Pros
A Partner and Consultant group full of thoughtful, intelligent, and inclusive people sets the tone for the overall culture which permeates throughout all aspects of company. Berkeley has a mantra of doing the right thing. This is applicable to the clients as well as its people. What that looks like, given my short experience at the firm:
- Partners being fully transparent about the impact of Covid on our business and the possible actions we might have to pursue in potential scenarios;
- Having honest conversations with the client about what we think they actually need vs. what was initially on the SOW; and
- Setting aside time to engage in thoughtful and open conversation about racial justice, what we can do as individuals and as a firm, and how we can act authentically vs. virtue signaling
While I have yet to fully experience the social aspect of the firm thanks to the pandemic, it's clear that people really enjoy the company of their colleague and respect each others' boundaries
Cons
The most apparent improvement opportunity is diversity at the leadership level. As promotions are made internally, there is an obvious lead time before changes can occur. It's understandable, but no less frustrating.
However, it's good to know the firm has continuously made improvements in diversifying its Consultant group (aka partnership pipeline) and is working on strengthening our efforts following the diversity conversations. Additionally, even with a short stint at Berkeley, it's clear leadership encourages, respects, and really listens to different perspectives