The 2022 Best Firms to Work For: Spaulding Ridge

Client Industries Served: Business Services, Construction, Real Estate, Consumer Products and Retail, Finance, Insurance, High Tech, Hospitality, Life Sciences, Health Care, Logistics, Transportation, Manufacturing, Oil & Gas, Utilities

Consulting Service Lines: Technology Consultants

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

All Business is Personal has been the motto of our organization since the beginning, and our success is grounded in everyone in our organization really living those words. The strong relationships we develop with clients improves the service we deliver in several ways, but, and this is a key differentiator here, we also value the relationships between people within the organization. Employees who feel valued day in and day out are excited to come to work, and they bring their best and most creative selves into the office. Leaning into this personal approach has been key to our success.

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

Spaulding Ridge has launched several internal initiatives that have fostered a great culture and working experience, with DE&I, professional development, and ongoing transparency playing major roles.

Consulting is thankfully a much more diverse field now than when I got my start in business, so we have multiple groups focused on growing our company's diversity and making sure individuals of any gender, ethnicity, sexuality, and background are valued.

Similarly, we want to provide quality professional development to all our bandmates, provide the support they need to elevate their career, so we've invested heavily in professional development and have curated our own professional development curriculum.

We also do as much as we can to be honest with our employees about the state of the company and what it means for them through all hands calls and regular video messages – and that transparency is an integral part of the firm as a whole.

And finally, I'd argue that our overall approach to service and delivery makes us a better firm to work for. While consultants have the chance to work for all kinds of firms that keep them pigeonholed into a certain kind of service or certain technology, we encourage our team members to see the bigger picture, to think about business and industry challenges, and to build expertise that goes beyond implementing software. What's unique about your firm? What sets it apart?

One major difference is that our people truly embody our values. When we founded Spaulding Ridge, we knew we didn't want to be like other firms—the kind that post generic values on their website, and hang posters on office walls, but it's nothing more than that, no accountability. Fostering a strong culture is something that permeates everything we do, from hiring and promotion decisions to yearly reviews to every All Band Call we host.

We dedicate 20 hours per employee per year in our communities across the globe, are always striving to streamline services, and are dedicated to keeping all business personal – and clients have come to expect that mentality when we partner with them. They're continually impressed by the breadth of our services and expertise of our consultants, but it's the full package – including the company support for each employee and our value-focused mindset – that tips the scales to provide superior value.

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

Our top priority for the next year is simply to do what we've always done, what we were built upon: provide our clients with the best cloud advisory, implementation, and supportive services so they can focus on doing what they do best.

When we put our values first, when we provide good service to our clients, and when we work hard, everything else will fall into place. We'll continue to grow, and our bandmates will continue to love working here.

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

When most companies look at an uncertain market, like the one ahead of us right now, they're most worried about being blindsided by something they didn't expect or being caught flat-footed when things inevitably shift.

Our clients are counting on us to help them predict and prepare for just that, and we're looking forward to really showing people how valuable business transformation is and what it truly means to have integrated software to make better business decisions.

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

Receiving this award is a testament to the quality of our bandmates' work and the ingrained dedication we all have to our clients. We're all truly honored to be named among all of these fantastic organizations. We also hope this award resonates with both our current and prospective clients, reaffirming that Spaulding Ridge is an all-around great firm to partner with.

CMAG: Thank you, and congratulations!