The 2023 Best Firms to Work For: SEI

Client Industries Served: Automotive &Transportation, Consumer Products, Leisure & Hospitality, Retail & E-Commerce, Utilities, Media & Entertainment, Professional Services, Financial Services, Government & Higher Education, Health Care & Life Sciences

Consulting Service Lines: Concept to Delivery, Data &Analytics, Strategy & Operations, Technology Enablement, Security & Compliance

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

We've managed to stay a Best Firm to Work For over the years by continuing to focus on our culture and placing the focus on our employee-owners (every employee is provided the opportunity to earn ownership) well-being and satisfaction. Although we have been through some tough and challenging times in recent years, we have not let that affect the focus of our business – our employees. We strive to make our company an important aspect of our employee-owners' lives, rather than just an asset from which to make a living.

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

Over the past few years, we have been focusing on the overall health and well-being of our employees. It is important that our employees feel supported in their mental, physical, spiritual and emotional health journeys. We recently partnered with Excellence Wellness Solutions to help provide resources as well as various workshops to improve our employees' lifestyles and promote overall well-being. Understanding that everyone has different needs has been a key factor in the programming of our wellness initiatives.

As part of our focus on our employee-owners, we continue to embed Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging in all the pillars of our business. This has been a priority of ours for several years. We encourage our employees to bring their authentic selves to work every day and add their own, unique touches to deliverables. With this holistic approach, our efforts are being driven by each of our team members to make this company unique. As we continue to grow, we have increased our efforts and focus on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEI&B) with added assistance from a DEI&B

Executive in Residence who serves as our Chief Diversity Officer. We feel that having a dedicated resource that can be imbedded into our culture, has a greater impact on our overall efforts of being a diverse and welcoming workplace.

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

We say this every year, but our employee ownership model is what makes us unique and sets us apart from the rest. We do not have the traditional ESOP. Our employees have material ownership in the company and are therefore encouraged to act like owners and be involved in all aspects of the business.

In fact, we vet for owner mentality in our interview process. Our company is always growing, but that growth does not change the core values of who we are. Our employees are our family, and we strive to keep that culture in all aspects of what we do.

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

Our biggest priority over the next 6-12 months is to focus on business development, account expansion, and strengthening our client relationships all while ensuring our culture remains strong and the foundation of our firm. We want to remain disciplined in our core objectives to enhance the growth and network surrounding SEI and what we offer. To prioritize these efforts, we are focusing on cross company collaboration, streamlined processes, and investing in assets that support our long-term goals.

CMAG: When you look at the remainder of this year and 2024, what excites you? What opportunities do you see in your markets?

With the remaining few months of 2023 as well as 2024, what truly excites me is to take a step back and see how far we've come through the challenges and adversity. We are a stronger and more focused firm than ever before. Remembering to celebrate the big (and small) wins, focusing on what we have accomplished, and staying committed to our employees is what will make this year-end on a high note. We have many exciting opportunities to focus on now and into 2024. We have opened three new markets that are less than 2 years old – Charlotte, Nashville and Seattle. We have added many exciting and fascinating employee-owners to the SEI family and integrating them into the firm is our biggest opportunity. Lastly, we have seen an uptick in demand as we continue to focus on the needs of our clients.

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

Being a Best Firm to work for is amazing! It is a chance to be recognized for the hard work and continued efforts of our employee-owners. Being a Best Firm to Work For allows our employees to feel seen and heard, especially since they have ownership in the company. Our employees celebrate these accomplishments on a personal level, and it provides a sense of well-being knowing that their work is meaningful. I also think an award like this speaks volumes to our team culture and the true dedication our employees give to this company. Our firm wouldn't be what it is without our clients, which in turn wouldn't be successful without the backbone of our firm – the employee-owners. Our clients routinely congratulate us on being recognized by Consulting Magazine and this award provides another piece of evidence to them that our consultants are happy and therefore will be in the preverbal fighting hole for the duration. The recognition speaks to the quality of our people and our firm. This award is a true honor to all, especially given the companies included on this list.