Hartford Business Journal Special Editions

HartfordBusiness.com | March 27, 2022 | Hartford Business Journal 5 Connecticut Wealth Management CT Headquarters: Farmington Industry: Financial Services Website: www.ctwealthmgmt.com Top CT Executive: Kevin C. Leahy, President & CEO CTWM has been a sponsor of the KBE Building Foundation scholarship golf outing. "Flexibility for child care, a bereavement situation, family health issues … this all creates an environment where our team feels 100% supported and cared for," said Leahy. "It's our team's job to make our clients happy and it's my job to make sure my teammates have the tools they need to do their jobs and that they themselves are happy." This environment, he said, is the foundation from which they do their work. More recently, Connecticut Wealth Management has worked to ramp up employee workplace satisfaction in broader ways, too. About two years ago the firm hired a new human resources director to, among other tasks, create a diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) committee. Leahy said the organization — and industry overall — is lacking diversity. "We are trying to change that," he said. With a more diverse roster of employees comes a wider range of ideas, he noted, as well as a more multifaceted, robust work environment. This diversified environment includes a mix of age levels, with more experienced advisors a valued asset at the firm. They are given long-term career growth opportunities and competitive salaries. At the same time, the company has focused on getting more college students involved in the firm who otherwise may not consider wealth management as a career path, Leahy said. Through partnerships with the University of Connecticut via alumni, the firm has been able to offer mentorships and internships, while potentially developing a new talent pool. Seeking input Part of the way Connecticut Wealth Management keeps its employees happy is by soliciting their opinions about their workplace using employee-engagement software. "We constantly survey," Leahy said, with retention a priority. "We like to see a trend before people are less than completely happy." This feedback can be gathered anonymously, he said, and alerts leadership to potential areas of improvement. The quarterly review is another opportunity for the firm to learn where employees may have areas of concern, aiding in goal setting for the workplace culture. "Then," said Leahy, "if we can find the intersection of what people are good at, what they like to do and what the firm needs — if we have someone operating in that space where those three things overlap — it's like magic. They tend to be really, really happy." Connecticut Wealth Management's success in creating a workplace of growth, stability, equality and respect is longstanding: It won Hartford Business Journal Best Places to Work in Connecticut awards in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021, in addition to this year. Small/Medium Cos.

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