KWC Certified Public Accountants 2023 Survey

Download Survey: KWC Certified Public Accountants 2023 Survey

Company Information
Firm/Organization
  KWC Certified Public Accountants
Firm's Address
  5270 Shawnee Road
Suite 250
Alexandria, Virginia 22312
United States
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Website
  https://www.kwccpa.com/
Number of Employees
  122
Category
  Public Accounting Firm
Affiliate
  BDO
Primary Survey Contact
Name – Main Contact
  Craig Browning
Title – Main Contact
  Director of Marketing and Personnel
Email – Main Contact
  craig.browning@kwccpa.com
Phone – Main Contact
  (703) 642-3968
Secondary Contact
Name – Secondary
  Sharon Williams
Title – Secondary
  HR Generalist
Email – Secondary
  sharon.williams@kwccpa.com
Phone – Secondary
  (703) 642-3968
All Employees
Women
 

White (non-Hispanic) Black Hispanic Asian Native American / Pacific Islander Biracial / Other Total
80 1 1 1 83

Men
 

White (non-Hispanic) Black Hispanic Asian Native American / Pacific Islander Biracial / Other Total
29 3 3 2 2 39

All New Hires
Women
 

White (non-Hispanic) Black Hispanic Asian Native American / Pacific Islander Biracial / Other Total
2 0 0 0 0 0 2

Men
 

White (non-Hispanic) Black Hispanic Asian Native American / Pacific Islander Biracial / Other Total
2 0 0 0 0 0 2

All Associates
Women
 

White (non-Hispanic) Black Hispanic Asian Native American / Pacific Islander Biracial / Other Total
14 1 1 2 0 0 18

Men
 

White (non-Hispanic) Black Hispanic Asian Native American / Pacific Islander Biracial / Other Total
10 0 1 0 0 0 11

All Senior Staff
Women
 

White (non-Hispanic) Black Hispanic Asian Native American / Pacific Islander Biracial / Other Total
12 0 0 0 0 0 12

Men
 

White (non-Hispanic) Black Hispanic Asian Native American / Pacific Islander Biracial / Other Total
4 0 0 0 0 0 4

All Managers
Women
 

White (non-Hispanic) Black Hispanic Asian Native American / Pacific Islander Biracial / Other Total
16 0 0 0 0 0 16

Men
 

White (non-Hispanic) Black Hispanic Asian Native American / Pacific Islander Biracial / Other Total
6 0 0 1 0 0 7

All Senior 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
0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Directors
Women
 

White (non-Hispanic) Black Hispanic Asian Native American / Pacific Islander Biracial / Other Total
2 1 0 0 0 0 3

Men
 

White (non-Hispanic) Black Hispanic Asian Native American / Pacific Islander Biracial / Other Total
2 0 0 0 0 0 2

All Partners and Principals
Women
 

White (non-Hispanic) Black Hispanic Asian Native American / Pacific Islander Biracial / Other Total
16 0 0 0 0 0 16

Men
 

White (non-Hispanic) Black Hispanic Asian Native American / Pacific Islander Biracial / Other Total
6 0 0 0 0 0 6

Management Committee
Women
 

White (non-Hispanic) Black Hispanic Asian Native American / Pacific Islander Biracial / Other Total
3 0 0 0 0 0 3

Men
 

White (non-Hispanic) Black Hispanic Asian Native American / Pacific Islander Biracial / Other Total
0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Total Information Technology Employees
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
4 0 0 0 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
0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Men
 

White (non-Hispanic) Black Hispanic Asian Native American / Pacific Islander Biracial / Other Total
0 0 0 0 0 0 0

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
0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Money Section
M1. Benchmark compensation against current market levels
  Annually
M2a. Conduct internal pay equity surveys and analysis
  As needed
M2b. Conduct internal pay equity surveys (check all that apply)
 

  • Of all pay plus performance data
M3. Pay equity survey results are reviewed by (check all that apply)
 

  • HR staff
M4. Organizational supports for implementing compensation and fair pay policies (check all that apply)
 

  • 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
M5. Managers are accountable for equitable pay (check all that apply)
 

  • We do not tie managers pay to their staffs equitable pay
M6. How do you ensure that managers reward actual productivity (not just 'face time' hours worked, or other measures of time or effort)?
  We collect 5-8 evaluations per staff and aggregate the data to summarize upward and downward perceptions of
performance. The summarized information is then discussed with the staff in an oral evaluation comprised of one
Principal and HR Manager.
M7. How are managers held accountable for ensuring that they are paying their direct reports equitably?
  n/a
M8. How do you use external market pay data to shape pay policies, practices and innovations?
  We look at our pay ranges and compare them to the industry standards in our area for firms of our size to ensure that
our current employees and potential rehires are paid appropriately. Additionally, we take into the account the general
shifts in various staff levels indicated by pay analysis to determine whether our fee ranges are competitive. We also
gauge, by hiring trends per
recruiters in our areas, what are adequate pay scales for experienced placement hires.
M9. What were the results of your most recent internal pay equity survey and analysis?
  We found our compensation by staff level to be at or better than industry standards and have utilized our internal stats
for new hires (and projected new hire entry rates).Note: we also compare to industry surveys by geographic area such
as Robert Half surveys.
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?
  Pay equity for staff is evaluated two times per year and corrected as soon as any discrepancy is discovered. Staff are
also eligible for promotions in both evaluation time periods during the year.
Opportunity Section
O1. Mentoring: Types of mentoring (check all that apply)
 

  • One-on-one
  • Coaching for mentors
  • Across departments and functions
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
  • Other
O2 – Other Comments
  Annual CPE opportunities chosen by the staff and
discussion within training focus group; mixture of internal training and external
training determined by staff input, random surveys to determine discrepancies,
anticipated training, etc.
O3. Rotational training (check all that apply)
 

  • Stretch assignments or rotations
  • Developmental assignments or rotations
  • Emerging women leaders rotated into client-facing roles
O4. Skills and management training (check all that apply)
 

  • 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
  • Other
O4 – Other Comments
  CPE and recordings for offline viewing by staff of
previous internal training; dedicated training focus group
O5. How do managers and top leaders track the advancement of women and people of color? (check all that apply)
 

  • Formal identification of high-potential employees
  • Managers trained to identify high-potential employees
  • Paid internships for college students/professionals before graduation
  • Track subsequent hiring of interns
O6. Internal affinity networks or business resource groups are sponsored by the organization for (Check all that apply)
 

  • Other
O6 – Other Comments
  Female employees may request attendance at specific
networking events—for example, AICPA Women's Global Leadership Summit;
local Chamber of Commerce Women's Networking group; the firm has recently
utilized the AFWA Job Bank and FlexJobs.com for seasonal and full-time employees primarily
focused on women who have left the industry but would like to work in a part-time or seasonal capacity
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.
  The firm's commitment to engaging and retaining female staff began as a retention tool for
experienced staff: as life changes forced staff to relocate from the firm's geographic area, the
firm's culture had to adapt accordingly. The investment in cloud computing and other remote
access technology tools, along with the overall cultural shift to accommodate female work-life changes, is integral to
the firm's continued financial growth, allowing us to retain valuable female leaders as they continue to grow in their
careers with the firm. Additionally, our female initiatives and flexible workplace practices are important recruiting and
marketing tools to seek out the next generations of leaders and business partners.
O8. What marketing, public relations and similar efforts are tied to your organization's commitment to advancing women?
  Coordinated efforts by some of our niche service groups (NFP and Government Contracting, for
example) to promote the firm's unique makeup and culture. The firm routinely discusses our unique workplace
practices (for example: during initial meetings with prospective clients, we have found that our flexwork policies are a
selling point to prospects that see that the firm has gone to great lengths to retain our employees,etc.) and equity
leadership and unique female leadership and makeup to women-owned businesses, DBEs, etc.
O10. How are affinity and business resource groups used to develop women employees?
  Several female staff members are involved in the Future Fund ("A Giving Circle for Young
Professionals") of the Community Foundation of Northern Virginia to drive networking and civic
involvement, learning about the needs in the area. Additionally, several female staff are involved
in ongoing training in leadership skills to move their careers to the next level through
Convergence Coaching programs.
O12. How do affinity and business resource groups drive business results?
  Ideas generated from networking tend to influence our internal processes—we tend to adopt best
practices that often begin in external groups.
O13. Please provide details, short case studies, and examples of how you ensure that woman have access to advancement opportunities and drive business results.
  Manager
Intern 9.2007 – 12.2007
Full time start date 1.7.2008
In 2007 I decided that I need to pursue a different career. I resigned from my job at the time and began taking
accounting classes.
In September, I was offered an intern position at Kositzka, Wicks and Company. I worked three days a week while
finishing up all of
my required classes to sit for the CPA exam. I started as a full-time employee on January 7, 2008.
On January 6, 2008, the night before I started working full-time, I took a pregnancy test and it was positive. I was
terrified thinking
about how this joyous news would impact my new career. I worked as a full-time accountant until I gave birth in
September. I took
four months of maternity leave and returned to work on a part-time basis in January of 2009.
Since that first year of working at KWC, I have had two more children and have continued working part-time
(approximately 35 hours a week). Working part-time has allowed me the flexibility to pick up my children from
school and spend quality time with them in the late afternoon. As a part-time employee, I believe that my hours
have been respected. My co-workers know when I need
to leave and plan their questions about jobs I manage accordingly. I also know that my part-time hours have not
limited my ability to
have a voice in our Firm nor has my schedule prevented me from getting promoted.
In May 2013 my four year old daughter was diagnosed with Leukemia. It is hard to even find the words adequate
to describe the support and flexibility that our firm has given me. When a family member has cancer, schedules
are immediately disrupted and consistency does not exist, especially in the first months of treatment.
As an immediate response to my situation, my workload was shifted to allow me to focus on clients with more
ongoing work instead
of the deadline driven work. Doctor visits and hospital stays are often unpredictable and the shift in workload
helped me and the Firm to experience minor disruption when I was unable to be at the office.
A year and a half later, my daughter’s situation is much more stable. Even so, the Firm has allowed me to
maintain a flexible schedule that allows me to come and go as my family situation requires.
———————-
Shannon Blevins
Principal
2002 – present
The flexible policy allows me to modify the traditional workday to fit into my family life on a day to day basis.
Meaning, the traditional 9-5 job becomes a 7-9 at home, then a 10-12 in the office with possibly a 1-3 at a client
site before returning home to my
family once again.
The technology allows this to happen, however it is the philosophy and support of the KWC employees operating
in a team environment that makes this work in reality.
Flexibility to me at KWC means the ability to choose when and where I perform the work. Not many people are
allowed such freedoms!
———————
Pat Murphy
Application Specialist
Hired- 4-19-1999
Moved back to North Dakota – May 2005
Worked part time using VPN connection, free standing computer provided by the firm
Originally I asked to work for 6 months to assist the new office manager.
This arrangement worked so well that the firm created a position for me to work approx. 6 hours a day assisting
the managing principal with firm reports and any reports needed for other principals and administration. As the
firm realized how easily I could
take care of tasks from my home, my job responsibilities increased.
The firm moved to “Cloud” environment and I am able to log on thru my home internet connection or any
connection. My mother was having surgery and I was able to bring my laptop with me to California and log on at
the hospital to view emails or take care of
anything that could not wait.
———————
Sammy Bell
I have worked at KWC for 5 years and after my 2nd year working here my husband, who is in the NAVY, got
orders to Kings Bay, GA. Due to KWC’s move to a paperless environment, the year before, I was able to work
remotely. Since my initial move the company has gone to the cloud which has increased my ability to work
remotely without any problems. In fact it is quite seamless at this point. It has been wonderful to be able to work
for the same company – especially since I have moved two more times since
Kings Bay.
Vital Supports for Work-Life
V1. Flexwork (check all that apply)
 

  • Flexwork: Cultural practice
  • Flexwork: By department, with managers approval
  • Flexwork: On a case-by-case basis, with managers approval
V2. Telecommuting and remote work (check all that apply)
 

  • 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.
  • Other
V2 – Other Comments
  The firm is on a hybrid schedule, asking non-remote employees to be in the office 3 days per week, specifically during busy times of the year
V3. Training/coaching/support for managers of telecommuting or remote workers (check all that apply)
 

  • Flexwork: Managers trained to evaluate productivity, not face time
  • Flexwork: Teams trained to collaborate virtually
  • Flexwork: Managers coached to support flexwork & telecommuting
  • Flexwork: 24/7 tech support for virtual employees
V4a. Stage of life transitions: Parenting transitions (check all that apply)
 

  • Phased return to work for new parents
  • Work/life supports geared for busy season
  • Other
V4a – Other Comments
  Maternity and paternity leave of absence of up to 3
months without jeopardy to their job. During this period, staff can us PTO or STD;
the firm continues health, life and other firm benefits except that staff to not
continue to accumulate PTO.
V4c. Stage of life transitions: Other transitions (check all that apply)
 

  • Phased return to work from illness/injury
  • Paid time off bank (includes paid sick and vacation time)
  • 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
  Cafeteria plan that allows staff to pay for childcare with
pre-tax dollars.
V6. Wellness and Disability Accommodation (check all that apply)
 

  • Subsidized gym/fitness membership
  • Ergonomic equipment provided
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?
  Last minute client/due date driven; working through various family events, functions; tax
season/increased hours and longer work weeks as a result; study days for CPA exam; long
commutes to clients, firm CPE events, etc.
V8. How are managers trained and coached to leverage your organization's work/life programs to keep employee and team productivity on track?
  – Technology solutions allowing collaboration
– Setting expectations as to work deliverables
– Communication with job supervisiors/staff
– Accessibility to managers
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)?
  No formal programs; results seen in high employee retention levels; We have compared our firm
with others within our geographic area, as well as within an
accounting network group that we belong to (BDO USA) and found that our flex benefits are
currently well above the average in the industry.
V12. What other work/life programs, practices and innovations support productivity?
  -Standing desks for majority of staff
– Gym subsidy
– Treadmill in office set aside for this purpose
– Initiative to provide staff with healthy meals/snack options
– Fully stocked kitchen to store/prepare meals
– Sponsor local events related to walks, runs, etc.
– Employee Assistance Program (EAP) counseling assistance available through disability carrier
– Reduced hours during summer (32 hour work weeks)
– the firm has also purchased several standing desks for staff members to utilize
– Firm's health insurance allows for virtual visits from phone/desktop apps
V13a. Does your firm track/count the number of LGBTQ / nonbinary employees?
  Yes
V13b. If so, how?
  Through our HRIS system.
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
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
  • Informal communication with key former employees
  • Communication tools to reach alumni employees (website; newsletter; etc.)
E3. Please indicate how employee resouce groups have contributed to your firm's growth (check all that apply)
 

  • New business opportunities
  • Internal referrals
  • External networking
  • External referrals
E4. Does your company track the proportion of women/minority business enterprise suppliers?
  No
E6. How does your organization achieve its business growth and profitability goals by collaborating with diverse suppliers?
  Firm's staff diversity is appealing to potential new hires and recruits—we actively market our
firm's demographic makeup to potential clients.
E7. How does your organization leverage its track record with diverse suppliers to better market to women and minorities?
  n/a
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?
  Under one of our female partners, several female staff have been introducing a new professional
service line (Client Advisory Services)targeting marketing and PR businesses, small business
owners, government contractors, etc. in the area. They have been actively involved in the
marketing materials and methodology for the new service line.
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.
  See earlier responses. Also, our government contractor team (comprised of 2 female partners)
highlights our diversity and equity leadership when working with new businesses, women owned
businesses and DBEs.
Final Section
Does your firm have a flexible or customized partnership model?
  No
Date Entered
  07/18/2023
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