Schellman During the Great Resignation: One Auditor's Opinion
Did you know? A staggering “4 million Americans quit their jobs in July 2021,” according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Well, you probably already knew. What they’re calling the “Great Resignation” has been all over the news for months.
Ever since the inception of Covid-19 and the spread of the pandemic, things have changed dramatically – for better and for worse (depending on your stance). The business landscape is no exception, and that’s because the pandemic revealed two things regarding the workforce:
- That production can go on even in vastly different circumstances; and
- Everyone’s labor and flexibility are more valuable than maybe they were previously led to believe.
These revelations have workers seeing the light that options do exist, and they can select the employer that suits their own needs best rather than taking whatever they can. Employees’ new level of “negotiating power” has unbalanced the scales, and organizations are clearly reeling.
Now, companies everywhere that want to expand their workforce—and even keep the ones they have—must figure out how to compete, whether that means offering better salaries, signing bonuses, better benefits, or the like.
Organizations everywhere have struggled to accommodate this new normal overall, but some had more trouble than others when it came to retaining and hiring. Like everyone else, Schellman has been affected by the new circumstances, but not as much, I don’t think.
In this blog, I’ll tell you why, from my own experience.
Before Schellman: Firsthand Experience of a “Worker’s Market”
Before I landed at Schellman, I too was one of those workers weighing different possibilities.
When I was in the middle of my job search, it seemed like all of us prospective employees could consider job opportunities an “all you can eat buffet.” Our job was our plate, and we were only going to select the things we actually wanted and liked. Needless to say, there are a lot of enticing packages out there, and I’m sure different ones work better for different people.
It’s a strange thing, to have a sea full of companies that are willing to do whatever it takes to bring people—like me—on. But for me, it definitely accelerated the inner process of gaining a clearer idea of what type of company I wanted to work for.
Like everyone else in my position, I did the work of researching, applying, and interviewing. I’m a lucky guy because I was offered numerous job opportunities ranging from private industry to Fortune 100, to even the Big 4 accounting firms.
Amidst that fortuitous buffet, I’m confident to say that, from an overall perspective, I believe I have landed my “golden” opportunity with Schellman.
Why Schellman Has Weathered The Great Resignation
Let me preface this by saying again that I know different people have different needs and things they want from their jobs. I’m just going to tell you how Schellman has delivered for me personally.
Have you ever worked for a company that not only cares about you, but your family, your interest outside of work, your goals and aspirations, and even during challenging times, someone is always there to support you and lend a helping hand?
I know how that might sound to someone on the outside.
But my three years at Schellman have been nothing short of amazing. It helps that this is the company that I envisioned as my perfect spot, and so far, I know that this is where I want to be, to learn and grow, and where I want to build my future.
Schellman is a public accounting firm, but they’re not like their peers, in a good way. The firm is similar in that we offer services comparable to a lot of the accounting firms out there, but in my opinion, Schellman has everyone else beat with these two things in particular:
- Their extraordinary benefits; and
- Most important of all, the people here–from top to bottom.
Benefits at Schellman
Let’s start with the things you can actually put on paper—the benefits package.
Schellman has a lot to offer beyond this—we’ll get to that—but the benefits are second to none. I’m fortunate to be reaping the latest and most complete version of the package, but you don’t have to take it from me—you can read all about it from a guy who has been here from the beginning and watched the offered benefits grow over the last 20 years.
According to him, it was built into the company from the beginning to go to great lengths to ensure that each and every employee is taken care of, whether it is free healthcare for the employee, 10% match on 401k, parental leave, travel rewards program, or even the luxurious company trips that we attend on an annual basis.
And that’s only the tip of the iceberg. There are a lot of other amazing benefits that Schellman offers, and I consider myself one of the lucky ones that get to enjoy them. The package has grown since I’ve been here, and that’s because the firm actually asks what we want on a regular basis. Every suggestion has to get vetted and such before being implemented, of course, but they really do listen to our inputs and concerns. And we get to “benefit” as we watch some come to fruition.
During my job search, benefits were a big deal for me—arguably, this component resonated with me the most. Before coming on board here, I did my due diligence. Though I was offered better salaries at numerous companies, Schellman’s overall package—including benefits—was impossible to ignore.
A Culture of Support at Schellman
But same as anybody else starting a new job, I couldn’t know what it would truly be like until I started. A great job offer is one thing—the actual work experience is entirely another.
For me at least, I’ve been pleased with that so far too. Ever since I’ve started, I’ve been surrounded by intelligent, hardworking, caring, and tenacious individuals—peers and supervisors alike. They push me to be better and grow, but it’s more than that.
The culture here prioritizes personal connection—even when working from home—and if you’re like me, these kinds of dynamics positively affect your work. Because of the depth of the relationships I’ve made, I’ve come to believe that people here genuinely care about my well-being, my personal and professional growth, and my family as well.
That kind of belief and support makes the actual job easier. Not only did Schellman nurture me in a way that built my confidence, but they also equipped me with the necessary tools to be the manager I am today.
I’ve now paved the pathway and built the life that I currently live and love, and I know that’s because I’ve been in an environment that suited me.
Finding the Right Place for You
Though I came onboard here before the advent of the Great Resignation, amidst it all now I’m noticing that more and more companies are reaching out to me, trying to offer me something irresistible so that I’ll make the move.
They’ve offered me a 25% bump in base salary, restricted stock options, promotion to the next level, etc. These were some pretty enticing offers, to say the least, and I honestly did consider them.
It’s a privilege to have so many choices, but all these developments have done is make me realize that I work for a great company and Schellman has delivered on all their promises regarding the things that are important to me.
Don’t get me wrong—they expect a lot, and it’s not a perfect place. But I still feel that it’s a rare thing to not only work for a company that you feel values you but also provides remarkable benefits and a culture of transparency, flexibility, trust.
Schellman may not be perfect, but they—and their overall package—are perfect for me. They try to be perfect for everyone, and that’s why I think we’ve weathered The Great Resignation as well as we have.