After a two-year hiatus, PRTM is once again back on the Best Firms to Work For list, and Scott Hefter, PRTM's global managing director, is sure happy about it. "It is quite an honor. Our consultants are incredibly talented individuals, so being a values-based, great-culture firm is critical for us to deliver in the marketplace. Our clients demand the best and the brightest and, as such, being a great firm to work for is critical and core to PRTM's overall business strategy," Hefter says. "So when that's reflected in PRTM's being recognized as a Best Firm to Work For, we all feel a strong sense of pride."
One of the keys to the firm's recent resurgence, Hefter says, is decision made during the downturn. While the economy weakened, PRTM made investments in strengthening its team, not the least of which was hiring top talent, integrating new members into the global team, training and developing at all levels, he says.
"It would be difficult to say which of these investments have had the greatest impact, but we're confident all played a role in supporting, encouraging, and strengthening the global PRTM team," Hefter says. "The pervasive feeling within our global team is one of excitement and energy, as our client engagements provide the type of opportunity that allows everyone to make a difference."
Meanwhile, while markets have turned on their heads, clients need to adapt quickly to the opportunities and challenges presented, Hefter says. "That's good news for the consulting industry, and we feel it's particularly good news for PRTM, as creating value through business and operating model innovations is our focus."
That type of client work is undoubtedly one of the reason PRTM consultants gave the firm high marks for the client work the firm is engaging in right now. Hefter says the firm seeks balance by aligning people's professional development goals with the industry value chain and global opportunities we are able to provide through its engagements.
That way, he says, "whether someone is focused on growing their industry expertise, or working on global projects, we are able to accommodate that desire. Because of our focus on operational strategy, our team has more opportunity than ever."
Staying true to what PRTM does best has also lifted the firm to new heights, Hefter says. "We promise deep understanding of the specific industry issues our clients face. We promise applicable experience in the operational core areas that make up an enterprise. And we promise world-class proprietary methodologies and techniques for driving innovation that creates value," he says. "This combination of industry, operational, and methodological richness gives our clients and employees opportunities that are unmatched."
Q&A with Scott Hefter
On the survey, PRTM excelled in the areas of The Job and Culture. We asked Scott Hefter, PRTM's global managing director, why he thinks the firm scored so high in these areas.
The Job
The work PRTM does has tremendous impact for the largest and most innovative organizations in the world. We're working with the highest levels of management to drive significant value, whether the clients' goals are growth or profitability, through changing the way our clients operate. So we're driving changes in their business models, the way they make money, as well as their operational models, that is, how they are organized to deliver products and services. That makes for some exciting and challenging client engagements!
Culture
But the only way we can be successful at driving that value is through flawless execution—the right strategy by itself is not enough. And that's where the culture of PRTM comes in. We have a low partner-to-consultant ratio, we hire from the best MBA programs as well as seasoned industry executives, and among PRTM's core values is the notion of being a meritocracy. In addition, our global partners are truly one team—we share team members on client engagements to ensure we have just the right combination of industry, operational, and methodological experience for the clients' goals. So we go well beyond giving lip service to being a team-oriented culture. We provide the mentoring, opportunities, and knowledge sharing that we don't believe can be found at any other consulting firm.
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