There are a few sacred traditions that we hold dear here at DMC: Hawaiian shirt Fridays, the annual company-wide ski trip, LEGO builds and board game nights, to name a few. Right alongside them is a long-standing favorite: welcome parties for our newest hires.
With 43 employees joining DMC since May, this summer has been packed with opportunities to celebrate. Across the country, teams gathered to introduce newcomers to their coworkers, communities, and company culture. Take a look at how our offices welcomed their newest teammates this season.
Welcoming New Hires
DMC places a strong emphasis on onboarding and helping every new employee have their “Best First Day” (BFD). From day one, anyone joining the company can expect a fully prepared workspace, a ready-to-go laptop, an activated key card, and a lunch hosted in their honor.
But the celebration doesn’t stop there, because each employee is also welcomed with a team event designed to help them get to know their colleagues and city. Think escape rooms, happy hours, and city tours; offering new team members an opportunity to build connections from the start while experiencing the fun, community-focused culture that makes DMC unique.
Exploring Architecture in Chicago
In July, members of DMC’s Chicago team took the world-renowned Chicago Architecture Boat Tour. The boat tour starts at the end of the river that opens into Lake Michigan. From there, it travels up the Chicago River while a tour guide points to famous buildings along the riverfront, explaining the year in which they were constructed, their architectural style, architect, and historical significance.
The tour began near the mouth of the Chicago River, where it meets Lake Michigan. From there, the boat traveled along the river as the guide highlighted some of the city’s most iconic buildings, sharing details about when they were constructed, the architectural styles they represent, the architects who designed them, and their historical significance.
This was my second time on the architecture boat tour, but my first time as a Chicago resident. One of my favorite facts that I learned on the tour was about the Boeing Building and how it was designed. Due to the train lines running beneath it, part of the building is suspended in tension and the weight is transferred—I’m not 100% sure how that works form an engineering standpoint, but I thought it was impressive! I love taking part in these opportunities to spend time with people from the office. As someone who isn’t an engineer, it gives me the chance to interact with colleagues I wouldn’t otherwise work with.
– Kaitlyn Heistand
The eras of the buildings run the gamut with some dating to the early 20th Century, like the Wrigley Building, and others built much more recently, like the sleek Apple Store Building sitting in front of the Tribune Tower. There are always a handful of historical facts that stand out on each tour, and each DMC Chicago team member, especially those new to the city, had their own takeaway:
This was my first boat tour and I enjoyed it so much! A favorite fact I learned about was the impact of the Great Fire on Chicago architecture. The fire burnt through a majority of the city, which prompted a flow of transplants–full of architects and engineers who moved here to rebuild our now beautiful city. I found that very fitting especially for DMC, our core values, and the essence of our work projects–to turn challenges into a gorgeous framework of skylines, buildings, and now, the place so many of us call home.
– Mariam Adegbite
Axe Throwing in Denver
Denver found a unique way to welcome one of its newest engineers, Jaron O’Grady, to the team when the office headed to an axe-throwing venue. “We were divided into two teams and competed against each other,” Julia explained. “It was tied most of the time!”
Teammates took turns hurling axes at targets, with points awarded based on accuracy. While everyone had their moments of success, no one on the Denver team will be quitting their day job to become a professional axe thrower anytime soon.
The group also had the chance to try throwing knives, and opinions were evenly split on which activity was more fun. Whatever the preference, the event gave the team a memorable way to spend time together outside the office getting to know Jaron.
A Tiki-Themed Party in Cincinnati
In Cincinnati, the team also took a boat tour, swapping architecture for a tiki theme complete with drinks, music, team bonding, and, of course, Hawaiian shirts. The Cincinnati office wanted to do something original to welcome Rob Orr, who joined the Automation team.
“Everyone got in the spirit! Almost everyone had floral or island-themed shirts, and the boat offered leis and hats, too,” Dylan remembered about the day. The boat took the team up the Ohio River, approaching downtown. They got to see views of the Cincinnati skyline and stopped for food at a waterside restaurant on the way back.
One of my favorite things about working in the Cincy office so far has been how supportive everyone is. Somebody is always there to answer any question or help me with any issue I come across. The best part of the tiki boat was getting to see what my coworkers are like outside of the office and getting to know them all a little better.
– Rob Orr
Hiring Continues This Fall
From architecture cruises and axe-throwing competitions to tiki boat tours on the Ohio River, each welcome party reflected the unique personality of its local office while sharing the same goal: helping new hires build connections from day one. As DMC continues to grow, employee connection remains an important part of what makes our culture special.
Looking ahead, we’re continuing this hiring momentum. In the fall, DMC will be traveling to career fairs and events across the country to meet the next generation of engineers. These events are a great chance to connect with talented students and discuss professional opportunities that define a career at DMC from day one.
Whether we’re welcoming new teammates at a local office event or meeting aspiring engineers on campus, we’re always looking for talented people who are eager to learn, grow, and have fun along the way. We can’t wait to see who the guest of honor at the next welcome party will be.
Interested in being part of a team that values both collaboration and culture?
Discover more about our company culture, what it looks like to start a career with DMC, and our current open positions.