The problem

Burns & McDonnell is a leading engineering, architecture, and construction firm. With a large workforce of employee owners and their spouses, the company places a high priority on the health, safety, and productivity of its people. When Burns & McDonnell’s long-term wellbeing partner rolled out major changes to the platform, it alienated a large portion of its workforce and caused widespread frustration with the program's functionality.

There was a massive shift in just how you navigated throughout the portal. Then there was a lot of functionality bugs and glitches that they had not worked out prior to their release. So we were at the brunt of feeling all of those hiccups and challenges with them.

Lauren Dunn, Benefits Section Manage

Navigating to a replacement

As they evaluated new options, the Burns & McDonnell team focused on finding a program they could shape around their culture.

We wanted to make sure that the program we partnered with allowed for some flexibility and we really liked Navigate’s ability to structure the program to match our culture and principles.

Kristin Nieder, Senior Benefits Administrator

Just as important, the team was looking for a partner who could support them through the transition and help ensure the rollout went smoothly from the start.

A smooth transition

Because their employees had just experienced a frustrating platform experience with their previous vendor, Burns & McDonnell placed extra importance on getting the rollout right. That meant working with a partner who could support planning, timing, and communication so the transition felt steady from the start.

Our employees obviously had feelings about the last program and how it went, so we needed to make sure it was ready to go, and the Navigate team did that.

Kristin Nieder

Within the first year, the program quickly gained traction across the workforce, with participation levels exceeding both industry benchmarks and internal expectations.

64%

onboarding rate in 2025, exceeding industry and internal benchmarks

4,501

biometric screenings completed

40%

group challenge completion rate in year one

60%

of eligible employee owners earned an incentive, with 40% earning the maximum incentive

Together, these results gave Burns & McDonnell a stable foundation to rebuild trust in their wellbeing program and drive meaningful engagement across their workforce.