#49 A.T. Kearney
When a company invests in its employees, everyone wins: employees feel valued enough to give their best and then the company thrives. Global management consulting firm A.T. Kearney puts faith--and dollars--behind their workers. As a result, workers from Generation Y on up feel committed to a job well done. It's just one of the perks at this firm's well-honed system.
"It's a highly team based, collaborative environment," says Vice President Mirko Martich. "It's an environment where your formal level is less of a driver than your competence and capabilities. We have a lot of very self-motivated, driven individuals."
Those individuals are rewarded in various ways. Associate Megan Geelhoed says the company is "generous." Geelhoed took an 18-month leave of absence--and the company paid for her MBA. However, being gone didn't mean her place at the firm took a hit. "There's a wide variety of opportunity here," says Geelhoed. "There are promotion opportunities. You can move quickly because there's a direct career path, and you don't have to wait for someone to retire to get promoted."
The company is also generous to its parents. Employees with new babies get six weeks of paid parental leave. For those needing to scale back their work hours, there's a part-time program, too.
Partners and principals at A.T. Kearney also invest in the diversity of the firm, meeting twice a year to discuss how to advance diversity initiatives. There are employee support groups for women, African Americans, Hispanics, East and Southeast Asians, and members of the gay and lesbian community.
HR Director Ronaldo Borger says, "The best thing about Kearney is the people. They're very driven, motivated, and committed. This isn't your typical consulting firm where people are elbowing their way to get to the top." The numbers back it up. A recent study of the office found 85% of employees felt their job was "challenging and interesting." Over 74% felt they were doing something they could consider satisfying and worthwhile.
"The firm invests in its young people," says Geelhoed. With around 20 days of paid time off each year, training programs, and time for charitable events, that much is clear.
