Chicago-based Blackwell Consulting Services stands out in the crowded management and information technology consulting field. And this is not because it is the largest minority-owned firm in the Midwest. It is because of the way they work and the culture that has resulted from their unique approach to the business.
Blackwell Consulting Services, unlike their competitors, focuses on fixed-bid contracts. In other words, rather than billing by the hour, they accept a single flat fee for their work. This unique approach has a significant impact on every aspect of the company and particularly the workplace. Blackwell Consulting Services prides itself on a culture that emphasizes results and quality over how, when and where their employees work.
"We're more focused on the job and delivering on client expectations," says President and Chief Operating Officer Pamela Blackwell.
This focus on accountability is reflected in a flexible workplace that emphasizes the health and satisfaction of their employees. A flexible work environment was one of the things that attracted Business Analyst Ruth Clements-Gottlieb to the company eight years ago. Clements-Gottlieb was seeking a part-time position so she could spend more time with her family and Blackwell Consulting Services was more than willing to accommodate her.
Blackwell says Clements-Gottlieb's story is not unique. The company has hired employees in different states and has kept employees who have relocated outside Illinois. She says that the company employs a number of people who work remotely, either in a client's office or as telecommuters. Some, like Clements-Gottlieb, work part time. Blackwell says that the benefit of accommodating these requests is that it allows the firm to attract and keep talent that they might otherwise have lost.
This kind of flexibility, however, also poses a number of workplace challenges. Chief among them is that with employees dispersed among a number of different locations, communication and instilling a sense of culture in their workers can be difficult. That is why Blackwell Consulting Services has made a considerable investment in providing employees with the means to get key company information and provide management with feedback. The firm has an intranet that is accessible by all employees and serves as a repository of internal information, including financials, metrics, and important achievements. They publish a quarterly internal newsletter, which includes updates on organization and individual accomplishments. Blackwell says that the company also holds quarterly "All-Hands Meetings" specifically for those working remotely, so that they can get up to speed on what is going on inside the organization. "If you don't know something about Blackwell Consulting it's because you're not looking," she says. "You can go to our receptionist and she can tell you how we're doing. I've never seen anything quite like that in any other place I've worked."
Open communication is a two-way street and Blackwell Consulting Services provides a number of different outlets for employees to provide management with feedback. The company frequently holds what they call "rap sessions." These are meetings in which employees can meet with someone from senior management and provide their views on workplace issues. The firm also performs an annual employee satisfaction survey, which they use to evaluate their programs and benefits.
Operations Coordinator/Payroll Manager Nicole Stancil says that the feedback from the survey has resulted in numerous workplace improvements. For example, the survey led the organization to institute a vacation purchase plan when management discovered many consultants who had amassed more days off at their previous employers desired the ability to match their old allotment of time off. They also recently switched to a cafeteria plan in order to give employees more benefit choices.
The company is in the midst of revamping their already extensive rewards and recognition programs. Management has assembled a presidential advisory group to solicit opinions on rewards and recognition from consultants working offsite. Currently, the firm offers a number of programs to honor employees who have gone above and beyond the call of duty in their work. These include a peer-to-peer recognition program called the People's Choice Award and a management-driven MVP award, both offered quarterly. A monthly "Kick It Up a Notch" e-mail goes out to the entire company recognizing the successes of consultants working offsite. In addition, Pamela Blackwell presents two people each year with the President's Award. This honor tends to recognize innovation and goes to employees who have contributed an idea that enhances the company's business or operation. Recently, the award was given to a consultant who felt strongly about developing a network security practice. In order to convince the firm of its potential, the consultant took the initiative to create a business plan and sell several engagements. As a result, Blackwell Consulting Services is now a competitor in an increasingly important market.
Blackwell attributes this kind of commitment to having people-friendly practices. "We're in the service industry, so our biggest assets are our people," she says. "Our brand starts with them."
Blackwell, however, says that their practices are more than just smart business and attributes the culture they have created to the beliefs of her father, Bob Blackwell, the firm's founder and CEO. "My father sees this business as a family," she says. "He always tells me, 'I have a wife and five kids at home and 300 kids at work.'"
Company: Blackwell Consulting Services
Web site: www.bcsinc.com
Industry: Information Technology Consulting
Location: Chicago, Ill.
Number of employees: 300
Sales: N/A
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