What a difference a few years makes. Or does it? In 2008, Booz Allen Hamilton spun off its commercial business. Then, in 2010, the firm became a public company, posting an annual growth rate of 9.1 percent for Fiscal Year 2011.
Now, with the July 31 expiration of a non-compete agreement related to the spin-off, Booz Allen Hamilton will expand its government-focused consulting business back into the commercial market—according to statements made by Ralph Shrader, Chairman and CEO, on a June earnings call. The firm will once again be targeting commercial clients in financial services, healthcare and energy where it sees strong intersections between commercial and government sectors and into geographies where it already has strong demand.
So, it’s safe to say there’s plenty going on at the 97-year old McLean, Va, firm. “We are off to a strong start as a public company, and we are excited about the future, says Betty Thompson, Senior Vice President of Booz Allen Hamilton. “We have established a clear strategy focused on delivering great client service and growing our business by expanding our business base, capitalizing on strengths in emerging areas and continuing to innovate.”
Now, as a public company, Booz Allen will stay keenly focused on what’s made the firm so successful. “Focusing on the basics—the needs of our clients and our employees—has made our company strong, with the resiliency to excel in today’s environment,” Thompson says.
“The bottom line is this: Booz Allen people are inspired to come to work every day because they know that Booz Allen truly cares. They know that we care about our world, our communities, and our clients. They know that we care about our business, our growth, hiring the best people, and upholding our Core Values.”
Thompson says at Booz Allen, professionals truly find an opportunity to become their best—to do important work, with exceptional colleagues, in a firm dedicated to the spirit of service. In fact, that’s the commitment the firm has written into its Employee Value Proposition, defining those elements as: Excellence at Work, Exceptional People and Spirit of Service.
It’s what helps the firm stay on
Consulting magazine’s Best Firms to Work For list year after year. “Booz Allen continues to be recognized for our commitment to our people on prestigious best places to work lists,” Thompson says. “These recognitions help to validate that our efforts to create a meaningful place to work are paying off.”
Q&AOn the Best Firms to Work For survey, Booz Allen Hamilton scored highest in the areas of Career Development and Client Engagement. Consulting
asked Betty Thompson Senior Vice President why the firm excelled in these areas. Her answer follows.Career Development“Booz Allen offers employees the opportunity to build a career and define success in terms that fulfill their professional aspirations and accommodate their personal circumstances. We offer our staff well-defined career paths, a wide array of tools and programs to actively manage their growth, and a training program so effective that it was inducted into Training magazine’s Hall of Fame.
“In fiscal year 2011, 100 percent of employees participated in one or more internal training courses and 44 percent of employees took advantage of external training opportunities. Nineteen new courses were launched this year. For a professional services firm like Booz Allen, a commitment to developing innovative ideas and the latest technologies is paramount. We empower employees to help navigate their own career progression through a “Take 5” program that provides staff with online resources for discussing career goals with their manager and a dedicated Career Planning team.”
Client Engagement“Booz Allen offers clients deep functional knowledge spanning strategy and organization, technology, engineering and operations, and analytics—which it combines with specialized expertise in clients’ missions and domain areas across defense, intelligence, and civil government to help solve their toughest problems. By combining a consultant’s problem-solving orientation with deep technical knowledge and strong execution, Booz Allen helps clients achieve success in their most critical missions—as evidenced by the firm’s many client relationships that span decades.”
—J.K.
