Our Publications

Over the past decade, professional services firms have made significant steps to building their performance and feedback culture. Our 2024 Evolving Employee Performance Management in the Professions research, conducted with over 170 professional firms, reveals a shift towards more frequent feedback, increased technology adoption, and adaptation to hybrid working. While annual reviews remain common, firms are embracing informal check-ins to drive frequency. Technology adoption is surging and there's more to come as firms plan for a future with AI.

This paper captures a podcast discussion with Dr. Heidi Gardner, following the launch of her new book Smarter Collaboration. In an engaging conversation we cover a wide range of topics from firms that do a great job of collaboration to leadership and managing change. There’s depth around compensation models, improving performance systems and exploration of metrics that enable or inhibit collaboration. We also cover purpose and feedback, and touch the influence of Chat GPT in a new world. This discussion with one the most influential thought leaders in the professional services sector today is well worth a read.

The new war for talent has arrived for professional services firms. This is not surprising, given rebounds follow recessions and talent wars follow job cuts.

‍

But this one is different. Covid has loosened the ties that bind employees to firms, and change and disruption is causing many to rethink work. In this white paper, we consider five strategies firms can adopt to retain talent.

One of the biggest challenges facing PSF leaders and Partner Remuneration Committees is how to measure and reward partner collaboration. It's a flow on challenge from making collaboration a key strategic goal.

‍

This white paper from Patrick St John sets out a simple, proven method for measuring and rewarding partner collaboration. It draws on Patrick's experience as a senior leader and Remuneration Committee member of a global professional services firm.

Our 2020 Equity Partner Contribution & Compensation Survey report examines current practices in relation to partner contribution and compensation management in professional firms. Our report puts these insights into a Covid-19 and post-Covid-19 context.

‍

Over 160 respondents were comprised mainly from those who manage the contribution and compensation process in firms: managing partners, chief executives, chief operating officers, heads of finance and human resources and board members.

This 2018 report on partner contribution and reward is the result of a research into how partner contribution is assessed and managed, and how professional services firms structure and determine partner compensation.

‍

The report sets out our key findings and presents a model for contribution and reward management we call the Performance to Reward trilogy.

This 2016 study seeks to shed light on the status quo across professional services firms and then set out what good performance management in PSFs should and could look like.

‍

With the need for change becoming more and more obvious, we sought to research the status quo in the professional services sector and to contribute to rethinking performance management.