At AECOM, Bernie Knobbe builds personal connections within a global workforce

After 41 years in benefits, Bernie Knobbe's love for the industry remains stronger than ever. 

As AECOM's head of global benefits and well-being, Knobbe has a knack for both business and people. A former accounting major, the benefits field is where Knobbe has been able to merge his interest in business (particularly mergers and acquisitions) and communications. Handling AECOM's global workforce of over 50,000 employees is no easy feat, but for Knobbe, it's a world of constant change and excitement. 

"We get involved with everything across the organization related to benefits," says Knobbe. "It is a great way to be a part of everything that's going on — the good and the bad."

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While AECOM employees are located in over 40 countries, Knobbe is known for forging personal connections, whether as a mentor or friend. Be it through surveys or sitting in on employee resource group (ERG) meetings, Knobbe believes that it's important to personally check in with his peers, so his team can begin to learn about and address gaps. His team has set up local HR hubs throughout AECOM's global workplaces, such as those in India or Canada, to take a more specific view of their benefit strategies. 

"It's challenging to know exactly what's happening in other parts of the world when you're sitting here in the States," he says. "We created three different committees for our well-being program, where we bring all the regions' representatives together and talk about what they're doing."

One area that's impacted employees worldwide is mental health. To address these concerns, Knobbe led the 2022 launch of AECOM's Global Mental Health Allies Network, a group of over 50 trained AECOM volunteers who help employees in need of emotional support. During the pandemic, Knobbe noticed that many of his colleagues were isolated and struggling to adjust. Today, 84% of AECOM employees say that they feel that they have the proper workplace support system for their mental health needs. Knobbe envisions the Allies Network not just as a resource to grapple with big crises, but the challenges of day-to-day life. 

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Inclusivity and optimism are key for Knobbe's approach. Striving for a more positive world is necessary to achieve better outcomes, Knobbe says. In his own life, kindness from others has helped him advance professionally. He emulates this attitude as the executive sponsor for AECOM's LGBTQ ERG, not only providing leadership, but also educating the group about benefits and programs for their specific needs. 

"To me, the difference between being successful and being really successful in benefits is being able to tell a story about the journey you've been on," he says. "If you can do that, you can create a lot of value."