Nine straight years of recognition shows a culture built on the same principles Kuder helps millions of people apply to their own careers
ADEL, Iowa – September 27, 2026 – Kuder, Inc., a national provider of custom career planning and workforce development solutions, has been named a 2026 Top Workplace by The Des Moines Register. This is the ninth consecutive year Kuder has earned the award. The recognition is based only on anonymous employee feedback gathered through a survey by Energage, the research partner behind Top Workplaces.
Throughout the past nine years of consecutively being recognized as a Top Workplace, Kuder has kept its culture strong through growth, changing technology and a shifting workforce, and employees have said so again and again.
“Our mission is helping people find work that fits who they are, and we hold ourselves to that same standard,” said Connor Harrington, CEO. “Nine straight years of this recognition means a lot because it comes directly from our employees. It reflects our entire company’s buy in for prioritizing career development and finding your best-fit career in a company aligned with your work values.”
Kuder’s work is built on a foundational idea: people do their best work when their roles match their interests, skills and values. Kuder applies that same thinking inside its own walls. Here are five practices from the career development field that shape its culture, and that any employer can adopt.
Careers aren’t decided once. Interests change, skills grow and goals shift. Kuder encourages regular conversations about growth, not just a yearly review, so employees can reassess where they are and where they want to go.
Kuder employees take the same kinds of assessments the company provides to students and job seekers. The results help them understand their interests, strengths and values, and map out where they want their careers to go. They also show how each person works best with others. Teams use these insights to communicate better, divide work according to strengths, and appreciate the different ways colleagues approach problems.
Employees stay when they can see a future. Visible career pathways make growth feel achievable. So do stretch assignments, internal mobility and skill-building opportunities, whether the move is upward or sideways into a new area.
Kuder’s professional development division, the Institute for Career Advising & Development (ICAD), hosts lunch-and-learns where employees work through the same reflection and career planning exercises that ICAD offers its partners. These sessions also lay the groundwork for clearer career conversations and reviews. Together, these efforts help employees buy into the larger vision.
“People are most engaged when they can see how their work makes a difference,” said Paige McDonough, MEd, CCC, GCDF, Senior Director of Career Development at Kuder. “Every day, our team knows that what we build helps a student find direction, a job seeker take the next step, or a worker build skills for a new opportunity. That sense of purpose is built into what we do, and it’s a big reason people choose to stay and grow here.”
Kuder is always looking for people who share its mission. Explore open roles at kuder.com/about/careers/.
Top Workplaces recognizes organizations that build people-first cultures, based on confidential employee survey data gathered by Energage. Winners are chosen solely from employee feedback.
Kuder, Inc. is headquartered in Adel, Iowa. Kuder is a trusted partner in custom career development and talent management solutions, delivering innovative technology and services backed by over 30 years of expertise. Learn more at kuder.com.
Table of Contents
