Creating a People-First Company Culture

Bagel Mondays and casual Fridays may have boosted employee morale in the past, but in the post-pandemic world, people want and expect more — much more — from their employers. They want the flexibility to be partly or fully remote; to set their own schedules; to feel safe at work, physically and psychologically; and to be challenged, appreciated and well compensated. They also want a company’s culture, which includes its mission, values and priorities, to reflect what matters to them and make them feel like they belong. A majority of employees even put culture above salary when it comes to job satisfaction.   

Here we learn how Aptive Resources, a consulting company that uses creativity, technology and human-centered services to improve organizational performance and customer experience, backs its reputation on putting people first.

A Community of Lifelong Learners

Aptive is committed to producing excellent results for every client, which is achieved by having an excellent workforce. Aptive Academy, an internal learning and training portal, offers specialized, interactive learning based on career experience and company role and works with vendors to coordinate credentialing programs such as Prosci and Lean Six Sigma. Staff can take courses on foundational consulting topics, project management, managing people and teams and the “Aptive way” of working with clients.

Aptive also offers a mentor program, access to LinkedIn Learning courses and an annual professional development stipend for seminars, educational courses, webinars and certification programs to help them meet ongoing company or client demands.

“Aptive employees are high performers and they are very smart,” said Jennifer Farrell, Aptive’s learning and development manager. “Whether they’re working on strategic engagement, digital transformation or health care solutions, people come here with a drive to be excellent and, throughout their careers at Aptive, their learning and development involvement is how we promote our personnel.”

Ongoing support and resources for learning and development are the norm for Aptive’s workforce development group. “We’re a learning organization,” said Farrell. It’s part of our culture.” Upcoming initiatives include building out communities of practice to facilitate peer-based learning.

A Community of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Aptive’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiative straddles both community and learning activities. To give the initiative teeth, the DEI Group developed a two-year plan outlining a shared commitment and direction for building a more inclusive, equitable and diverse workplace, which includes measures for tracking progress and success. In addition to online training and resources, Aptive features guest speakers on DEI topics and supports and partners with community organizations committed to DEI issues.

As a Veteran-owned company that provides consulting services to the Department of Veterans Affairs, Aptive is proactive in hiring Veterans. Through the Veterans Experience Council, Veterans work as paid, part-time advisors to help improve the services Aptive provides to the Veteran community through philanthropic, corporate and client engagements. More than 400 Veteran employees serve on the Council.

Aptive’s Veterans Training Program (VTP) has also been instrumental in increasing the Veteran employee population. The self-paced, online training and coaching program is open to Veterans, members of the National Guard and Reserve and active-duty service members within six months of separation or retirement from the military. About 30% of VTP participants have become full-time Aptive team members. One in 5 full-time staff at Aptive is a Veteran.

A Community of Caring

A culture of caring extends beyond the employee community to the community at large. The Aptive Cares program works with Veteran organizations, groups that promote equity and diversity, local food banks and other community groups whose missions align with the company’s values. Although the program engages everyone across the team in these activities, Aptive also encourages individuals to pursue volunteer activities that align with their personal passions and interests. Employees receive time off each year for volunteer activities.

To care for mental and physical well-being, Aptive helps create a work-life balance through flexible work schedules and arrangements. The entire workforce is telework-enabled and those who live locally telecommute regularly, using the headquarters office to collaborate, hold meetings and socialize. The company offers an onsite fitness center, virtual fitness competition and benefits such as free access to the Calm app and Healthiest You by Teladoc services, which provides access to doctors and therapists by phone, video or app.

Although running a company and maintaining a standard of excellence can be serious business, Aptive encourages employees to have fun through in-person and virtual company events each month. These events may include virtual coffee chats to meet fellow employees, company-sponsored lunches and after-work social hours with drinks, snacks, games and, at times, a friendly competition (trivia contest, anyone?) thrown in.

A Community of Innovation

Organizations rely on innovation to stay competitive and to address many of today’s technological, environmental and workforce challenges. Aptive fosters innovation through a research and development team that brings creative solutions to client challenges. The company also promotes an environment where employees feel safe challenging norms and floating new ideas.

With 40% of its workforce located outside the metropolitan Washington, D.C., area, Aptive hires from around the nation. “The ability to hire a larger remote workforce allows for more diversity,” said Rachele Cooper, Aptive founder and CEO. “Diversity of thought, experience, culture and background breeds innovation and out-of-the-box thinking.”

About Aptive

Aptive, which has grown from 75 employees in early 2020 to over 430 employees today, was named one of the fastest growing companies in the Washington, D.C., area by the Washington Business Journal (WBJ) and one of the nation’s fastest-growing companies by Inc. magazine in 2022. Aptive topped the WBJ list as the number one fastest-growing company in 2021. The company has also been named a Washington Post Top Workplace for the third consecutive year.

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