The 2024 Best Firms to Work For: Slalom

CLIENT INDUSTRIES SERVED: Financial Services, Heath Care, Life Sciences, Manufacturing & Mobility, Media & Communications, Public & Social Impact, Resources, Retail & Consumer Goods, Technology

CONSULTING SERVICE LINE: Strategy, Operations Management, HR, IT, and Financial Consulting

Slalom is a next-generation professional services company creating value at the intersection of business, technology, and humanity. With our fiercely human approach, we deeply understand our customers—and their customers—to deliver practical, end-to-end solutions that drive meaningful impact. Backed by over 700 technology partners, our nearly 12,000 team members in eight countries and 49 offices help people and organizations dream bigger, move faster, and build better tomorrows for all. We're honored to be consistently recognized as a great place to work, including being one of Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For nine years running. Learn more at slalom.com.

CMAG: What characteristics and elements would you attribute to your firm's inclusion as a Best Firm to Work For?

Slalom is a Best Firm to Work For because we put people first. Our core values help us create a culture where every voice is heard, and everyone feels empowered. Staying true to our vision of a world where everyone has the opportunity to love their life and work, we celebrate authenticity and doing the right thing—two of our core values—which build trust among our people.

We take our core values seriously because we want to make a positive impact in our communities across the globe. We're dedicated to being the best corporate citizen we can be, always evolving to meet the needs of our people, our customers, and our planet. At Slalom, we believe that together, we can co-create a future filled with the possibility that one day, every person in the world will have the opportunity to love their life and work.

CMAG: Are there any specific programs or initiatives that contributed to you being included as a Best Firm?

We are a Best Firm to Work For because we're deeply committed to creating an equitable and supportive environment for our people. Our me@slalom career program is at the heart of this commitment, offering a clear path to success with nine career paths, 60 tracks, and nearly 500 job titles. By aligning our integrated learning programs—whether for new hires, Sales, Talent Acquisition, or consultants—with the me@slalom roles, we ensure that each individual's talents are nurtured to help us achieve the impossible together.

Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity (ID&E) is embedded in all that we do, and it shows up in how we partner with our employee resource groups (ERGs). ERGs help build connections that broaden our talent pipeline to include more women and people from underrepresented communities that may have otherwise been overlooked. We also leverage tools like competency-based interviewing to ensure candidates from all communities and walks of life have an opportunity to explore becoming part of Slalom.

We support our team members' holistic health with resources for emotional, mental, physical, and social well-being, offering competitive coverage in all our operating countries. Slalom provides comprehensive benefits to help employees thrive both at work and at home.

One of Slalom's strengths is our commitment to listening to our employees and acting on their feedback. In 2022, we launched a pilot program for elective fertility preservation. Based on employee input, we introduced an inclusive Family Planning benefit in 2023.

Slalom is committed to ensuring equitable access in the US to well-being services. In January 2023, we launched our Well-Being Travel Program to defray travel costs up to $4,000 for benefits-eligible US team members who must travel out of state in order to receive well-being services not legally accessible in their state of residence.

CMAG: In describing your firm, what would you say sets it apart from other consulting firms?

What's unique about Slalom is our culture, which is built on our purpose—to help people and organizations dream bigger, move faster, and create better tomorrows for all—and our ten core values:

• Do what is right, always
• Take ownership
• Get it done
• Focus on outcomes
• Fuel growth and innovation
• Build and shape a better future
• Drive connection and teamwork
• Inspire passion and adventure
• Celebrate authenticity
• Stay humble and curious
• Smile

As CEO Brad Jackson explains, "We are committed to a future where all our work has a significant benefit in the lives of our customers' customers, drives a positive long-term impact on the performance of our customers, and is executed by a multidisciplinary team who is learning and growing, and loves what they are doing."

We face every challenge by putting people first, never sacrificing our core values for growth. And though we know it won't always be easy, protecting and evolving our unique culture is important to us.

Our employees continue to be inspired. Team members shared the following in a recent survey:

"The emphasis on work/life balance is one of the most incredible things about Slalom. I feel like I can be myself here, and whether I am talking to my people leader, a senior director, a general manager, or an executive, I am seen and respected as a whole person."

"Slalom has built an inclusive, authentic, supportive, and empowering culture that attracts and retains great people. We show up for one another. We do what is right and share a set of core values which we embody in the work we do."

"One of the most refreshing things about Slalom is the emphasis on authenticity. The culture is built on mutual respect and acceptance, allowing each of us to contribute our unique perspectives and strengths."

CMAG: Where your workforce is concerned, what would you say your priorities look like for the upcoming year and beyond?

Our workforce priorities for the upcoming year and beyond are centered on purposeful growth and empowering our team to engage in work that creates lasting impact for our customers and communities. With the support of over 700 technology partners, our team members across eight countries and 49 offices are committed to helping people and organizations dream bigger, move faster, and build better futures. As we continue to expand, we are also focused on restoring our annual revenues to over $3B and achieving $10B by 2030.

To drive our next phase of growth, we've integrated Slalom Build into our Global Technology team, bringing everyone together under a unified organization. This move enhances collaboration and efficiency, allowing our leaders to set a clear vision and strategy that empowers us to deliver innovative solutions that align with our customers' evolving needs.

Our workforce goals also align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) focused on health and well-being, gender equality, and racial equality. Celebrating authenticity is one of our core values, and we're committed to ensuring that our people—and the communities where we live and work—feel welcomed, valued, and connected.

We've identified three key goals:

• Maintain an employee engagement score above 90% and achieve an average Love of Work score above 9 out of 10.
• Reflect the racial and ethnic diversity of our U.S. communities by or before the end of 2030.
• Achieve gender parity globally across Slalom by or before the end of 2025.

As we move forward, we'll remain dedicated to creating an environment where our people can thrive, sparking curiosity, adventure, and passion. This commitment is central to driving the impactful and lasting change that Slalom is known for.

CMAG: What opportunities do you see as the most promising?

As we move through the rest of this year and into 2025, we're focused on reigniting in-person connections and revitalizing our culture, starting with the opening of our new Seattle headquarters, Slalom Hawk Tower. This space, along with events like our annual R4 leadership summit and quarterly Exec Connects, provides both in-person and virtual platforms for deepening relationships, sharing insights, and driving growth. By blending these experiences, we're building a stronger, more connected Slalom.

In addition, the surge in AI adoption is a huge opportunity. We've seen AI adoption double from 2022 to 2023, showing just how crucial this technology has become in the business world. But while many companies are eager to invest in AI, they're often struggling to fully mature in its use. This is where Slalom can really make an impact, guiding our clients to not just use AI but to truly master it and unlock its full potential, responsibly.

By keeping our focus sharp on customer obsession, team excellence, and a breakthrough mindset, Slalom is in a prime position to make the most of these opportunities and keep building on our success. CMAG: What market forces do you see as the most challenging?

As we look ahead to the rest of this year and into 2025, there are a few market forces that present particular challenges we're prepared to overcome.

Firstly, economic uncertainty is something we can't ignore. The global downturn has hit many businesses, including ours, which means we've had to make some tough decisions—limiting hiring, optimizing spending, and restructuring our teams. But these steps are all about setting ourselves up for long-term success. We're keeping everyone in the loop with regular updates on our financial results so that we stay focused on the future.

The rapid pace of technological advancements, especially in AI and machine learning, is another immediate challenge. While these innovations open up new opportunities, they also demand that we continually upskill our workforce. That's why we're heavily investing in AI-driven initiatives like AI engineering workshops and generative AI (GenAI) training that will ensure our teams are ready to lead in this evolving landscape.

Another challenge is the shifting expectations of our customers, who are looking for more strategic guidance and thought leadership as they navigate a dynamic environment. To meet these changing demands, we're doubling down on customer-centric innovation, like GenAI demos and AI-focused campaigns to deliver the solutions they need.

Finally, talent retention is always top of mind. Attracting and keeping the best people in a competitive market isn't easy, but we're committed to a people-first culture. Our Employee Advisory Council, along with comprehensive learning programs and holistic health resources, are all designed to boost employee satisfaction and engagement.

By tackling these challenges head-on with a focus on innovation, customer obsession, and employee well-being, we're confident that we can navigate whatever comes our way.

CMAG: What impact do you think Best Firm to Work For honors will have on your employees? The firm overall? Clients?

For Slalom, being a Best Firm to Work For confirms that our people truly do love their life and work—and brings a wave of positive affirmations for our people, our customers, and our partners.

For our team members, it's like a big high-five—solidifying our purpose-driven strategy, validating the importance we place on living our core values, and showing that we walk the talk when it comes to valuing our team.

And finally, with our customers and partners, being a 'Best Firm to Work For' will allow them to feel more confident in partnering with a company that takes care of its people, knowing they're working with a team that's engaged and ready to go the extra mile. So, being a Best Firm to Work For isn't just a badge; it's a win-win for us all.