Firm culture, and why it’s key

Check out what the firms that made the Best Places to Work list this year are doing to make employees happy.

In this issue, InvestmentNews and Best Companies Group share the 75 Best Places to Work in the advisory industry. The common thread among winners? Companies on the list invest in their employees and place a primacy on firm culture.

In terms of the investment in employees, winners offered profit-sharing plans (41% of BPTW, 18% of others), employer-sponsored employee assistance programs (52% of BPTW, 29% of others) and paid sabbaticals (17% of BPTW, 0% of others).

And the culture? IN’s Devin McGinley shares these five statements that employees at BPTW were more likely to agree with than workers at other firms:
“I can trust what this organization tells me.”
“I feel I can express my honest opinions without fear of negative consequences.”
“Changes that may affect me are communicated to me prior to implementation.”
“My employer enables a culture of diversity.”
“This organization gives me enough recognition for work that is well done.”

That focus on culture came up in a podcast I joined with Integrated Partners that will be released this week. We discussed lessons from our first jobs, and I remembered the example set by Dave Moore, my first great boss, who taught me to set the example by doing the work you’re asking others to do. Give it a listen and share your first job lessons.