Coast of Oregon, where Aldrich, the #1 Best Place to Work by Portland Business Journal, is located.

Q+A: How a People-First Culture Fosters an Exceptional Client Experience

Presented by the Aldrich Group of Companies

Since 2005, Melissa Berndt, Partner- Chief People Officer + General Counsel, has overseen shared services and has been instrumental in building and evolving the people strategy to support firm culture through expansion. 

Q: You are nearing 20 years with Aldrich, what stands out to you about the growth in that time? 

A: Aldrich’s mission is to help our clients achieve their goals. As we grow in the size of our firm and expanding to new locations, such as Denver and Salt Lake City, the reach of who we can impact and what we can accomplish together is much greater. We were recently ranked the 68th largest firm in the country, the largest firm headquartered in Oregon, and in the top ten on the west coast. This presents opportunities for our people and our clients, as we have been able to add new services and industry specializations thanks to our talent. At the same time, we are committed to growing with intention and maintaining the Aldrich culture that has made our firm so special for more than 50 years. 

Q: One tradition you have championed is Aldrich’s Action Day, why was founding that important to you and the firm? 

A: Aldrich exists to improve the lives of our people, clients, and communities. We cannot achieve that purpose without giving back to the communities we are fortunate to be members of. We’re all interconnected, and the stronger our community, the more effectively we’re able to serve our clients, our employees, and the places we call home. 

Action Day started as an opportunity to combine the volunteer efforts that were being done by individuals and tackle a larger project as a group. In the 16 years since its inception, Action Day has evolved into a tradition that our employees, their families, and our community partners look forward to. Outside of Action Day, we also offer employees 16 hours of paid volunteer time annually to engage in projects supporting education, enrichment, housing, and fighting hunger.

Aldrich employees gathering in front of a Medical Teams International van, where they volunteered for Action Day 2024.

 

Q: As Chief People Officer, you are a champion for employee growth. How does Aldrich approach career development? 

A: It’s important to us that all employees can find a career path forward, and we are proud to say we support that path looking different for each individual. We provide a range of career development programs. AldrichYou, our performance management learning system, gives all employees access to on-demand and live trainings to enhance their business acumen, interpersonal skills, and self-awareness. We also offer the Rainmaker Academy for those looking to grow their business development skills, followed by firmwide webinars to share these learnings with all interested employees. For college graduates, we have the Promoting Opportunities + Outstanding Leaders (POOL) program, which exposes them to both tax and audit in various industries before they choose their career track within the firm. This approach creates a more well-rounded and passionate workforce.

Q: Aldrich was just named in the Best Places to Work award programs by the Portland Business Journal (#1) and San Diego Business Journal (#14), which were based on employee satisfaction. How would you describe the Aldrich culture? 

A: As we’ve grown and expanded geographies, the Aldrich culture has remained a constant. We have always prioritized developing the whole person and are committed to fostering a sense of belonging for each employee. Our culture is shaped by employees who bring their authentic selves to work and encourage others to do the same. We noticed employees naturally connecting over shared interests in and outside of work. To help celebrate that, we began offering Aldrich Community Groups, which allow employees to host events and conversations around hobbies, such as gardening, sports, books, pets, or board games. 

Portland Business Journal Best Places to Work Award Ceremony, where Aldrich was ranked #1 in the large company category.

San Diego Business Journal Best Places to Work Award Ceremony, where Aldrich was named #14 in the large company category.

Q: Finally, what is one Aldrich employee benefit you wouldn’t want to live without? 

A: As part of our commitment to celebrating the full person, we value our employees time outside of work with a generous bank of paid time off. Additionally, we offer all employees a paid sabbatical every seven years of consecutive employment, which I had the opportunity to take a few summers ago. I spent it with my family, including a road trip through Utah with my husband and daughters. It’s an honor to give the gift of quality time to our employees, and I was able to take advantage of this thanks to the strength of our team, who kept everything running seamlessly. 

To learn more about a career with Aldrich, click here. 

About Aldrich

The Aldrich Group of Companies includes a Top 100 Accounting Firm nationally providing tax, advisory, and consulting services to businesses and individuals. Working closely with businesses, business owners, and individuals, The Aldrich Group of Companies manages financial, wealth, tax, benefits, and business transition strategies. We serve clients with deep industry expertise in construction, manufacturing, healthcare, nonprofit, telecommunications, utilities, professional services, food processing, agribusiness, real estate, and a variety of privately held companies and individual clients. The Aldrich Group includes the following professional services firms: Aldrich CPAs + Advisors LLPAldrich Wealth LP, and Aldrich Advisors Capital LP.

Related Articles
Portland, Oregon, where Aldrich's Natalie Mowrer was named a Woman of Influence by DJC Oregon.
Aldrich’s Natalie Mowrer Named in DJC’s 2024 Women of Vision
Q+A: Today’s Transaction Market for Private Companies

Looking for support or have a question?

Contact us to speak with one of our advisors.

"*" indicates required fields