Kimmerle Newman Architects has always prided themselves on employee relations. Over the years, the firm has hosted employee trips to dinner and a viewing of The David Letterman Show in NYC, limo rides to Monmouth Park for lunch and an afternoon of horse racing and a weekend retreat for employees and their families to Skytop Lodge in the Poconos. When the firm relocated to their new offices at 1109 Mount Kemble Avenue in Harding, the firm principals, George Kimmerle and Paul Newman, decided to focus on making the expanding group of employees feel more at home on a regular basis.
Instead of the occasional bagels and bakery products, KNA now provides a full range of breakfast, lunch and snack items every day. A fully equipped kitchen area hosts a large variety of products, and employees are encouraged to make their personal requests each week. Using Shop Rite’s delivery service, groceries are delivered at the beginning of each week, including cereal, juice, yogurt, deli products, salads, seasonal fruit and snacks such as almonds, sunflower seeds and ice cream sandwiches to name a few.
While designing their new office, the firm installed a gas grill on their outdoor space which is accessed through the full glass garage doors on the second level. On any nice weather day, you can find some of the employees popping outside to grill a veggie burger or hot dog. Usually once a week the grill is fired up to accommodate food for everyone, including fresh vegetables from neighboring Wightman’s Farm’s CSA Program. KNA contracts for a full season of fruits and vegetables from the Consumer Supported Agriculture program. Along with the locally grown vegetables, Wightman’s adds some wonderful surprises through the contract season, such as fresh pizza dough, homemade sauce and farm fresh mozzarella. When KNA employees pick up the weekly CSA order, they take time to cut fresh flowers for the office, a wonderful bright spot in everyone’s day!
George and Paul feel these small homey touches are what make the work environment more enjoyable for everyone involved including visitors and clients.
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