When Dave Yates came to BC in 2017, his top task was to create the company’s St. Louis, Missouri, office from scratch. He was essentially navigating the environmental engineering office world alone, without a printer, a server, much less a staff. That’s when colleague Niki Young reached out to help.
“I had worked with her before coming to BC, and she was also working without an office, a true remote worker,” Dave, BC Senior Project Manager and Water/Wastewater Engineer said. “She reached out and offered me some virtual working tips and we supported one another.” From there, Niki approached Dave to co-sponsor BC’s third Employee Networking Group (ENG), Remote Workers, to create a community for their virtual colleagues where they can build skills, share best practices, and build a space where they could connect and be heard.
“I think I knew by the second meeting that we’d built a network and the ENG would be successful,” Dave said. “You thought you were alone, but with the ENG, there was this aha moment that there are a lot of people like me within the company. People’s voices could be heard and camaraderie found.”
Since their first meeting in November 2019, their ENG support group for teleworkers has grown from 90 to nearly 400 and encompasses office and remote workers alike, a testament to BC’s commitment to be a high-performing virtual company. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March 2020, Dave and Niki’s foresight and early efforts helped the company to swiftly transition to a 100% work from home environment, and helped others in the water industry to do the same. Many of the best practices and tips created by the ENG were later used in companywide COVID-19 guidance.
“At the end of the day, it’s about morale, communication, and collaboration.”
Dave’s drive to help others goes beyond BC. When he’s not working on innovative water infrastructure projects with clients and colleagues, he serves on the boards of The Engineers’ Club of St. Louis, one of the oldest professional engineering associations in America, and Heat Up St. Louis, a nonprofit that provides financial assistance for utility bills.
