I might be a bit biased, but I’ve always thought Slone Partners is an amazing place to work. So, it was particularly gratifying to learn that the Washington Post agrees when it named our firm among the nation’s Top Workplaces 2021. I’m elated to share this honor with such eminent companies and non-profits as AARP, Capital One, Carfax, CGI, and Fannie Mae, and it is a testament to our phenomenal team that has worked so hard over the years to build a diverse, supportive, and inclusive workplace culture.

Culture has always been the glue that binds us at Slone Partners. It was Adam Slone’s vision to create a company where every employee feels empowered, engaged, and fully vested in the firm’s future, and I believe that is what we have become as we have grown and evolved over the past two decades.

The Top Workplaces recognition is based on employee feedback gathered through a third-party administered survey. The anonymous survey measures 15 culture drivers that are critical to the success of any organization, including alignment, communication, and engagement, among others. In the case of Slone Partners, 97 percent of our employees responded to the survey, far above the industry average. The overall employee engagement rate at Slone Partners is 87 percent, also far above the average in our industry and something I am proud to share. I am also thrilled to say that we scored highest in three particularly important areas: the company’s direction, values, and interdepartmental cooperation. All of these areas are critical to the success of our company.

The survey data was also used to create a word cloud based on the frequency of specific terms that our employees used to describe us. Our word cloud, displayed below, reflects the fact that we have built an inclusive, supportive, and passionate team. Many of these words closely approximate our company’s core values – quality, ownership, passion, respect, trust, and diversity.

Our selection among the Top Workplaces 2021 is the result of many years of thoughtful and intentional business planning and team building. We were an all-remote company from our inception more than 20 years ago, long before most other firms even considered the concept. Providing employees with flexible work options helps promote a healthy work/life balance and allows us to attract people to our team who do not wish to be tethered to a company headquarters. We also place a strong emphasis on training and professional development, making Slone Partners an appealing place to work for those who wish to advance in their careers.

After celebrating this tremendous honor, we have already begun a period of self-reflection within the company so that we can focus on those areas which were identified in the survey as opportunities for improvement. I can promise that we will work harder than ever to ensure that all of our employees feel appreciated, informed, and cared for. While we are absolutely thrilled that Slone Partners is recognized as a Top Workplace this year, we are committed to becoming an even better place to work in the years to come!