To Everything (turn, turn, turn) There Is a Season…

With the seasons changing, the election cycle in full swing, and lingering uncertainty around the pandemic, it is difficult not to imagine what 2021 has in store. As I work with the senior leadership team on our 2021 recruiting strategy, I am reflecting on what we have accomplished thus far in 2020. Since the start of the year, we have grown by 18% globally, including the addition of a Managing Director in London and the return of a prior employee here in Boston—the latest member of what we fondly refer to as our “Boomerang Club.” For a specialized consultancy, this is a strong hiring year—with a few months yet to go!

As I reflect on 2020, I’ve also been thinking about my own time at Citisoft. I’m about to celebrate my eighth anniversary here. While not a milestone year, I survived the “seven-year itch,” often referred to as the time in a relationship when things aren’t quite as sublime as they were in the beginning; aka the “honeymoon phase.” I started to wonder if the seven-year itch had any correlation to employees in the business world. I was surprised to learn that, in the business world, the ‘itch’ comes along closer to two years! According to the Kenexa High Performance Institute, after two years, 57% of 840,000 people surveyed were disengaged from their jobs. At that two-year mark, turnover begins to rise. This really struck a chord with me. Why do so many people look to jump ship after barely getting settled and into a groove? And what can we do to prevent top talent from looking for greener pastures?

I think every company struggles to keep their workforce engaged and excited over the long haul but (brag alert!) at Citisoft, our average tenure for employees is eight years. I don’t think it’s unusual for employees in any industry or role to wonder if the grass is greener elsewhere, but by ensuring that Citisoft’s culture is top notch, we have been able to avoid some of the pitfalls of firms with high turnover. We don’t have all the answers, but we adhere to some core beliefs focused on employee engagement and retention:

• Transparency isn’t just a buzzword, it’s a way of life. Beginning in the interview process, we are transparent about compensation, career progression, and feedback. Our commitment to transparency continues throughout the employee lifecycle in our evaluation process and is further highlighted during a monthly All Hands Call—everything out in the open.
• “Open Door” isn’t a policy, it’s common sense. Duh. Of course we want employees to raise concerns! Of course we want to hear questions, comments, ideas! Of course we want to get to know them and understand what makes them tick! This doesn’t mean being available to everyone all the time. It means being approachable and, quite literally, keeping the door open.
• We adapt and pivot. We don’t subscribe to the “that’s how it’s always been done” newsletter. Instead, we have eyes open to what’s new, what can be enhanced or improved, and what we can do to best support employees and clients. There is no better example of this than how we, as a firm, adapted to life in quarantine. Due to our IT infrastructure and transparent communication we were able to seamlessly transition, overnight, to a 100% remote environment without missing a beat.
• Turnover is OK, turmoil isn’t. Sometimes it’s time for an employee to leave and that’s OK. Toxic personalities and under-performers result in bad morale and reputation risk. For our top talent and those we hope to retain for years to come, I understand the urge to explore new opportunities but if we continue to adhere to all of the above, we’ll have even more members of our cherished Boomerang Club.
• We are inclusive and united against injustice. These are not just our shared, common beliefs. Citisoft is steadfast in our commitment to diversity and inclusion internally and in our communities. We have conducted formal, firmwide training, established a diversity and inclusion forum, and continue to seek ways to embrace and increase diversity as well as to ensure a safe and inclusive environment. Over these last few months, I think our culture has grown stronger than ever as we collaborate on goals, have difficult conversations about inequality and bias, and endeavor toward a future where our industry is represented by a rich and diverse tapestry of talent.

I don’t mean to suggest that Citisoft is a workplace utopia. But I’m glad to have the opportunity to shed light on our culture and our passionate, innovative employees who are committed to doing good work and being good people. We have built an incredible team even in the midst of a pandemic and I am looking forward to adding more top talent in 2021!