Crowe Horwath implements new flexible dress and mobile-work policies

Crowe Horwath has announced firmwide changes to its dress code (echoingother firm policies), as well as a new mobile working strategy. Rolled out in December, the two policies were designed for attracting and retaining talent both old and new.

The first initiative, “What to Wear,” states that if a professional is working in office and not meeting with clients, casual wear, such as jeans, will be acceptable any day of the week. The second policy, “Where to Work,” allows personnel to work wherever is convenient and most productive, with support from their performance manager.

Jim Powers, Crowe CEO, said the new policies are built upon trust: “I’m a firm believer that people are more motivated and productive when you trust them to do what you’ve hired them to do, and you let them do it their own way," he said in a statement. "Rather than focus our energies on an outdated dress code or making people travel to the office, we’re going to concentrate on measuring what matters and allowing our professionals to deliver the best possible client experience. If our people are engaged and productive, it’s an even bigger win for our clients.”

Notably, managers under the new work-mobility strategy are encouraged to manage virtual teams through learning courses, webinars and other resources via Crowe Horwath University, the firm’s virtual learning community.

With the inclusion of these policies, Crowe aims to be a destination for millennial talent.

“Younger people have grown up doing homework online, working on tablets, holding meetings in coffee shops and fielding job interviews via Skype, so these moves just make sense,” stated Julie Wood, Crowe chief people officer. “We’re relaxed, but that doesn’t mean we’re not engaged. We expect the best from our people and understand they can deliver quality work no matter the location. Open and continuous communication between team members and managers is key to the success of this strategy.”

The firm will measure the success of the new policies in its annual people engagement survey and client engagement surveys. And due to the new dress policy, the firm is holding a clothing drive where professional attire will be donated to Goodwill Industries. For each social media photo of a donation with the hashtag, #CroweGivesBack attached, the firm is donating $5 to the charity, with a maximum firm donation of $5,000.

For more information on Crowe Horwath's new policies, head to their site here.