CAT: Empowering Our People
Challenge
Meeting the needs of today's diverse workforce.
Actions
The workforce is vocal. They are telling us what they want: career paths with upward mobility for all, support and feedback along the way, and the ability to successfully integrate their careers and personal lives. At Yeo & Yeo, we listen - we put our people first.
Yeo & Yeo's formal career advocacy program began several years ago out of suggestions from an employee survey and research conducted by the firm's female leaders. What started out as a potential women's initiative evolved, at the recommendation of those female leaders, to an initiative inclusive for all employees. Today our formal program, known as CAT (Career Advocacy Team), works to provide equal access to career development and advocacy experiences, assist women and minorities in advancing to leadership positions and promote work-life balance.
CAT is led by a diverse and cross-functional group of principals but is brought to life by team members across the firm in varying roles and stages in their careers. CAT has driven several innovative workplace initiatives such as our Hybrid Work Plan, enhanced parental leave and a new parent guide for both women and men, Dress for Your Day, onboarding peer and CPA exam mentor programs, career advocates, emerging leaders program, career path maps, our summer leadership program, and the development of Yeo's Young Professionals Group.
Outcomes
Our female leadership continues to rise, with women comprising 42% of Yeo &Yeo's partner group and 44% of the firm's manager/senior manager workforce, more than double the industry average. Our professional development programs and Career Path Maps have resulted in more professionals on non-traditional career paths and faster career advancement. Through our Work From Home Flex Program, employees realize better work-life balance while increasing productivity.
At Yeo & Yeo, our primacy purpose is to position all our employees to best serve their families, communities, clients, and the firm. We make a conscious effort to remove barriers that might hinder our people from achieving this purpose. Our Career Advocacy Team is foundational to our workplace diversity efforts and a catalyst for our culture that allows our people to grow, innovate, collaborate and advance. The CEO Action for Inclusion Pledge reaffirms the commitment we make as a company to create an environment that brings out the best in us all.