Dive Brief:

• The calendar is chock full of national "days" to celebrate, and one accounting and consulting firm, Wipfli, is using those events to attract and retain young talent, according to an article at the Green Bay Press Gazette. For example, today is Leap Day, and the 135-person Wipfli staff in Green Bay has been encouraged by the Fun Committee to wear sneakers for the occasion.
• The firm actually has a real Fun Committee, whose job it is to make plans for making the work environment exciting and warm. Finding young and talented accountants and business consultants is difficult, and the company is working hard to make sure their hires feel like sticking around.
• The fun events are just part of the the overall talent strategy, the Press Gazette reports. Rather than annual performance reviews, for example, the firm offers instant feedback. Wipfli also encourages and supports employee involvement in nonprofits (and implemented flexible scheduling to help make it happen).

Dive Insight:

Dan Pichler, a Wipfli partner, told the Press-Gazette that it had to change its culture to retain the many twenty- and thirty-something accountants who were leaving after 5-7 years with the firm. Apart from Leap Day and instant performance feedback, there is the recent Tortilla Chip Day along with Dress Down Fridays and Community Day, an annual event when the company’s offices close completely so employees can volunteer together. 

The Press Gazette outlines several other ways ways Wipfli and other Green Bay Area employers are taking an innovative approach to recruiting young, talented people, including: helping them integrate with strong onboarding, giving every new employee purpose and encouraging engagement.