The 2018 Best Firms to Work For: Pariveda

Consulting Service Lines:  IT Consulting, Strategy, Business Consulting 

Bruce Ballengee, CEO and Founder of Pariveda Solutions, says it's an honor to be named as a Best Firm to Work For and as Pariveda continues to grow year after year, this award confirms that Pariveda continues to stay true to its core values and mission to grow people towards their highest potential.

It's three years running as one of the Best Firms to Work For for the Dallas-based Strategy and IT firm. "We are having another record-breaking year over year performance as a firm this year. We have growth opportunities for all of our employee's in all our markets," Ballengee says. "We're continuing to expand into more cities, including international ones, as we invest in building greater market share in each of the cities where we already have offices."

It's not surprising then that Ballengee says morale at the firm is very high and climbing. The high morale stems from the firm's commitment to transparency across a number of areas, he says. Salaries are published and completely transparent at all levels within the organization and employees at the same cohort level are paid the same salary. Pariveda's Chief Operating Officer sends weekly e-mails that include financial results. 

Meanwhile, the unique performance-review process offers 360-degree feedback and is a qualitative (not quantitative) approach. "Employees are reviewed against the same codified set of expectations, not against other employees," he says. "Transparency is also a factor in our open office spaces that promote collaboration and encourage interaction between our people."

Pariveda has embarked on two programs that contribute to the firm's high morale. One of Pariveda's strategic initiatives is adopting Holacracy, which is a decentralized system of governance that distributes accountability and decision-making authority to many teams accomplishing work across the firm. The other is the Diversity + Inclusion + Equity initiative to ensure safety and respect in the workplace, including education on unconscious bias. "Inclusion is a choice as to how we make everyone feel like they belong, he says. "Equity is an approach that ensures everyone has access to the same opportunities. How well we do these will determine our future." 

On the survey, Pariveda excelled in the areas of: 1) Compensation & Benefits; and 2) Career Development. Career Development is foundational to the firm, Ballengee says. "It is why our people join Pariveda and why they stay. As Pariveda grows, we continue to live our mission to grow every individual to their highest potential and our belief that human development should be available to everyone, not a chosen few."

What's unique about your firm? 

Ballengee: "Since Pariveda's inception, our unique business model is a sustainable alternative to conventional professional services. We strive to be a different kind of firm, unwavering in our commitment to growing the individual towards their highest potential. Pariveda is an employee-owned company designed with an ESOP, which provides the company's workforce with an ownership interest in the company. Not only does Pariveda not have an exit strategy, but there are no sales incentives, salary negotiations or outcome-based performance evaluations. Pariveda is well ahead of most organizations with respect to pay equity having been architected from the beginning with a transparent salary structure, including complete parity for employees at a given level and the absence of any discretionary pay."