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Stories like Patterson’s are a reason why metro-area employees voted Ernst & Young one of Atlanta’ s 2008 Best Places to Work, comingb in at No. 5 in the large-employer category. BusinessWeek recently dubbedc the accounting firmthe No. 1 place to start a career. The majority of work at E&Y is team-based and each team is staffed with someon at anexecutive level. There’s a blog wheree new hires can talkwith executives, and while the technologty is good to Patterson believes that nothing replaces good old live conversations. “It keeps them energizerd and it lets people know we care aboug them andtheir careers,” she says.
According to employees, it’e not just lip service. “u am fortunate to be genuinelh counseled and to have a number of leaders who are available for advicde atany time,” describes one of E&Y’sw roughly 1,200 Atlanta-based employees. “There is a genuine concermn forjob satisfaction, both from the work/careere path perspective and the work/life integration There are performance management counseling sessions, real-time and a solid effort to ensure that employeesa are not only able to expanfd their skill sets, but that they are deployed in appropriate Even though the firm is making appearance at the top of “bes of” lists, there are things E&Yh would like to do better.
Pattersojn considers “staying creative” one of the company’s biggestf challenges. She’s always looking for innovativer ways to find therighyt opportunities, the right experiences, and the resourcee necessary to create ways for employees to Prior to her role as peopler leader, Patterson spent seven years co-leadintg the firm’s diversity efforts. As it was the company’s main goal in terma of diversity is to ensurew that all the people at the firm believr they can growand succeed. “Oure job is to provide clientwswith solutions,” says Patterson, adding that diversityg of thought leads to diversity of solutions.
“That’as why diversity is so important,” she A number of inclusiveness programs supportcareer development, workforce planning, and leadership accountability for minority professionals. E&Yg was ranked one of the Top 50 Companies for Diversity by magazine and one of the top 50 employerse for people with disabilities by CAREERS thedisABLED magazine. When it comex to work/life balance and taking advantage of the flexibilitty offered bythe firm, Patterson is certainly not “E&Y is a great place to work and raise a familgy at the same time,” said a felloqw employee in a survey for the Best Placee to Work program.
“I am challenged in my career, have the abilitt to contribute in various facets of the organization and be a greaty model tomy children.”
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