Welcome to Inside Attivo, a multi-part series that follows the core values and practices that make Attivo Partners an exceptional place to work. In this series, we’ll explore important topics like flexibility, remote work, onboarding, professional development, and more. 

At Attivo, we are deeply committed to professional excellence, innovation, and fostering a supportive atmosphere for our team. Our values and policies have matured alongside our growth, forming the cornerstone of our success. Follow along as we share insights, testimonies, and stories that highlight how our culture enables our team members to thrive professionally and personally.
 

Onboarding is more than an introduction to a new job– it’s an opportunity to show new hires the best of what their employer has to offer. At Attivo, we take this seriously. We’ve made a significant investment in our onboarding program by blending industry-leading technical training with mentorship and real-world experience to ensure that new hires have the support and skills needed to succeed on day one.

Onboarding Done Differently

At Attivo, our onboarding experience is known as The New Hire Learning Journey. This 180-day program is designed to prepare new hires for the challenges of their role through a blend of strategic in-person training, self-directed online learning, and mentorship. It’s a program that equips our team with technical know-how and immerses them in Attivo’s culture from the start.

The New Hire Learning Journey

The New Hire Learning Journey spans the first 180 days of employment and is broken down into three main elements: Onboarding Mentorship (First 180 Days), Self-Directed Training (First 30 Days), and In-Person Training (Quarterly). Each of these onboarding initiatives works together to acclimate new hires to Attivo’s work style and culture while ensuring meaningful connection and collaboration with the team.

 Onboarding Mentors 

Onboarding Mentors are assigned to each new hire as a part of their integration into the firm. These mentors are tenured Attivo employees who work alongside new hires, help them navigate the firm’s standards and culture, and answer any questions that come up during the first 180 days. Practically, this includes a welcome call, weekly sync meetings, and an intentional effort on the part of the Onboarding Mentor to introduce new hires to other employees and resources within Attivo. This helps reinforce and extend collaboration within the wider Attivo team.

Onboarding Mentors stay with a new hire for about 3 months (or 3 monthly accounting/financial closes). During Attivo’s month-end close, our team ensures that a client’s accounting records are accurate and current by reconciling accounts, recording transactions, and ensuring that revenue and expenses are properly allocated. We then generate financial statements and a financial package and present the financial package to the client, providing an accurate snapshot of the company’s financial position to guide the client in their decision-making.

From there, the Onboarding Mentor will check in with the Client Leads and new hire to make sure everyone feels great about the mentor’s transition out and the new hire’s ownership of the close process for their clients. This transition is complete when the new hire feels comfortable and ready to own the entire process. 

As this handoff happens, the Onboarding Mentor will start to phase out, and the employee will be connected with their Long Term Mentor as a part of their long-term professional development.

Self-Directed Training 

New hires are given an individualized training plan comprised of key certifications they’ll need to acquire and information decks that need to be reviewed on their own time. This plan typically runs through the first 30 days and ensures that new hires understand our core processes and meet the certification standards needed to service our clients. Some examples of what employees cover are:

• Certification training for Bill.com, Quickbooks, Ramp, and more

• Information decks that cover Attivo’s best practices, onboarding processes, and values

• Client FAQs and research

While time for self-guided learning and reviewing the information covered in this process is helpful, we’ve found people retain information better when there’s space to apply it in real-time. We’ve designed the rest of The New Hire Learning Journey with this in mind. 

In-Person Training 

Attivo’s in-person trainings are designed to be highly interactive. Trainers work with new-hire cohorts to practice exercises, review workbooks, and analyze topics as a group. Topics include Attivo’s 6 C’s, Account Reconciliations, Financial Statement Review, Payroll, Tech Stack, Client Onboarding, Project Management, and more. 

In-person training for new hire cohorts happens on a quarterly basis. “We consistently hear that Attivo’s training and onboarding process is leaps and bounds ahead of what other consulting firms offer,” shares Erin. “We’ve emphasized learning why a topic matters, how to improve critical skillsets around that topic, and sharing from real experience what excellence on a specific topic looks like. We’ve found that this approach boosts engagement, information retention, and overall excitement about our work and purpose.” 

By bringing new hires together in cohort groups, they can build strong connections early on and better integrate into Attivo's collaborative culture.

A Long-Term Commitment to Learning

After 180 days, new hires transition into their long-term professional development with Attivo. The focus shifts from reinforcing technical training and Attivo standards to fostering employee’s continuous professional growth. We connect employees with a Long Term Mentor to provide ongoing support and help them realize their professional goals. This relationship is a key element of an employee's long-term success at Attivo. 

What Sets Attivo Apart

Attivo’s training is a constantly evolving experience that utilizes best-in-class technology,  employee feedback, and industry best practices to make continuous improvements. Trainers learn from previous training sessions and iterate, incorporating feedback, adding new experiences, and adjusting to current demands. The training builds on itself to meet the needs of new hires and prepare them for their work with Attivo. 

The training team has made a significant investment in Guru as a resource for employees. This next-gen AI-driven intranet serves as a deep repository of knowledge and experience for every Attivo employee. 

Additionally, Attivo’s training team focuses on soft skills to round out the new hire onboarding experience. Communication, confidence, and collaboration are essential skills in Attivo’s work style. This emphasis stands apart from what most traditional consulting firms offer. 

Better Onboarding Means a Better Client Experience  

New hires learn the essential soft and technical skills needed to make an immediate impact, which ensures that communication, culture, and deliverable standards are set and met. When new hires are given time to learn, the result is an experienced, detail-oriented, socially skilled employee who is prepared to learn in a self-sustaining manner. 

“It’s become apparent that our team appreciates how well we integrate new team members. And that’s our goal: no noticeable difference in quality because there isn’t,” Erin reflects, “Attivo’s collaborative approach means new hires have tenure staff support through their mentor and access to industry experts within the team, meaning the quality of work doesn’t change. ”