The 2022 Best Firms to Work For: Collaborative Solutions, LLC

Client Industries Served: Financial Services, Professional Services, Retail, Technology, Consumer Goods, Manufacturing, Education & Government, Nonprofit, Health Care, and 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?

Our core values at Collaborative Solutions of People, Collaboration, Knowledge, Balance, and Integrity continue to guide us. To stay among the industry's Best Firms to Work For, we believe that it starts with putting our People first. Initiatives like Town Halls, Huddles, internal newsletters, and events like our Virtual Week of Learning, Culture Clubs, Autism Speaks Charity Walk, and companywide Volunteer Week, keep our Collabie family connected and engaged. In a virtual world, it's important to establish programs and events that will foster connections among our Collabies. Programs like Balance Days and Flex Fridays encourage employees to focus on their mental health and work-life balance. More than 54% of our workforce has enrolled in our Flex Fridays program, which has provided our employees with a more enriched work-life balance. This year, we are launching a part-time pilot program to better accommodate employees who want the flexibility to prepare for life events. These programs are designed to provide employees with more opportunities to find balance in their professional and personal lives. In addition, Collaborative has bolstered our benefits to support our employees through every stage of life. We've made improvements to our fertility coverage, enhanced medical, vision, and disability insurance plans, and added loss of pregnancy to our bereavement time off policy. Additionally, Collaborative is proud to have made progress toward ensuring our benefits are inclusive for all employees. We enhanced our medical plans to provide even more comprehensive coverage for the gender affirmation journey. Collaborative understands the importance that additional procedures can have for an individual's authenticity and capability to express the gender that matches their identity Throughout the pandemic, we've seen organizations begin to offer policies and adapt procedures that we have been proud to offer for years. We are determined to continue listening to and implementing feedback from our employees. It is with our Collabies continued feedback and efforts that allow Collaborative to remain a top workplace.

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 strive to create an inclusive environment where all employees feel comfortable engaging. Through initiatives like our Collabie Awards Program, Collabie Spotlight, Feedback Friday, and Collabie Champions, employees are recognized by each other for their accomplishments. These programs help drive camaraderie and allow our employees to celebrate each other. To celebrate and reward our employees' dedication and tenure at Collaborative Solutions, employees who reach their 5 and 10-year anniversaries receive a gift of recognition. For an employee's 5-year anniversary, they have the option to choose a luxury gift or donation to a charity of their choosing, and for a 10-year anniversary, employees receive $5000 to go on their dream vacation. We value our employees' commitment to shaping our unique Collabie culture. Additionally, our Collabie Convos program and Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) foster open communication with peers and leaders to discuss a variety of topics. Collaborative currently 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, Families@Work – Collaborative's parents and caretakers, and Mind Matters – Collaborative's Mental Health. These groups offer a safe space to share experiences, build relationships, and develop initiatives to enhance diversity and inclusion. Each ERG participates in various areas of networking, volunteerism, and community outreach. Our employees continue to be a force for change in our organization and in our local communities. In addition, we are continuing to implement feedback from our employees to improve our employees' experience. Based on that feedback, this year Collaborative has lowered family medical costs, increased the medical and vision plan options, enhanced fertility coverage and financial support, and launched a part-time pilot program.

CMAG: What's unique about your firm? What sets it apart?

We are smarter together, balanced together, trusted together, and better together. Our employees at Collaborative Solutions set us apart from the competition. We all have a shared interest in making our workplace an inclusive and productive place to be. To do so, our recruiting team strives to hire people who fit our culture. Recruiters look for candidates who are flexible, enjoy collaborating in a fast-paced environment, have a knack for technology and want to improve outcomes for their clients. We respect and value individuals for their diverse backgrounds, experiences, styles, approaches, and ideas. Collaborative aims to create a people development environment where employees feel the autonomy to drive their own career path. Our Collabies continue to 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 navigate the pandemic and remote work, it is essential that we continue to use creative methods to make all employees feel engaged, balanced, and connected. We understand that, as the world reopens, the fear of burnout rises. In the next few months, we plan to pilot a part-time program for employees who have requested to participate. Recently, we launched a new Employee Resource Group (ERG) called Mind Matters. It was established to develop, maintain, and foster positive mental health and wellness in a safe and supportive environment. Collaborative is fully committed to its core value of Balance, so it was important to Collaborative to establish an ERG that provides a safe space to check in on mental health and work-life balance. Both programs help our employees prioritize finding their professional and personal balance. Additionally, to ensure our Collabies feel engaged and connected we've begun to reinstate our global Culture Clubs. These clubs are designed to offer opportunities for local employees to gather for fun activities, build relationships and strengthen connections. It is our goal to continue to find innovative ways to ensure our employees feel engaged, balanced, and connected. Our special and unique familiar culture is a main driver in all business decisions, and we look forward to strengthening our connections through these initiatives.

CMAG: When you look at the remainder of this year and 2023, what excites you? What opportunities do you see in your future?

During these unprecedented times, our ecosystem continues to evolve, providing unique opportunities to build upon our success. At Collaborative, we will continue to capitalize on our global investments, as we are seeing momentum in global opportunities and multinational companies. We have continued to successfully deploy Workday remotely for multiple clients as a valued partner, despite a lack of onsite presence. Our gained expertise in remote deployment best practices allows us to offer strategic onsite visits in the future, saving our clients' money and protecting our employees from burnout. With increased remote work in post-pandemic life, community is paramount. Providing an option for team members to join or create community at work is essential to our Collabies' mental and professional health. We look forward to continuing to leverage our virtual capabilities and communities to improve our client and employee experiences.

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

Collaborative Solutions is honored to be recognized again as a 2022 Best Firm to Work For by Consulting Magazine. This award brings great pride, instills confidence, and boosts morale for our employees and leadership team. It's because of our employees' dedication, skills, and support that we have earned a place on this list. As we plan for 2023, we remain committed to listening and implementing employee feedback into our benefits, procedures, and policies. When it comes to our employees, we respect and value individuals for their diverse backgrounds, experiences, styles, approaches, and ideas. We aim to support them through their professional development to share in our collective success. Being identified again as a Best Firm to Work For by Consulting Magazine demonstrates that we are continuing to grow and improve our operations on a global scale, despite the changing landscape of the industry.

CMAG: Thank you, and congratulations.