A strong company culture is vital to the success of the overall company. Here at Fisher Architecture, we believe in our team and strive to foster a positive working environment that allows for growth, goal achievement, and a good amount of fun. We believe in The Fisher Life!
When I started the company, I thought it would be as simple as hiring staff, putting in a solid workday, and heading home. What I came to realize rather quickly was that a clearly defined work culture strongly influenced the output of work along with the overall atmosphere. I realized that employees strived for more than simply a solid day of work. In fact, the ability to interact with peers on a personal level – away from the office – increased productivity and motivation. Once I came to this conclusion, I leaned into creating a culture that everyone (internally and externally) could be proud of.
Over the years, we tried a variety of different ways to create fun and engaging activities that resonated with the team. Some were one-time events while others became staple yearly activities. We knew that the light-hearted BBQs and impromptu cornhole tournaments were easy wins but we also wanted to make sure that we focus on our community and provide local support – whether that is participating as a team in a 5k race or being a sponsor for a charitable golf outing. Since we are part of this community, the team really rallies behind those outings.
In addition, one unique thing we do at Fisher is our Summer Project Tour. We started this several years ago and it has been a huge company moment for us. The Summer Project Tour is a tour of the peninsula, visiting all developments / work the company is responsible for. We all pack into a large van and drive around discussing and reminiscing about the work accomplished over the years. We also visit current projects and see the different stages of development. The reason this bonding experience goes over so well is that it allows for the newer employees to see the major accomplishments of Fisher along with reminding our long-term employees of the developments we contributed to the community. The day ends with a company dinner at one of our favorite local spots. It really is just a special day for the Fisher family.
With the summer months upon us and the world slowly coming back to normalcy, I felt it was a perfect time to reflect on our company culture and highlight just how important The Fisher Life truly is. The past year was a difficult time for everyone with many elements of the company taking a backseat; shifting our focus to safety and security. We did not have the luxury of walking down the hall to say hello to our peers or pop in a conference room for a Friday afternoon lunch. Instead we, individually, huddled around our computers on conference calls all day. We remained in constant communication but there was still something missing. Everyone was connected but the lively office culture was absent. We yearned for those times packed in a van, exploring the peninsula.
I am proud to say that as of Summer 2021, our Fisher family is back and stronger than ever. The Fisher Life is in full swing & we are gassing up the van. If there is anything the past year taught me, I will never take for granted those moments with my team; whether it is poolside at a BBQ, hitting the golf course, or packed in that van; we all make up this joyful company culture and I could not be prouder!
Keith Fisher
AIA, NCARB
Principal, Licensed Architect
Licensed in MD, DE, PA, VA, DC, NJ, FL