| Company Information |
|
Firm/Organization
|
| |
Grassi Advisors & Accountants
|
|
Firm's Address
|
| |
750 Third Avenue, 28th Floor
New York, New York 10017
United States
Map It
|
|
Website
|
| |
https://grassicpas.com
|
|
Number of Employees
|
| |
464
|
|
Category
|
| |
Public Accounting Firm
|
|
Affiliate
|
| |
Other
|
| Primary Survey Contact |
|
Name – Main Contact
|
| |
Corin Huff
|
|
Title – Main Contact
|
| |
Director of Communications
|
|
Email – Main Contact
|
| |
chuff@grassicpas.com
|
|
Phone – Main Contact
|
| |
(201) 808-9736
|
| Secondary Contact |
|
Name – Secondary
|
| |
Jessica VanRossem
|
|
Title – Secondary
|
| |
Director of Human Resources
|
|
Email – Secondary
|
| |
jvanrossem@grassicpas.com
|
| All Employees |
|
Women
|
| |
| White (non-Hispanic) |
Black |
Hispanic |
Asian |
Native American / Pacific Islander |
Biracial / Other |
Total |
| 121 |
6 |
21 |
20 |
0 |
36 |
204 |
|
|
Men
|
| |
| White (non-Hispanic) |
Black |
Hispanic |
Asian |
Native American / Pacific Islander |
Biracial / Other |
Total |
| 155 |
3 |
8 |
21 |
2 |
66 |
255 |
|
| All New Hires |
|
Women
|
| |
| White (non-Hispanic) |
Black |
Hispanic |
Asian |
Native American / Pacific Islander |
Biracial / Other |
Total |
| 25 |
0 |
5 |
6 |
0 |
3 |
39 |
|
|
Men
|
| |
| White (non-Hispanic) |
Black |
Hispanic |
Asian |
Native American / Pacific Islander |
Biracial / Other |
Total |
| 35 |
1 |
5 |
11 |
0 |
2 |
54 |
|
| All Associates |
|
Women
|
| |
| White (non-Hispanic) |
Black |
Hispanic |
Asian |
Native American / Pacific Islander |
Biracial / Other |
Total |
| 5 |
0 |
2 |
4 |
0 |
3 |
14 |
|
|
Men
|
| |
| White (non-Hispanic) |
Black |
Hispanic |
Asian |
Native American / Pacific Islander |
Biracial / Other |
Total |
| 7 |
1 |
2 |
7 |
0 |
1 |
18 |
|
| All Senior Staff |
|
Women
|
| |
| White (non-Hispanic) |
Black |
Hispanic |
Asian |
Native American / Pacific Islander |
Biracial / Other |
Total |
| 16 |
0 |
4 |
2 |
0 |
6 |
28 |
|
|
Men
|
| |
| White (non-Hispanic) |
Black |
Hispanic |
Asian |
Native American / Pacific Islander |
Biracial / Other |
Total |
| 24 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
7 |
37 |
|
| All Managers |
|
Women
|
| |
| White (non-Hispanic) |
Black |
Hispanic |
Asian |
Native American / Pacific Islander |
Biracial / Other |
Total |
| 16 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
22 |
|
|
Men
|
| |
| White (non-Hispanic) |
Black |
Hispanic |
Asian |
Native American / Pacific Islander |
Biracial / Other |
Total |
| 16 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
5 |
23 |
|
| All Senior Managers |
|
Women
|
| |
| White (non-Hispanic) |
Black |
Hispanic |
Asian |
Native American / Pacific Islander |
Biracial / Other |
Total |
| 7 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
13 |
|
|
Men
|
| |
| White (non-Hispanic) |
Black |
Hispanic |
Asian |
Native American / Pacific Islander |
Biracial / Other |
Total |
| 11 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
13 |
|
| Directors |
|
Women
|
| |
| White (non-Hispanic) |
Black |
Hispanic |
Asian |
Native American / Pacific Islander |
Biracial / Other |
Total |
| 5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
|
|
Men
|
| |
| White (non-Hispanic) |
Black |
Hispanic |
Asian |
Native American / Pacific Islander |
Biracial / Other |
Total |
| 10 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
15 |
|
| All Partners and Principals |
|
Women
|
| |
| White (non-Hispanic) |
Black |
Hispanic |
Asian |
Native American / Pacific Islander |
Biracial / Other |
Total |
| 8 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
4 |
15 |
|
|
Men
|
| |
| White (non-Hispanic) |
Black |
Hispanic |
Asian |
Native American / Pacific Islander |
Biracial / Other |
Total |
| 1 |
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
| Management Committee |
|
Women
|
| |
| White (non-Hispanic) |
Black |
Hispanic |
Asian |
Native American / Pacific Islander |
Biracial / Other |
Total |
| 0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
Men
|
| |
| White (non-Hispanic) |
Black |
Hispanic |
Asian |
Native American / Pacific Islander |
Biracial / Other |
Total |
| 1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
3 |
|
| Total Information Technology Employees |
|
Women
|
| |
| White (non-Hispanic) |
Black |
Hispanic |
Asian |
Native American / Pacific Islander |
Biracial / Other |
Total |
| 2 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
|
|
Men
|
| |
| White (non-Hispanic) |
Black |
Hispanic |
Asian |
Native American / Pacific Islander |
Biracial / Other |
Total |
| 2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
5 |
|
| Information Technology Project Managers and R&D Team Managers |
|
Women
|
| |
| White (non-Hispanic) |
Black |
Hispanic |
Asian |
Native American / Pacific Islander |
Biracial / Other |
Total |
| 1 |
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
Men
|
| |
| White (non-Hispanic) |
Black |
Hispanic |
Asian |
Native American / Pacific Islander |
Biracial / Other |
Total |
| 2 |
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
|
| Information Technology Principals / Partners and Corporate Dept. Managers |
|
Women
|
| |
| White (non-Hispanic) |
Black |
Hispanic |
Asian |
Native American / Pacific Islander |
Biracial / Other |
Total |
| 0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
Men
|
| |
| White (non-Hispanic) |
Black |
Hispanic |
Asian |
Native American / Pacific Islander |
Biracial / Other |
Total |
| 2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
|
| Money Section |
|
M1. Benchmark compensation against current market levels
|
| |
Biannually
|
|
M2a. Conduct internal pay equity surveys and analysis
|
| |
Biannually
|
|
M2b. Conduct internal pay equity surveys (check all that apply)
|
| |
- Of base pay only
- Of base pay plus bonuses and incentives
- Of all pay plus performance data
- By applicants and new hires
- By region/office
|
|
M3. Pay equity survey results are reviewed by (check all that apply)
|
| |
- Partners/Principals
- HR staff
|
|
M4. Organizational supports for implementing compensation and fair pay policies (check all that apply)
|
| |
- Communication tools for department-level pay discussions
- Communication tools for individual pay discussions
- Communication tools to use at the point of pay decisions
- Communication tools for negotiating pay of new hires
- Managers decisions reviewed by at least one superior or HR manager
- Coaching for managers by HR staff or others
- Payband structure
|
|
M5. Managers are accountable for equitable pay (check all that apply)
|
| |
|
|
Other -M5 Comments
|
| |
Pay equity metrics are handled on the partner/principal level in collaboration with HR leadership. Managers are not involved.
|
|
M6. How do you ensure that managers reward actual productivity (not just 'face time' hours worked, or other measures of time or effort)?
|
| |
Our managers are intimately involved in the annual performance management process, whereby they provide feedback and conduct conservations with their direct reports to ensure productivity is being recognized and rewarded. When performance is unsatisfactory, this is also the opportunity to address those issues, including how they relate to bonus/incentive decisions.
|
|
M7. How are managers held accountable for ensuring that they are paying their direct reports equitably?
|
| |
Oversight of the performance management process is provided by HR leadership and practice/service line leaders. No pay decisions are made without direct input and approval by HR and firm executives.
|
|
M8. How do you use external market pay data to shape pay policies, practices and innovations?
|
| |
We participate annually in the AAG Salary Survey, which is a group of similarly sized CPA firms that provide their pay data for comparison and benchmarking purposes. We also participate each year in the IPA Top Accounting Firms survey, which results in a comprehensive benchmarking report of compensation and other benchmarking areas. Through personal and professional connections fostered through our networking and industry associations, our HR team is in continuous dialogue with other HR professionals and glean real-time insights on compensation and fair pay policies.
|
|
M9. What were the results of your most recent internal pay equity survey and analysis?
|
| |
We are confident that our pay structure is highly competitive with other firms of our size, but we continue to monitor our salary bands in comparison to market changes. For example, as entry level salaries rise, we ensure our current associates are in line with that new salary band. As we hire individuals above prior pay levels, we review comparable employees' salaries and make adjustments as needed.
|
|
M10. If an inadvertent pay inequity has ever been discovered, how was it found, how was it corrected; and how were pay practices and policies consequently changed?
|
| |
We evaluate salaries with each bi-annual performance management cycle. As new hires are onboarded, we compare their compensation to others in similar roles and titles. Acquisitions are another opportunity for us to compare the compensation provided to new and current team members.
|
|
M11. Please provide details, short case studies, and examples of how you ensure that woman and people of color are paid equitably.
|
| |
Performance and qualifications are the primary factors driving our compensation decisions. This creates equity for all genders, races and other categories of team members. These compensation levels are reviewed on the title and role level to ensure everyone within that category – regardless of gender or race – are falling within the appropriate pay band.
|
| Opportunity Section |
|
O1. Mentoring: Types of mentoring (check all that apply)
|
| |
- One-on-one
- Group or circle
- Coaching for mentors
- Across departments and functions
- Mentoring from external coaches
|
|
O2. Leadership training: Types of leadership training (check all that apply)
|
| |
- Leadership training: internal program
- Leadership training: external program
- Career coaching through transition from staff to manager
- Career coaching through transition from manager to partner/principal
- Career coaching for alternative partnership track
- Leadership training: through employer-supported volunteer responsibilities
- Leadership training: through support for business board positions
- Leadership training: through support for nonprofit board positions
- Part-time partnership track
- Phased on-ramp for returning mid-career professionals
|
|
O3. Rotational training (check all that apply)
|
| |
- Stretch assignments or rotations
- Developmental assignments or rotations
- Emerging women leaders rotated into client-facing roles
- Short-term developmental assignments in lieu of relocation
- Rotation into partner/principal task forces
- Rotation into operating positions
- Rotation into international projects
|
|
O4. Skills and management training (check all that apply)
|
| |
- Skills training (such as IT certifications) beyond C.P.E.
- College tuition assistance
- Online training program: skills
- Online training program: leadership & management development
- Client relationship training & management skills
- Financial skills training for non-financial employees
- Technical skills training for non-technical employees
- On-site employee skills workshops
- Funding to attend professional development conferences
|
|
O5. How do managers and top leaders track the advancement of women and people of color? (check all that apply)
|
| |
- Formal succession planning
- Regular reports to executives about all diverse employees
- Formal identification of high-potential employees
- Managers trained to identify high-potential employees
- Talent management system
- Paid internships for college students/professionals before graduation
- Track subsequent hiring of interns
- Formal evaluation of effectiveness of advancement programs for women and people of color
|
|
O6. Internal affinity networks or business resource groups are sponsored by the organization for (Check all that apply)
|
| |
- Women
- African-Americans
- Hispanics
- Asians
- Native Americans/Native Alaskans
- Retirement transition
- Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender/Questioning
- Working parents
- Working caregivers
- Veterans
- New Mothers
|
|
O7. How does your firm's commitment to advancing women and people of color help you achieve your business, marketing, growth and profit results? If your company has a written business case for diversity, please provide a copy.
|
| |
Fostering an inclusive, supportive environment is at the heart of Grassi's mission to create success for all our people and clients. Creating a level playing field for all people to advance, regardless of gender, color or sexual orientation, aids in our retention efforts – which in turn improves the business results we are able achieve together, for both our clients and Firm.
Our DEI statement is as follows: At Grassi, we strive to foster an environment for all to feel included, accepted, and supported at our firm. We are committed to providing resources and education to our employees that will increase awareness and ensure our team members feel genuinely accepted in the workplace. We welcome the unique perspective and experience of our clients and employees, and we are driven to promote a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion, where individuals can thrive personally and professionally.
|
|
O8. What marketing, public relations and similar efforts are tied to your organization's commitment to advancing women?
|
| |
The advancement of women and people of color is a priority because we care about our people and the career paths they are on, not because of what we can receive in the form of positive PR or marketing opportunities. Instead, we focus on ensuring equality in the opportunities and resources we dedicate to helping people market their personal brand and increase their book of business. Female and minority professionals are regularly nominated for professional awards, given thought leadership and speaking opportunities, featured in new business proposals, invited to networking events, and otherwise supported by the Firm's leadership and marketing teams.
|
|
O9. What marketing, public relations and similar efforts are tied to your organization's commitment to advancing people of color?
|
| |
See answer #8 above.
|
|
O10. How are affinity and business resource groups used to develop women employees?
|
| |
The Grassi Women's Council is dedicated to creating education and networking centered around the advancement of women in the Firm and industries we serve. The council provides programming throughout the year to promote discussion and collaboration on making the workplace more equitable and inclusive. The Firm also provides our employees with memberships to female-focused associations, such as Professional Women in Construction and Women Builders Conference for members of our Construction practice.
|
|
O11. How are affinity and business resource groups used to develop people of color employees?
|
| |
Our DEI committee provides monthly programming, resources and education to promote awareness and appreciation of the ways diversity makes our workforce stronger. Through external speakers, book clubs, awareness campaigns, newsletters and other knowledge-sharing opportunities, the Firm keeps the importance of DEI top of mind year-round.
|
|
O12. How do affinity and business resource groups drive business results?
|
| |
These groups promote a culture of inclusivity and acceptance internally but often generate ideas for external initiatives as well. Recently, our Private Client Services team held a luncheon for female investors to focus on the
|
|
O13. Please provide details, short case studies, and examples of how you ensure that woman have access to advancement opportunities and drive business results.
|
| |
Women and people of color are encouraged to be involved in our BD pipeline meetings, industry niche meetings, self-evaluation process and employee surveys to ensure they have ample opportunity to voice opinions and be part of the strategic direction of the firm. Our Firm's CEO and Managing Partner, Lou Grassi, also offers a dedicated inbox, "If I Were Managing Partner," for anyone to submit ideas or concerns directly to him through the Firm's Intranet platform. Employees are incentivized to submit their ideas with a monetary gift and/or a donation to a charity of their choice.
|
|
O14. Please provide details, short case studies, and examples of how you ensure that minorities/people of color have access to advancement opportunities and drive business results.
|
| |
See answer in #13 above.
|
| Vital Supports for Work-Life |
|
V1. Flexwork (check all that apply)
|
| |
- Flexwork: Formal practice with formal policy
- Flexwork: Cultural practice
- Flexwork: By department, with managers approval
- Flexwork: On a case-by-case basis, with managers approval
- Other
|
|
V1 – Other Comments
|
| |
We do not formally measure ROI on Flexwork but do evaluate its impact on our hiring and retention capabilities.
|
|
V2. Telecommuting and remote work (check all that apply)
|
| |
- Telecommuting: Formal practice
- Telecommuting: Cultural practice
- Telecommuting: On a case-by-case basis, with managers approval
- Telecommuting: Career track for telecommuting supervisors
- Telecommuting: Online training for virtual staff
- Telecommuting: Used as recruiting tool
- Telecommuting: Used as retention tool
- Telecommuting: Used to trim overhead, save cost
- Telecommuting: Used as strategic tool for disaster recovery, etc.
|
|
V3. Training/coaching/support for managers of telecommuting or remote workers (check all that apply)
|
| |
- Flexwork: Managers trained to manage virtual teams
- Flexwork: Managers trained to evaluate productivity, not face time
- Flexwork: Teams trained to collaborate virtually
- Flexwork: Managers coached to support flexwork & telecommuting
- Flexwork: Employees coached in effective flexwork & telecommuting
- Flexwork: 24/7 tech support for virtual employees
|
|
V4a. Stage of life transitions: Parenting transitions (check all that apply)
|
| |
- Family leave beyond required legal minimum: for mothers
- Family leave beyond required legal minimum: for fathers
- Phased return to work for new parents
- Phased/flexible return to work for foster & adoptive parents
- Dedicated lactation room
- Work/life supports geared for busy season
- Virtual and/or home-based wellness programs
|
|
V4b. Stage of life transitions: Retirement transitions (check all that apply)
|
| |
- Phased retirement: Retirement transition career track
- Phased retirement: Temp/contract work for new retirees
|
|
V4c. Stage of life transitions: Other transitions (check all that apply)
|
| |
- Phased return to work from illness/injury
- Accommodations beyond ADA required for chronic illness management
- Paid time off bank (includes paid sick and vacation time)
- Sabbaticals
- Paid time off to volunteer-work related
|
|
V5a. Dependent care: Childcare assistance provided (check all that apply)
|
| |
- Worklife supports geared for busy season
- Other
|
|
V5a – Other Comments
|
| |
Grassi offers Dependent Care benefits, including flexible spending accounts to use pre-tax dollars for dependent care costs.
|
|
V6. Wellness and Disability Accommodation (check all that apply)
|
| |
- Subsidized gym/fitness membership
- On-site gym/fitness membership
- Ergonomic accommodations beyond ADA minimum
- Ergonomic equipment provided
- Technology accommodations beyond ADA minimum
- Other
|
|
V6 – Other Comments
|
| |
Flu shot clinics are offered on-site. Visiting nurse service are available through the firm's health insurance benefits.
|
|
V7. What types of work/life conflicts are common and distinctive to workers in public accounting, especially tied to your firm's main specialties or priorities?
|
| |
Like all public accounting firms, the extra hours required during busy season pose major challenges for our team members to balance work/life demands. Through offering flexible work arrangements and telecommuting options – even during the busiest months – our team members have reported significant improvements in their ability to simultaneously fulfill both professional and personal objectives.
|
|
V8. How are managers trained and coached to leverage your organization's work/life programs to keep employee and team productivity on track?
|
| |
Communication with supervisors reiterates our commitment to providing team members with the flexibility they need throughout the year. Managers are trained to have an open-door policy where requests, such as time off during busy season, can be easily broached and discussed on a case-by-case basis, thereby treating team members as individuals and not just productivity numbers.
|
|
V9. How do you track the financial ROI of work/life programs (beyond a simple count of the number of employees that use the programs)?
|
| |
We conduct several employee satisfaction surveys (fielded by independent third-party providers) each year. Each of these surveys elicits feedback on work/life programs and provides the data we need to connect the results of our work/life programs to overall retention and related cost-savings.
|
|
V10. Please provide some specific case studies and profiles of how work/life programs have recruited and retained employees with work/life challenges, while at the same time enabling your organization to meet its productivity goals.
|
| |
Customized work arrangements are one of the most common solutions to work/life challenges, while enabling retention and productivity. We operate around a core set of hours that can be adjusted to fit a person's preferences and schedule limitations.
|
|
V11. How does your organization cultivate daily wellness habits that help keep employees productive and also help manage health care costs?
|
| |
Our office kitchens are stocked with complimentary healthy snacks. We bring in healthcare providers from the community for educational sessions on disease prevention and healthy living throughout the year.
|
|
V12. What other work/life programs, practices and innovations support productivity?
|
| |
We offer our team members a free subscription to the Calm app, which offers a wide variety of mindfulness programs. We also offer firm-sponsored meditation sessions.
|
|
V13a. Does your firm track/count the number of LGBTQ / nonbinary employees?
|
| |
No
|
| ENTREPRENEURSHIP |
|
E1. Internal entrepreneurship (check all that apply)
|
| |
- Training in essential business skills beyond C.P.E.
- Training to equip employees to develop and pursue new business
- Internal incubators for employee ideas
- Internal business plan competition
- Internal communications about employee entrepreneurship & results
- Employee affinity groups and business resource groups involved in marketing
- Employee affinity groups and business resource groups involved in recruiting
- Organizational marketing tied to external sponsorship/support of entrepreneurs
- Organization sponsors external business plan competition, awards, etc.
|
|
E2. Does your company track former employees who might contribute to the company as a supplier or contractor? (check all that apply)
|
| |
- Exit interviews for former employees
- Alumni networks of former employees for temp & contract work
- Informal communication with key former employees
- Communication tools to reach alumni employees (website; newsletter; etc.)
- Established process for employees to transition to supplier or contractor status
|
|
E3. Please indicate how employee resouce groups have contributed to your firm's growth (check all that apply)
|
| |
- New business opportunities
- Shaped go-to-market for new practices/lines of business
- Advised marketing/communications on nuances of approaching new markets
- Sales process improvement
- Internal networking
- Internal referrals
- External networking
- External referrals
|
|
E4. Does your company track the proportion of women/minority business enterprise suppliers?
|
| |
Yes
|
|
E5. How does your organization invest in the success of women/minority business enterprises? (check all that apply)
|
| |
- Train line managers in finding and working with W/MBEs
- Mentor W/MBE owners in business management
- Provide or support educational seminars for W/MBEs
- Collaborate with women and minority small business centers or similar programs
- Sponsor W/MBE owners for trade and marketing opportunities
- Assist W/MBE owners in collaborating with other W/MBE owners for contracts
- Assist W/MBE owners with financing/cash flow
|
|
E8. How does the firm foster innovations that might lead to new lines of business and how are rising women and minorities/people of color involved in these efforts?
|
| |
All of the industry and service lines in our Firm hold regular BD meetings with marketing to develop their go-to market strategies and assign BD responsibilities. These meetings include training and input from Marketing and BD team members to educate and equip our accounting professionals with the tools they need to identify and secure new business. Each of these industry/service line leadership groups include women and/or people of color.
|
|
E9. Please provide some specific case studies and profiles of how your company fosters entrepreneurship and supplier diversity, highlighting specific instances when these practices drove business results and firm reputation.
|
| |
Our construction team is well known throughout the industry for its support of MWBEs. Many of our clients are MWBEs, and we sponsor and attend related events in our industry associations. Our team is able to provide cash flow, lending, operational and other business advice to help promote their success.
|
| Final Section |
|
Does your firm have a flexible or customized partnership model?
|
| |
Yes
|
|
Customized Partnerships
|
| |
This concept is evolving, as the Firm has recently begun offering part-time and alternative partnership tracks. Because our growth strategies are driven by industry and service lines, and not primarily by geographic location, remote and part-time professionals can still be integral members of our leadership teams. They are able to participate in partnership trainings and take their own pace to becoming partner, based on their timeline for other life events.
|
|
Customized Partnerships
|
| |
Currently, we have at least two remote principals who are on track to partnership, even though they are not based in any of our traditional offices. Both are go-to resources in our tax department and recognized by their peers as leaders and valuable assets to the Firm. Working mothers, in particular, have been able to take advantage of this model as they plan their families, going to a part-time schedule or delaying the traditional partnership timeline without any ill effects on their career path or ultimate goals. Currently, one of our female partners is on a customized, part-time schedule to better manage her caregiver roles at home. She has retained her leadership role within her department and our Firm.
|
|
Confidential Snapshot
|
| |
Recruiting and retention strategies
Benchmarking on our demographic data and how it compares to industry averages
|
|
Final Question
|
| |
The survey felt unnecessarily long and repetitive, especially after the interview. A lot of overlapping questions that probably could be consolidated into one or the other.
|
|
Date Entered
|
| |
05/11/2023
|
