You might think that Accenture’s primary concern is losing its people to other top consulting firms.

You might think that Accenture’s primary concern is losing
its people to other top consulting firms. In fact, Accenture actually loses
most of its consultants to its very own clients.106 A consultant at another
firm explains the appeal of client firms this way: “The coolest thing about
being a consultant is that I know exactly where I would go work if I left,
because I already have assessed the workplace of the company.” As Accenture
consultants work with more and more clients, they develop a broader network of
contacts that become potential employers. Those moves typically bring more
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You might think that Accenture’s primary concern is losing
its people to other top consulting firms. In fact, Accenture actually loses
most of its consultants to its very own clients.106 A consultant at another
firm explains the appeal of client firms this way: “The coolest thing about
being a consultant is that I know exactly where I would go work if I left,
because I already have assessed the workplace of the company.” As Accenture
consultants work with more and more clients, they develop a broader network of
contacts that become potential employers. Those moves typically bring more
stability and the sense of moving into a “smaller pond.” Jill Smart, the chief
human resources officer at Accenture, understands the unique difficulties in
retaining consultants. In reflecting on the company’s commitment efforts, she
notes, “We saw that we had people leaving to go do work that they could do
here, and when we asked them about it, they said, ‘We didn’t know that we could
do that’.”

Smart’s observation explains the rationale for Accenture’s
“Career Counselor” program. Each new hire is assigned a career counselor—an
employee a few levels up, chosen by the human resources groups, who works in
the same functional area.107 The counselors know all the career options within
the company, so they can explain all the options to good employees before
they’re even tempted to go elsewhere. Consultants such as Keyur Patel have
monthly conversations with their counselors, who typically mentor four or five
consultants. “He will talk to me about how I am doing and what opportunities he
sees for me,” Patel says of his counselor. “He advised me to use my Fridays to
really connect with the local office and make sure I always feel a sense of
belonging.” Although around half of the companies on the Fortune 500 list offer
some sort of formalized mentoring program, many prove ineffective.108 In
Accenture’s case, the company takes the time to evaluate the
“people-development skills” of its counselors, and those ratings have a direct
impact on counselor paychecks. “If you are not a good career counselor, there
are consequences,” Smart explains.

a. What could Accenture do to reduce the number of
consultants who leave to work for client firms? Would those strategies have any
unintended drawbacks?

b. Can you think of any “silver lining” for Accenture when
consultants leave to work for clients? Can such situations benefit the firm in
some way?

c. Some companies are reluctant to institute formal programs
like Accenture’s career counselors, assuming instead that advice can be passed
down informally by supervisors. What are some arguments for formalizing the
process the way Accenture has?

Q28

The purpose of this exercise is to explore how individuals
react to three all-too- common scenarios that represent negative workplace
events. This exercise uses groups, so your instructor will either assign you to
a group or ask you to create your own group. The exercise has the following
steps:

a. Individually read the following three scenarios: the
annoying boss, the boring job, and pay and seniority. For each scenario, write
down two specific behaviors in which you would likely engage in response to
that scenario. Write down what you would actually do, as opposed to what you
wish you would do. For example, you may wish that you would march into your
boss’s office and demand a change, but if you would actually do nothing, write
down “nothing.”

b. In groups, compare and contrast your likely responses to
the three scenarios. Come to a consensus on the two most likely responses for
the group as a whole. Elect one group member to write the two likely responses
to each of the three scenarios on the board or on a transparency.

c. Class discussion (whether in groups or as a class) should
center on where the likely responses fit into the exit–voice–loyalty–neglect
framework. What personal and situational factors would lead someone to one
category of responses over another? Are there any responses that do not fit
into the exit–voice–loyalty–neglect framework?