Getting the firm together: bringing all employees together for Firm Day fosters a cohesive culture.

• Author: Caturano, Richard J.

Two challenges top the list of the 2002 MAP Top 5 issues for large and midsized firms, namely, finding and retaining qualified staff, and marketing and practice growth. To help meet these challenges, firms need to foster a culture that helps individual employees develop their knowledge and skills, feel that they're on the right career path, and grow in their ability to identify opportunities to serve clients. Boston-based Vitale, Caturano & Company, PC, (VCC) has developed Firm Day, a tool that helps meet these challenges, as well as provide several other benefits to the firm and employees.

For the last two years, VCC has conducted this all-day informational and educational firm meeting, which has proven to be highly beneficial to the firm. Many employees have commented on the value of meeting other members of the firm and the benefits of gaining a deeper understanding of the firm's direction, of learning more specific information about the firm's various services, and of being kept informed on firm initiatives. Firm Day has enabled staff to work more cohesively and, as individuals, to have greater career satisfaction. In addition, we have increased cross-selling opportunities because we are better able to communicate about the full range of services we provide.

Along with providing skills training and services education, Firm Day builds employee pride in the firm. From the feedback forms for each session of Firm Day, we've learned that we get immediate results from the day in the cohesiveness and pride employees demonstrate after Firm Day.

All of these benefits extend to clients in the form of enhanced quality service. With a better understanding of the scope of services we offer, the VCC team is better able to help clients by introducing them to additional service offerings.

VCC has a total of 180 employees, 70 of whom are CPAs. Partners number 26. With one office, VCC offers a wide array of audit, accounting, management, business advisory, tax and financial planning, and technology services. Audit and tax services generate most income for the firm.

How we do it

The idea of Firm Day was conceived at a partner retreat during which we discussed the need for greater internal communication. We developed a proactive plan to ensure that the entire firm has the same knowledge and understanding of the firm's plans, and that we had everyone's attention. We wanted to make sure that all staff were receiving the same message and understood the firm's...