10. Meridian Compensation Partners
This marks the third year running Meridian Compensation Partners has been a Best Small Firm to Work For. Not bad for a firm that hasn't even celebrated its fourth anniversary yet.
"The recognition as a Best Small Firm to Work For provides validation of our goal to have Meridian be the most sought after destination for compensation and corporate governance professionals," says Jim Wolf, Managing Partner of Meridian Compensation Partners. "We strive to develop excellent consultants in a collaborative, teaming environment. Earning this recognition for a third time in our short history helps us deliver our unique value proposition to both consulting professionals and board-level clients across North America."
That value proposition, he says, includes serving clients through a collaborative, teaming approach where each client has a single, accountable advisor who leads a dedicated team of consultants, supported by the full depth and breadth of the firm's resources. "No other firm in our business brings together such a broad array of consultant expertise and the experiences gained from hundreds of very large and diverse client companies for the benefit of each and every client we serve," Wolf says. "We've achieved an important part of our mission in becoming one of the three largest independent executive compensation consulting firms."
But that doesn't mean that Wolf or firm leadership is satisfied. "Staying among the leaders in both size and client satisfaction will take continued investment in new talent, challenging new opportunities for our consultants, and diligence in managing a financially viable and thriving business."
With "compensation" in its brand, it's probably no surprise firm leaders practice what they preach. The Compensation & Benefits category was among their best. However, Meridian actually ranked highest on the survey in the area of Career Development.
"We think we earned this recognition from our associates by investing in the best training and resources for them to serve clients, offering an environment across the firm where associates can work alongside and learn from experienced, board-level consultants in every location, and most importantly by earning people's trust through open, two-way communication," Wolf says.
Ask Meridian consultants what morale is like at their company and they will tell you that it's the absolute best of any small firm, at least as measured by our Best Small Firms to Work For survey.
"The consultants who appreciate our firm the most have typically worked or other firms—often some of the most successful firms in our business," Wolf says.
As for the remainder of the year, Wolf says the firm is heading into the fall with dozens of brand new client engagements. "We look forward to continuing to grow our business at higher rates than what we observe at other boutique firms."
How would you describe morale at Meridian?
Jim Wolf, Managing Partner, says: "Our associates tell us that consultant morale remains very high, in a demanding environment where our clients ask a lot from all of us. Our work environment doesn't feature lots of perks and luxuries—we keep things simple in a focused, collaborative organization where people have robust tools and resources to provide great service to clients. We show associates our appreciation for those efforts through fair compensation, and perhaps more importantly, rapid development, opportunities and respect as a consulting professional."
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