Going into the Mountains; Investing in Clients by Investing in People
Why did we take our employees on a retreat in the Allegheny Mountains of Pennsylvania? Well, it goes back to March 2020.
Faced with the unprecedented turbulence brought about by the pandemic, our firm had to adapt quickly to provide continued and superior value to our clients. With such uncertainty, things could have easily fallen apart. I’m incredibly proud to say we not only maintained our high standards but continued to find new and innovative ways to serve clients old and new.
We accomplished this because our firm’s greatest strength is our people – strategically minded problem solvers who can leverage knowledge and creativity to overcome even the most taxing of challenges. Over the past few years, they’ve consistently shown their skills and determined mindset, forging a path through the most extraordinary challenge we’ve ever faced.
As we came out on the other side of COVID, it was clear to the partners that our team had only grown stronger and more capable due to the issues we faced. It was a no-brainer to take a step back and assess the learnings we gained during that period and leverage them to better serve our clients and our team members moving forward. This included the adoption of new, innovative client capabilities and internal technologies, as well as the adoption of hybrid-work models to better support our employees and their families.
In addition, it was also important for us to thank everyone who had dedicated their time and energy to serving clients and maintaining the rapid growth of the firm despite the trials of the outside world. Taking everyone on a retreat where we could relax, learn, and grow together seemed like the perfect solution. And while we utilized valuable time to learn and grow as a firm, we also spent equal time enjoying the recreational, often distilled, Fall wonders of the Alleghany Mountains as a team.
It was an incredible experience that our team is already asking to make a regular occurrence. The positive energy that was generated has unquestionably strengthened our team and made us even more capable and motivated to deliver unique value for existing and new clients.
You may be wondering, how?
We could describe the invaluable lessons learned from small team activities or the joy of experiencing beautiful Appalachia with friends and colleagues, but words can’t do it justice. So instead, enjoy some of the highlights from this past week.