By Chuck Mullen, CPA, CMA, MTax, CGMA – Chairman
The only constant is change. The mark of a progressive culture is a company whereby its leaders are flexible and embracive of fresh ideas and advancements. Remember when companies would require suits, every day, regardless of an employee’s job or meetings scheduled that day? In 2017, we joined the trend, along with other trailblazing companies, in changing our dress code to a simple rule: dress for your day. And guess what – our professionals loved it. And when our employees are happy, our clients are happy. And when our clients are happy, our community benefits. It’s incredible how just a small, incremental change, can produce an extensive impact.
Our firm is evolving with the needs of our professionals. Talent competition is fierce, not just in Northeast Ohio, but nationwide. Our diverse workforce has needs we desire to meet; the generation of professionals graduating college right now will change our world and we aspire to be a part of it. We do so by celebrating change, with an updated dress code, flexible hours and most importantly, adequate and plentiful maternity and parental leave.
And so….I am delighted to announce Apple Growth Partners is now offering paid maternity and parental leave for our team members. The findings of research are clear – parents need time off from work to bond with their newborn, adopted or foster child, and they should be able to do so without financial hardship. Like many employers, we adhere to the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Unfortunately, FMLA does not require employees to be paid while away. Caring for a newborn while experiencing financial stress is not an acceptable situation, especially during what is meant to be the most magical time in a new parent’s life.
Times are also changing with respect to the number of males who are taking paternity leave to be with family. Studies show the number of men taking time off has tripled in recent years.
We are committed to ensuring our professionals’ career paths are not thwarted when they grow their families. Apple Growth Partners fosters a culture rich in inclusion, and it is critical for us to constantly change with the times and recognize that paid maternity and paternity leave is a key component in the future of recruitment and retention.
We are committed to our employees and their families. It is our conviction that when we invest in our professionals, they will excel in their personal lives, careers, and community involvement. We are honored to join the companies who have taken it upon themselves to establish these employee features.
My mission is to lead our firm, to lead by example, to lead our industry, and along with the entire Principal group at Apple Growth Partners, we do so collectively by being ever-flexible and celebrating change. We know that by committing to putting our employees first, everyone else, including our clients, thrives.