In an age when messages from cell phones, texts and emails can overwhelm a vacation with thoughts of the work, Avon-based developer East West Partners grants month-long sabbaticals during which workers can work on thing entirely unrelated to their job.
The time off, which doesn’t replace vacation time, is “valuable for folks to truly refresh and escape,” aforementioned Chris Frampton, managing partner of the real estate development, cordial reception management and brokerage firm.
East West Partners is the top firm among large companies on The Denver Post’s 2019 Top Workplaces contest.
The company has 1,250 workers throughout the country with about 800 in Colorado.
Those who have worked for East West for 10 years qualify for the sabbaticals, which one worker used to build a home deck and a second to learn the language expressed by her grandmother.
“We have had some folks doing big trips and going abroad or working with their church and doing service. If they want to hike Kilimanjaro that’s all right,” Frampton aforementioned.
Before approving an activity, managers assure person is available to take the worker’s place. The chance to take on a job above the replacement worker’s pay grade presents “an amazing chance for cross-training,” Frampton aforementioned. “It’s a chance for folks moving up the ladder to learn.”
based in 1985, East West Partners has sold more than $7 billion in real estate since 2000 and is one of two companies in the world to receive three Urban Land Institute Awards for Excellence.
In the Denver tube area alone, East West has built 1,300 residences, 75,000 square feet of community retail space and 75,000 square feet of Class-A office space.
The company was the master developer of the Union Station neighborhood, which changed a 14-block barren of abandoned rail yards into a modern urban center. based in Beaver Creek, East West has developed resort and residential developments throughout the Vail valley and Rocky Mountains as well as properties in South Carolina and Hawaii.
The Riverfront Park Community Foundation, established by East West, has given more than $4 million to support the community through a grant program and special events.
All workers qualify for a suite of benefits that include medical, dental and life insurance as well as traditional 401(k) and Roth 401(k). The company matches 25 percentage of the first 6 percentage contributed.
Related Articles
- Top Workplaces 2019: Zoom communication theory just keeps growing
- Top Workplaces 2019: Video profiles
- Top Workplaces 2019: Past winners and companies recognized all eight years
- Top Workplaces 2019: How is technology changing your work culture?
- Top Workplaces of 2019: Midsize companies 4-50
Among comments about the company from workers who responded to the survey prompt, “I love my job because” are the following:
“I have the best managers ever! ongoing education, the feeling that the company cares about all workers. I do thing new every day.”
“I love my job because I love working with this team and I love architecture, development, finance and creating experiences.”
“Colleagues care about each other and we have endless opportunities to learn and grow. East West is the epitome of the ‘work hard — play hard’ philosophy. This is the first job where I was able to experience work/life balance.”