In 2023, the company earned $5.8 billion in revenue, and Engineering News-Record currently ranks it No. 22 on its Top Contractors in the United States list, and ENR Southeast’s No. 1 contractor in the region.
The general contractors are responsible for several of the metro’s most iconic buildings, including the Georgia Aquarium and Truist Park, home of the Atlanta Braves. The firm has won numerous awards for state-of-the-art projects nationally.
Chairman Gorrie spoke of the firm’s growth and successes as the company celebrated its 60th anniversary in June. He said he was most proud of its golden rule mission, which has remained unchanged since the beginning.
Treating others as you want to be treated is how Gorrie does business, and it trickled down throughout the company.
It was “Mr. Gorrie’s persona rubbing off on the rest of us,” Johnson said. “He treated everybody around him like they were truly one of his friends or family.”
Credit: Phil Skinner
Credit: Phil Skinner
One of the company’s strengths is its college internship program, which recruits nationally. This program allows the company to attract bright young graduates and teach them the “Brasfield & Gorrie way right out of the chute,” Johnson said.
The company has specific programs to increase co-op and internship opportunities for students at historically Black colleges and universities, help women in construction build connections and advance their careers, and provide resources for small, women- and minority-based suppliers and trade contractors.
Building strong communities is a key part of the company’s culture and purpose. Last year, Brasfield & Gorrie introduced a charitable giving program that matches employee donations dollar for dollar for up to $2,000 per person during a one-week annual Impact Week event. Companywide, employees donated more than $1.3 million to 14 organizations, bringing the company match to $2 million.
A family friendly atmosphere permeates the Atlanta office. Perks include a recreation room for employees to relax, share meals, connect and recharge. An in-house gym is open to employees and their family members, with daily workout classes and a complimentary onsite massage therapist and chiropractor.
Brasfield & Gorrie also offers a competitive benefits package, which includes a $350 incentive for employees and their spouses to complete annual well visits and personalized health care solutions for those with chronic health conditions.
Chief human resources officer Jodi Taylor said that although the company is conscientious about offering employees the benefits they need, it’s not the main reason they like their jobs and make Brasfield & Gorrie their career.
“The reason people stay here is because we come to work, honor our commitments, and treat people the way we want to be treated,” she said. “We give people an opportunity to provide for their families in a meaningful way.”
Many employees have spent their entire careers with Brasfield & Gorrie, including Johnson, who is in his 32nd year, with 31 of those in Atlanta.
“From the day I walked in the door at Birmingham, it felt like so much more than just a place to go to work,” he said, emphasizing that employees then and now are treated like family.
Credit: Phil Skinner
Credit: Phil Skinner
Kenneth Underwood, executive regional general superintendent, has been with the company 37 years. He said attrition rates are also low among the firm’s field workers, such as carpenters and other craft laborers, who make up 50% of the total employees.
Johnson said when the firm celebrates its “Decades of Service” employees, most of the people being recognized are field employees, some with 30 years or more invested.
“That’s pretty unique to have field employees stay at one company for that long,” he said. “The family atmosphere is not just in the office; it’s out on the job site, too.”
Another strength of Brasfield & Gorrie has been market diversification, which has helped the firm deal with post-pandemic dips in construction. Underwood said that although the office market is down, the firm is active in health care, sports entertainment, data centers and other areas.
“We weathered the post-pandemic turndown pretty well,” he said. “This goes back to supporting that craft labor. We went through this like everyone else in the city, but we did not lay off a single employee due to the pandemic.”
As the company transitions from second- to third-generation leadership, Taylor said employees are stepping up and taking ownership of new market sectors.
Johnson said he is proud of the firm’s young leaders. “They give us a view into the future, and we can see how bright it is.”
BRASFIELD & GORRIE
Year founded: 1964
Ownership: Private
Sector: Building construction
U.S. Headquarters: Birmingham, Alabama
Atlanta location: 2999 Circle 75 Parkway, Atlanta, GA 30339
Leader: East Group president Keith Johnson
Purpose: Building exceptional people, trusting relationships, great projects and strong communities
Mission: “Our legacy is built on honoring commitments, being true builders and living by the golden rule.”
Website: www.brasfieldgorrie.com/
Employee comments: In an anonymous survey by Energage, Brasfield & Gorrie employees were asked to complete this sentence: “I love my job because … .” Here are some of their responses:
“B&G is the best at what we do and people are valued.”
“Brasfield & Gorrie and my supervisor allow me to combine my personal goals with my work goals. This ignites my passion for the position and the company.”
“Every day I work with people who are my good friends, and not just co-workers.”
“Everyone is treated as a part of the family and we are growing in a healthy way providing multiple opportunities to grow.”
“I am new, but I feel like we work as a team. There are many opportunities to learn new ways of doing things. The benefit and pay really is attractive. I feel like I can provide for my family and have great insurance at the same time. The work life balance is decent and better than most construction companies.”
“I feel as if I am surrounded by peers and mentors who truly care about me as a person as well as my career.”
“I have the flexibility to manage my personal and work life, which is not something I’ve had at other jobs before. I think this balance has made me a more engaged employee and a more well-rounded person overall. My coworkers take the time to listen to my questions and concerns, and always answer thoughtfully and thoroughly.”
“I like to meet new clients and build relationships with these individuals. I like to be able at the end to say, ‘Wow. That’s a pretty building.’”
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