The 2018 Best Firms to Work For: Protiviti

Consulting Service Lines: Multiple

Ask Joseph Tarantino, President and CEO of Protiviti, what sets the firm apart and he'll say, without hesitation, culture is the differentiator, and "we continually hone it so that our people want to stay with us and build long-term careers here, where they can thrive in work and life," he says. "I think it comes back to the culture we've built at Protiviti and the way that we put our people first. That empowers them to give their very best as they serve our clients and help them achieve their business goals."

That culture has helped make Protiviti one of the Best Firms to Work For five consecutive years. "We take great pride in our firm and our amazing team of people being recognized as one of the Best Firms to Work For. It gives us a reason to celebrate the special culture we've created together here," he says. "For our people, this recognition reinforces our commitment to each other. We're a team that cares, nurtures and encourages one another to be our very best. Being recognized as a best place to work gives us great confidence that we're making Protiviti the kind of company that we aspire for it to be—one in which every individual can achieve his or her full potential."

Meanwhile, for clients, it communicates that Protiviti people are able to focus on providing exceptional service to them. "Our people are empowered to do work that matters and help make our clients more successful," Tarantino says. "Our people are energized when they are learning, growing and helping our clients reach their goals. 

Tarantino says he continues to see opportunities to help clients prepare for and face disruption in their markets. There are many exciting technologies emerging in today's business environment—things like robotic process automation, blockchain, artificial intelligence and machine learning. "Companies need guidance in how and where to take advantage of these technologies, manage their risks and implement the necessary governance and controls around them," he says.  

On the survey, the firm excelled in the areas of Career Development and Leadership. "We invest significantly in career development, and we focus on helping our people succeed personally and professionally," Tarantino says. "And it's humbling and gratifying that our employees think highly of our firm's leadership team. We seek out feedback from our people and act on it. This open collaboration and communication, from the top down and the ground up helps us to build something truly special together." 

What's the top priority over the next 12 months?

Tarantino: "Companies today don't have the luxury of focusing on one 'top priority.' They're faced with multiple top priorities on a daily basis. The range is broad, too, from keeping their IP safe from bad hackers, managing automation and its impact on their workforce, and keeping up with changing regulations, to operating more efficiently and profitably in a fast-changing world. Cybersecurity is still a top concern for boards and management because it can affect nearly every aspect of a business, up to and including the organization's reputation. Privacy is also a big issue today as companies worldwide are still in the process of complying with the new GDPR regulation."