4) Slalom Consulting
Slalom Consulting continues its climb up the Best Firms to Work For ranking all way to No. 4. Last year, the firm was No. 6, (and it was No. 10 in 2010). John Tobin, National General Manager of Slalom Consulting, says a big reason for the rise in morale—and the rankings—is because Slalom leadership listens to its employees.
Case in point: Within the last 12 months, Slalom has increased its PTO policy, removed individual limits on training for each consultant, and created several innovation groups across the company that encourage consultants to take time to work on something they believe is a great idea. And 'SuperConnect,' the new product division, recently turned one of those ideas into a product.
The firm also established and rolled out an Employee Value Proposition (EVP), Tobin says, which is based on direct employee feedback regarding how Slalom balances its culture and values with our growth. "It explains that we believe we have grown and succeeded because of our culture and core values, and that as we grow it is paramount to continue to embrace and celebrate those areas," he says.
Slalom has a local model backed by a series of national teams supporting local markets. Within this model, the firm has a no unwanted travel policy, which also is a big plus, he says.
Of course, Slalom's growth is as well. The firm opened New York and Hartford, Conn. offices in 2011 and a Boston office in April. And plans are in place to open Minneapolis and Houston offices in the next eight months, he says. "By the end of 2012, we will have realized another year of amazing growth. We will have over 2,000 employees and our estimated revenue for 2012 will be $375 million. We see no signs of slowing down in 2013. It's a great time to be at Slalom."
And Tobin says Being a Best Firm to Work For has become a consistent reminder that the firm is doing the right things for employees. "We simply believe that by treating our employees well and creating an excellent experience, including a great balance in their lives, they will be even more focused on doing amazing work for our clients," Tobin says. "This recognition validates our model and is very rewarding for our leadership team and the entire organization."
Q&A: What sets Slalom Consulting apart from your competitors?
John Tobin, National General Manager, says: "Slalom Consulting was founded on the premise of taking some of the best attributes of different types of consulting organizations and blending it into a model which gives back to its core constituents: consultants, clients, and community. We considered what life is like as an employee or a client of a large consulting company, small boutique, or even as an independent consultant.
Through our growth and success, our purpose remains the same–to create a differentiated consulting experience that scales. Many consulting companies have started out with a similar culture and a set of core values, but then drifted away from them as they grew. For whatever reason, their priorities changed. Our purpose is to buck that trend and never go away from our core values and culture, and to grow and prosper because of this. It is literally our strategy to manage and nurture our culture while we grow and mature. Needless to say, our future is very exciting."
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