‘Crushing it’ is all in a day’s work for Power Design’s head of comms

A conversation on making employees feel truly valued.

By Diane Schwartz, CEO of Ragan Communications. 

At Power Design, the mantra “work hard/play hard” isn’t just a slogan — it’s a full-on cultural strategy. Jenna Greco, the company’s director of communications and culture, is at the helm of some of the most inventive employee recognition programs in the industry.

From the “Crushed It” initiative that celebrates project milestones, to the ACE Awards for those answering the call of excellence, to the points-based “rave” platform for peer-to-peer shoutouts and even a coveted annual truck giveaway for top field leaders, Power Design’s 2,800-strong workforce is immersed in a culture that values success, fun and a good dose of flair. That includes the occasional appearance by a gorilla mascot.

It’s no surprise that Jenna also brings rigor to her role as a communications leader. “If it’s not in Asana, it’s not happening,” she says with a smile, testament to her project management chops and the operational excellence that underpins the company’s dynamic culture.

Jenna recently shared Power Design’s approach to employee engagement during a session with Ragan’s Communications Leadership Council, of which Power Design is a member. In a follow-up conversation, we explored how she and her 18-person team, reporting into the Chief People & Culture Officer, help power the $1.4 billion design-build contractor’s thriving workplace.

And while many companies are still reeling from tariff-driven supply chain disruptions, Power Design’s early investment in in-house manufacturing has given them a competitive edge — and freed up Jenna and her team to focus on what they do best: making work a place people actually want to be.

Origin Story

DIANE: How’d you get here? Share some significant stops along your journey as director of communications and culture at Power Design.
JENNA: I started in social media marketing, managing the main social media channels for my alma mater, the University of South Florida. From there, I was a marketing manager at an international software company, before moving into internal communications at my current company.

NYC Jobsite

Leadership

DIANE: Of all your leadership skills, what’s the one you lean on most to run an effective team?
JENNA: Clarifying expectations through process documentation, clear delineation of responsibilities, transparent communication, and an open-door policy for questions and support. I’m a fiend for SOPs, SLAs, skills matrixes and workflows – I believe it’s the foundation for any high-volume, high-quality communications function.

When everyone clearly knows what is expected of them, we can collectively work faster and produce more, while minimizing errors, maintaining trust and providing value.

DIANE: Mentoring is a top priority for you – what are some ways you’re helping the next generation of communicators?
JENNA: I believe in helping people find the right fit, even if it’s not within my team. We leave the door open for growth conversations to understand our team members’ interests, skills and goals and then work with them to potentially give them stretch assignments, adjust their responsibilities, or even find an alternative role within the organization that best suits them and what they bring to the table.

DIANE: For women in leadership roles, there’s been slow, but steady progress, with small percentages of women in leadership roles and board roles. What are some tangible ways to speed up change?
JENNA: Invite your female team members to the table, even if it’s just to be a fly on the wall. Let them shadow you in meetings they wouldn’t normally have access to and then talk to them about what was discussed in the meeting. You’ll not only be teaching them something new, but giving them visibility into the organization. It can be hard to carve out time for mentoring, so I like to find teaching moments in my existing whirlwind.

Culture

DIANE: Power Design does an outstanding job rewarding and motivating employees. You celebrate big! Tell us about Crushed It and other programs.
JENNA: We have an entire team dedicated to recognizing and rewarding our employees for their accomplishments. From our virtual recognition platform where employees can turn points into prizes, to our Crushed It program that celebrates project success across safety, customer satisfaction and financials, to Moments that Matter, a program that supports employees during both difficult and exciting personal moments, we try to support and celebrate the whole employee.

SOURCE (HR Team) team brought the energy to the Pirates and Pitmasters event.

DIANE:Any surprises in which rewards resonate the most with employees?

JENNA: Personalized recognition from leadership still goes a long way with employees. Knowing their leaders see their hard work, and being recognized directly for it – even if it’s a simple thank you card – makes such a difference. Oh, and swag – people love free shirts!

The Work

DIANE: Power Design was named a USA Today Top Workplace. What are some ways you’ve created a dynamic work culture, in addition to the rewards and recognition?
JENNA: We take a 360 approach to culture, with dedicated teams for the pillars we know fuel our teams. Our Wellness team keeps our team members healthy and strong with an on-site fitness center, mental health resources, nutrition workshops, personal training and more. Our Learning & Development team invests millions in our employees’ continued growth each year through leadership programs, fundamentals training and a top-notch week-long onboarding experience at our headquarters. And our Events team creates next-level experiences to celebrate our teams all year long, to name a few.

DIANE: Those are great ways to demonstrate the value of comms to the bottom line. What are some other ways you’re showing impact?
JENNA: We conduct an annual third-party engagement survey. Year over year, communications continues to be one of the top five highest scoring categories across the employee experience.

DIANE: This year’s a challenging one for many communicators as they lead through uncertainty. What are some ways you’re able to keep employees upbeat, and productive?
JENNA: We take a solutions-focused approach to our communications. Instead of focusing on the external factors that we cannot control, we share the practical, tangible steps we’re taking as a company to protect our business and employees from risk. Whether that’s diversifying our vendor portfolio or opening our own manufacturing facility, we have an open door to ideas that reduce risk and help us grow.

Self

DIANE: Take us through your typical workday.

JENNA: I always start with a hot cup of green tea – I use it as a little self-care moment to help me set intentions for the day. From there, it’s reviewing my inbox and Asana task list for upcoming deadlines, connecting with my team on what they need, and off to the races with meetings.

DIANE: Share one work hack that works for you.
JENNA: I live by the unread function – emails, Teams messages, text messages. If I need to address it, it’s staying unread until I get it done.

DIANE: Take us through a typical weekend day.
JENNA: We like to kick off our mornings with a walk around the neighborhood with our dog, Cooper. Then it’s off for a morning activity with my 3-year-old daughter, Winnie – you can usually find us at the zoo. Then, back home for naptime (and house chores for Mom and Dad). Usually ending the day with dinner with family or friends.

Jenna and her family at Tower Bridge in London.

Other Tidbits

Hometown
Tampa, Florida

First job:
Staff writer for my college newspaper, The Oracle. I didn’t get my first job until college because I was so involved in extracurriculars throughout high school (show choir, theatre and cheerleading).

Favorite TV show::
We’re more of a TV family these days – hard to commit to watching something for two hours with a toddler! My favorite comfort show is “The Office.” More recent favorites have been “Shrinking,” “Bad Sisters,” “The Studio,” “Platonic,” “Bad Monkey.” I love a good comedy – there’s enough bad in the real world!

Best Advice:
My parents always encouraged me to stand up for what I believe in. As a kid, that was more about doing the right thing or being nice. While those simpler definitions still ring true today, I try to apply that advice in a more nuanced way in professional settings, too. That might look like advocating for my team, giving the unpopular opinion because it needs to be said, fighting for projects and technology for the greater good of the company.

Worst Advice:
Stay in your lane. Forget that! Get out of your lane, ask questions, be curious. Communicators naturally think holistically because we have to consider all angles, questions, and concerns our audiences may have in order to deliver relevant, impactful content. Take that thinking outside of your lane – we need more of that in our businesses!

Industry Mentor:
Stephanie Harff, associate vice president at the University of South Florida.

Stephanie was my college mentor. She taught me everything from branding and content calendars, to how to run meetings and take care of your team. Before I graduated, she sat each intern down and made us apply for imaginary roles, create resumes and do interviews. She also indirectly taught me about building a strong team – two of my fellow interns under her are still my closest friends today. Stephanie took the time to prepare us for the real world – and I still go to her to this day for any major career advice.

To all Wonder Women: If you’re looking to connect with other women leaders in communications, consider joining us for the next Ragan’s Business Summit & Retreat in September 2025: Details are here.

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