15. Jabian Consulting
At Jabian Consulting, 2013 was deemed the "Year of the Trusted Advisor" and featured, among other things, interactive training labs and experiences designed to build key consulting skills. Employees participated in activities that advanced each consultant's area of expertise and strengthened his or her relationship development capabilities, says Nigel Zelcer Partner and Co-Founder of Jabian.
It's no wonder the firm returned to the Best Small Firms to Work For list after just a one-year hiatus. And, it's also no wonder that the firm was ranked fourth overall in the area of career development. "Jabian's attention on personal & career development is one of many areas that distinguish it a great place to work," Zelcer says. "Each employee is encouraged to select a Personal Platform, an area of service excellence for which he or she will become famous for both internally and externally. This practice encourages individual expression, professional growth, and innovation."
Employees are coached and mentored by firm Partners and Career Developers on key elements of career success including networking, involvement in professional societies, and a wide range of professional development opportunities. As a result, Jabian continues to see less than a 5 percent voluntary employee churn, far lower than the industry average, which often has rates that are four or five times higher.
Zelcer says morale at Jabian continues to be high as revealed by the annual employee survey. "The Partners of the firm take all feedback from the employee survey very seriously and work to implement as many employee suggestions as possible," he says.
The survey revealed the following programs continue to have meaningful impact to employees: Jabian Cares, the firm's philanthropic arm that contributes time and money to non-profits elected by employees, "Year of…" development series and a No Travel model.
The No Travel policy, no doubt, led to the firm excelling in the Work/Life Balance category on the survey. "The Partners strive to create healthy work / life balance for all employees and their families," he says. "Many consultants openly speak about how for the first time in their careers, they are really enjoying the work they are doing and the people they are working with."
Those are two of the key factors, for sure, that go a long way to Jabian being named one of the Best Firms to Work For. "Being recognized impacts the firm by solidifying our distinct leadership position in the industry," Zelcer says. "Our employees experience a sense of pride when our inclusive, dynamic, community-centered culture is celebrated as a rewarding place to work."
WHAT'S YOUR TOP PRIORITY OVER THE NEXT 12 MONTHS?
Nigel Zelcer, Partner and Co-Founder of Jabian Consulting, says: "The following are top priorities over the next 12 months: Continue to build out a competency model for consultants that provide a roadmap for a successful consulting career. Grow the new offices in Dallas and Charlotte, while allowing for a unique culture to develop in each one. Recognize the thought leadership of the consultants by publishing the second version of the Jabian Journal—a collection of whitepapers written by employees. Continue supporting employees that are involved in professional organizations. Finally, enhance our employee value programs to continue focus on balance."
© Arc, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to TMSalesOperations@arc-network.com. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.