In 2025, Gallup reported that employee engagement hit a 10-year low with only 31% of U.S. employees feeling engaged at work.

That number reflects millions of Americans who feel disconnected from their work and sense of purpose. For organizations, this disconnect shows up in turnover, burnout, and a struggling culture.

 

 

The Missing Link: Community Engagement

Research continues to show that when employees have meaningful opportunities to give back, they feel more connected to their organization and, therefore, more invested in staying, which brings business benefits. When people are part of something bigger than their job, engagement follows.

At Sundt, service has been embedded in our culture since the very beginning. Yet in many organizations, community engagement is still treated as a “nice to have” instead of a vital element of the business strategy.

 

 

Rooted in History

Community engagement is a key part of the Sundt employee experience, and this approach is rooted in our history.

Sundt’s founder M.M. Sundt established service as a core value. He knew that giving back to the community was essential as a responsible business owner. Since then, serving our communities has been a natural part of Sundt culture, and former CEO Doug Pruitt formalized this passion by creating the Sundt Foundation in 1999.

Over the past decade, we further accelerated our impact under the leadership of Mike Hoover. Our giving increased fivefold and today stands at over $20 million given back to the communities where we live and work.

 

 

 

Fulfilling Our Purpose

When I joined Sundt almost three years ago, our strong culture of giving back was immediately clear. The goal quickly became: How can we enable every employee-owner to fulfill their purpose in the community?

We’ve invested in:

• • Expansion to ensure every jobsite and employee are included in our efforts.
  • Diverse volunteering and giving opportunities that reflect the communities where we live and work, completely driven by our employees.
  • New hands-on volunteer program, encouraging us to lend our unique building skills.
  • Centralized volunteer portal, making it easier for employee-owners to find or organize volunteer events.
  • Network of volunteer ambassadors who champion engagement at the local level.
  • Recognition programs like our 100 and 500 Clubs to celebrate individuals reaching milestone volunteer hours.
  • Enhanced board service and committees where employee-owners represent Sundt through quarterly check presentations and community events.

 

The Impact

When we implemented these changes, the results spoke for themselves.

Today, 67% of our employee-owners are engaged in giving or volunteering in their communities. As we continue to survey our workforce, 84% of Sundt employees say that being involved in the community makes them more engaged in their day-to-day work.

Beyond the numbers, we see groups come together for team building and connection. We see employee-owners stepping into leadership roles in their communities, underscoring the pride our teams have in the Sundt Foundation.

Community engagement strengthens culture, connecting people to their purpose, and this sustains engagement.

 

 

What We Do Next

Employee engagement is declining across industries, creating an opportunity to think differently about how we work. Community engagement is one way to meet that moment as a core part of how we build culture and support our people.

For us, this means continuing to listen. We will evolve our programs based on what employee-owners value and create more opportunities to give back.

People want to feel connected to something that matters. Understanding this enables us to build a culture that can thrive into the future.

Learn more about the Sundt Foundation.