The 2021 Best Firms to Work For: Collaborative Solutions

Client Industries Served: Financial Services, Professional Services, Retail, Technology, Consumer Goods, Manufacturing, Education & Government, Nonprofit, Healthcare, Insurance

Consulting Service Lines: Strategy, Financial & HCM Consulting

CMAG: How would you say you've managed to stay among the industry's Best Firms to Work For amid these unprecedented times?

From the beginning of the pandemic, we have continued to operate under our core values: People, Collaboration, Knowledge, Balance, and Integrity. We've been consistently living out our core values through initiatives like Town Halls, Huddles, Vlogs, a Virtual Week of Learning, executive written communications, and Balance Days, our mental health initiative that encourages employees to take time for themselves. Employees feel that Collaborative is a unique consulting firm in that work-life balance is not only possible but highly encouraged throughout the organization. Throughout the pandemic, we've seen our competitors take on policies that we've been offering for years. It's incredibly rewarding to be leading the charge on providing work-life balance for our employees. It is because of this that Collaborative continues to be a top workplace across the board. No matter what our employees are going through at home during these unprecedented times, it has become increasingly clear that the Collabie Family is there for one another. We stand together because we know that we are smarter together, balanced together, trusted together, and better together.

CMAG: Were there any specific programs or initiatives (internal or external) that contributed to you being a Best Firm to Work For?

At Collaborative, we prioritize creating an inclusive environment where all employees feel engaged. We have an array of employee initiatives that drive open communication, such as Collabie Convos. These are small group video chats with employees and members of our leadership team where our Collabies have the opportunity to share their feedback and connect with their peers and leaders. During these Collabie Convos, we have discussed a variety of topics, including balancing work and home life, race and discrimination, and the next chapter of the company as the world continues to open. Additionally, Collaborative maintains an open line of communication through our Town Halls, Huddles, and video & written communications from our executive leadership team. One of the most important programs we have grown over the past year is our Diversity and Inclusion Council and Employee Resource Groups (ERGs). Currently Collaborative has seven ERGs: Hue - Collabies of Color, HYPE – Young Professionals, VALOR  - Collaborative's Veterans, active military, and military families, SPECTRUM – Collaborative's LGBTQ+ Community, Women Together – Women of Collaborative, Working Parents Network – Collaborative's Parents & Parents-to-Be. These groups offer an opportunity for employee advocacy and development, as well as a safe space to share experiences.

CMAG: What is unique about your firm? What sets it apart?

Our people are the core of Collaborative Solutions and what set us apart from the competition. As Collaborative grows, it is important to build a diverse company of the best and the brightest in all functional areas. To do so, our recruitment team strives to hire the right people. Recruiters look for candidates who are hardworking, flexible, enjoy a fast-paced environment, have a knack for technology, and will ultimately go above and beyond for their clients and their colleagues. During the interview process, we are not only looking for those who are the best at the job, we are hiring those that make a great addition to our culture as well. We respect and value individuals for their diverse backgrounds, experiences, styles, approaches, and ideas. Collaborative aims to support our employees through their professional development to share in our collective success. Our Collabies continuously make Collaborative Solutions a best place to work.

CMAG:  What's the top priority over the next 6 to 12 months?

As the world continues to deal with the pandemic, we will continue to prioritize maintaining our special and unique familial culture that is the main driver in all business and company decisions. As we continue to work remotely and begin planning our reopening strategy, it is essential that we continue to use creative methods to make all employees feel included and part of the family. This is why we have dedicated programs and tools to bring people together. We also understand that, as the world opens, the fear of burnout rises. In the next few months, we plan to implement a program that allows our employees to work their 80 hours in 9 days, allowing them to take every other Friday off. Recently, we launched a mental health initiative, Balance Days, that encourages employees to take personal time for themselves. Both new programs were established to help our employees avoid burnout and find professional and personal balance. It is our culture that allows us to strengthen connections, which plays a large role in our overall performance and client satisfaction.

CMAG: When you look at the remainder of this year and 2022, what excites you? What opportunities do you see in your markets?

During these unprecedented times, our ecosystem continues to evolve, providing ample opportunities that can be leveraged to build upon our success. At Collaborative, we will continue to capitalize on our global investments, as we are seeing a lot of momentum in global opportunities and multinational companies. We have continued to successfully deploy Workday remotely for multiple clients, proving we are able to serve and empower our clients despite a lack of onsite presence. We have gained expertise in best practices for remote deployments, which will allow us to offer our clients more strategic onsite visits in the future, saving them money and saving our employees from burnout. We look forward to continuing to leverage our virtual capabilities on future deployments.

CMAG:  What impact do you think being a Best Firm to Work For has on the firm? Employees? Clients?

Collaborative Solutions is thrilled to be recognized again as a 2021 Best Firm to Work For by Consulting Magazine. The recognition brings great pride, instills confidence, and boosts morale for our employees and leadership team. It's because of our employees' work ethic, skills, and dedication that we have earned a place on this list, so it's incredibly rewarding to be honored. Being identified again as a Best Firm to Work For by Consulting Magazine demonstrates that we are effectively continuing to grow and improve Collaborative Solutions, despite the impacts of the global pandemic.