FEBRUARY 17, 2020
Borrego Named One of the Best Companies to Work for in the Bay Area
For the second year in a row, Fortune Magazine and Great Place to Work have named Borrego Solar one of the Best Workplaces in the Bay Area™ 2020. (In 2019, the magazine also named Borrego one of the Best Workplaces in the Bay Area in 2019.) As the only solar company on the list of small to midsize companies, we are honored to be recognized again for our company culture and high employee satisfaction.
We’re grateful for our employees — known internally as Borreguinos — who work hard every day to accelerate the adoption of renewable energy. Our team is big part of what makes Borrego such a special place to work. Here’s more about the Great Place to Work list and what our employees say about working at Borrego.
“Everyone is connected by a common drive to accelerate renewable energy and improve the environment.”
Great Place to Work Survey
To compile the list, Fortune and their research partner Great Place to Work conduct confidential surveys of more than 30,000 Bay Area workers about their experiences with trust, innovation, benefits, job satisfaction, company values, and leadership. How employees answer the open-ended questions is key to measuring an organization’s overall score and becoming certified as a Great Place to Work. Companies that made the Best Companies list have high ratings on employee engagement, transparency, and company leadership.
Trust & Transparency
In the survey results, many of our employees said that Borrego’s culture encourages transparency and enables employees to voice their opinions openly and honestly. From the top town, company leaders are approachable and open to new ideas. Managers actively solicit feedback, aren’t afraid of being wrong, and don’t criticize for mistakes or strife.
“There is an openness for folks to speak honestly and freely, even if critically.”
Borrego’s management team trust employees to take on new challenges, initiate process improvements, and make their voices heard. Even senior leaders like Amy McDonough, Borrego’s VP of Project Development calls it a “wonderful work environment for taking risks and trying new things” in an interview for our Women of Borrego blog series.
Building long-term trust and transparency is one of the core principles of the Borrego System of Excellence, our statement of mission and values, which guides all facets of Borrego’s leadership decisions. With employees, leaders are transparent about the company’s financial goals as well as their individual goals. Likewise, with customers and subcontractors, we create systems and programs such as our Nexus Initiative that build trust and transparency into our business relationships.
Flexible Scheduling & Time Off Policies
Our history as a family-owned business means we understand the need for time off to recharge and spend time with family. So it’s no surprise that one of the most appreciated features of Borrego’s comprehensive benefits package is the self-managed time-off policy. Borrego employees have flexibility in their schedules and are encouraged to work with their manager to take the time off they need.
“The vacation policy is great and makes me feel like management trusts me to get my job done while also having a work-life balance.”
Also, employees are trusted to manage their own schedule to fit their personal or work needs, such as working at home or starting at different times to accommodate their commute or family schedule. Employees say they feel less stressed about taking care of themselves and their family.
Our Mission — To Accelerate the Adoption of Renewable Energy
Working for a mission-driven company is something that makes all of us Borreguinos excited about coming to work — and this came up frequently in survey responses as a reason for high employee satisfaction. At Borrego, our mission drives our work and gives our employees a sense of community and purpose. One employee described it best:
“The company has a great mission. We’re trying to save the world.”
In keeping with our mission, we actively recruit and hire new employees who share this commitment to renewable energy, and we invest time throughout the year to reaffirm our core values. For many Borreguinos, the company feels like a close-knit and welcoming family. Once a year, we host an annual employee summit to bring together all employees from our many regional offices across the country to reconnect and foster team building.
Borrego Employee Appreciation Program
One of the unique ways that Borrego invests in its employees and builds in fun employee activities is through the Borrego Employee Appreciation Program. This employee-run committee plans monthly, company-funded social functions for each of our offices ranging from holiday parties, to volunteer work days, to weekend hikes or bike rides among co-workers. These activities bring employees together and encourage community engagement.
We also have a popular, employee-driven recognition program to call out the achievements and hard work of our coworkers. Each quarter, every single employee may nominate one of their colleagues for an Energize Award, which includes a gift card. There are no limits to the number of times an employee may be recognized, so it’s a fun way for Borreguinos to encourage their peers.
“We care for each other and value each other — personally as well as professionally.”
We’re Growing
Great employees drive our ability to serve our customers and help make Borrego such a great place to work. Check out our careers page and our current job listings for more information.