A “Best Firm” Among Competing Consultancies
Consulting magazine recognizes Booz Allen’s continued success and stability.
The September/October 2009 issue of Consulting magazine has named Booz Allen Hamilton as one of the Best Firms to Work For.
The magazine notes that Booz Allen “has hit its stride” this year, and quoted senior vice president Joe Garner: “Booz Allen’s commitment is to be the absolute best management and technology consulting firm, and we can achieve that only if we are the employer of choice for the best people.”
Like other companies in the U.S., consultancies were confronted with tough economic conditions in 2009. Consulting noted three factors that made this year particularly difficult: Numerous consultancies reduced their investment in training and development; most consultants worked more hours than the year before; and about half of the consultants surveyed did not receive increases in their base or bonus compensation, compared to only 19% in 2008.
Booz Allen employees, however, did not experience those challenges: The firm’s staff received compensation increases similar to previous years; billable work hours did not increase; and the firm’s generous investments in training and development programs remained the same.
In fact, with its longstanding reputation for outstanding training and development, Booz Allen continued to score high marks for career development from employees who completed Consulting’s survey. According to most consultants surveyed by the magazine, training and development are important factors in their decision whether to remain with their current firm.
Garner noted that the strategic split that formed Booz & Company in 2008 has allowed Booz Allen to focus on what it does best—the public sector. The move also made a tremendous impact on its surveyed employees, who ranked Booz Allen first in culture. According to Consulting, another key factor in the firm’s positive culture is its intense focus on collaboration. Employees scored Booz Allen 4.7 out of a possible 5 when asked if they agreed with the statement: “My firm fosters a culture of inclusion.”
In addition, the majority of Booz Allen’s employees feel that their work has a positive impact on the client; that they and their colleagues enjoy high morale; and that business-related travel at Booz Allen is low. Garner cites the firm’s longstanding success, stability, and ethics as the primary source of the staff’s inspiration and the firm’s strategic strength.
The firm competed in the largest-ever pool of potential winners to secure a place on this year’s “Best Firms” list: 236 organizations were surveyed, a 13% increase over 2008.
story posted September 9, 2009
