The 2021 Best Firms to Work For: Protiviti

Client Industries Served: Financial Services; Technology, Media & Communications; Healthcare; Energy; Consumer Products & Services; Manufacturing & Distribution; Private Equity; Government; and Nonprofit

Consulting Service Lines: All

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

We've been able to give our people the care and support they need to deal with the challenges presented by the pandemic and the technology needed to successfully work remotely. In return, they've shown incredible resilience and commitment to providing our clients with unwavering standards of service. Together, our culture of putting our people first and making sure they're empowered to achieve their goals has meant that as a firm we've stayed strong and focused.

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

The pandemic called for everyone to adapt quickly and I'm proud of our swift and collective transition to remote work. We have protected our workforce, expanded and strengthened our well-being programs, maintained our rewards programs and been able to continue our recruiting, onboarding and training programs virtually. We've increased the number of our employee-driven network groups, helping to connect our new parents, multicultural employees, veterans, LGBTQ and other communities at a time when being connected to each other has never been more important. We've also added more than one thousand new hires over the last 12 months as our business continues to grow at a healthy rate.

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

Our culture can be described as empowered people working together to serve clients in exceptional ways. Our culture is a great asset and competitive differentiator that guides how we get things done daily. We've also built trust with our clients over many years and, based on the strength of these relationships, they have turned to us as a trusted partner to help them tackle the extraordinary business challenges of the last year.

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

Transitioning to the so-called future of work. The consulting industry will increasingly require a hybrid approach to work as a client-service business. This is not a new concept: serving clients has always been a blend of working at client sites, our own offices, on airplanes, and our homes. Because of this foundation, we believe our firm can build upon the historical industry approach, the learnings we have experienced over the past year-and-a-half, and our adoption of the latest technologies. We will continue to have a deep dialog with our clients about their future needs as well as maintaining our ongoing conversation with our people about their needs and concerns.

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

In general, the pandemic has highlighted the need for companies to accelerate their digital transformation plans so that they are better prepared for both market disruption and the crises of the future. Companies are looking to expand their business models to optimize efficiencies, improve the customer experience and automate processes, and their leaders are looking for innovative ways to solve the challenges that are inevitably part of that journey whether they're just beginning or are farther down the road.

As a subsidiary of staffing firm Robert Half, Protiviti is in the unique position of being able to offer managed business solutions and managed technology solutions that combine our consulting skills with Robert Half's specialized staffing resources. Our managed solutions are highly flexible and can scale up or down quickly to suit the client's needs. We expect the strong growth in demand for these service offerings to continue through 2022. I'm also excited by the latest technology developments, such as quantum computing, and the ways in which we can help our clients become more effective and efficient through the adoption of these new technologies. We are also now advising and working with some companies as they begin their transition back to the workplace, whether fully or using a hybrid model.

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

We are always glad to be named to the Consulting magazine list of Best Firms, especially because it's based on the opinions of our people. It reaffirms our sense that our people are engaged and enthusiastic and that the decisions we've made over the last year to support them through an unprecedented year of disruption and change have been the right ones. Our employees tell us they are proud to work for a firm that's recognized in this way, and our clients benefit from collaborating with Protiviti consultants who are highly motivated to deliver success.