The 2018 Best Firms to Work For: AlixPartners

Consulting Service Lines:  Strategy, IT Turnaround & Restructuring, Financial Consulting

It's been nearly a decade since AlixPartners has been one of the Best Firms to Work For. One would have to go all the way back to 2009 to find the last time the New York-based global consulting  firm was on the list. Of course, that was at the height of the Great Recession when there was so much turnaround and restructuring work to be done. This time around, it's a little different. Oh, there's still plenty of work to be done… it's just that it's not being done in the midst of an all-out crisis this time.

For nearly forty years, AlixPartners has helped respond quickly and decisively to their most critical challenges and tackling situations when time is of the essence is part of the firm's DNA. "These are the moments when everything is on the line—a sudden shift in the market, an unexpected performance decline, a time-sensitive deal, a fork-in-the-road decision. But it's not what we do that makes a difference, it's how we do it," says Don Schneider, Chief People Officer at AlixPartners. "Our approach enables us to help our clients confront and overcome truly future-defining challenges. We are right by their side when it really matters."

Schneider says morale at the firm is high. Doing "when it really matters" work is both challenging and energizing, he says. "We spend a lot of time and effort ensuring that the people who come to work at our firm are very well suited for this type of work," Schneider says. "Our assessment process ensures that the people we hire are both very good at the work we do and that they enjoy it."

The business continues to grow and recruiting top talent at all levels is a priority, Schneider says. "We also are implementing new development programs to ensure that people can advance their careers according to their pace and their priorities," he says. "Our people are our competitive advantage so we continue to develop programs and practices to attract, develop and retain the best."

As far as being a Best Firm to Work For, Schneider says "people at AlixPartners are very proud to work here and proud of the results we achieve for our clients. Being recognized as a Best Firm to Work For is great external recognition of what our people experience every day. It is good to see that others see what a great place it is too."

On the survey, the firm excelled in the areas of client engagement and compensation & benefits. Why is that?

Schneider: "Our results on client engagement are a direct reflection of our culture and how we select our people. We use a proprietary assessment process as part of recruiting and selection. This assessment ensures that the people we hire are highly suited to the type of "when it really matters" consulting work that we deliver to our clients. When it comes to Compensation & Benefits, we have a very comprehensive set of benefits and policies to support our people. We know that our type of consulting can be very challenging. We ask a lot from our people and in return we provide top tier compensation and benefits. This is a key part of the value proposition that attracts and retains people."