Crafting Culture: An Interview with Emily Sims

“It’s a team effort,” says Emily Sims, the Vice President of People at RevGen Partners. “Every person at RevGen contributes to our culture by living our values daily. We see it in how our teams interact with each other and our clients.” 

The Denver Post recently named RevGen as a Top Workplace for a ninth year running. The list is based solely on employee feedback gathered through a third-party survey company, Energage. The anonymous survey measures 15 culture drivers critical to the success of any organization, including alignment, execution, and connection. 

“The culture of support and trust, the way we treat each other, and the trust of senior leadership is what keeps me here. I would always recommend RevGen to others.” – Employee Quote from the Top Workplaces Survey

Why does Emily think RevGen stays at the top? 

“Culture is the attitudes and behaviors that characterize an organization, and that can only be accomplished through the experiences of our people. And the fact is that we have great people! 

“Building strong relationships with our clients is embedded in our culture. Our clients trust us, we understand their problems, and we can provide them with solutions that impact their business.  It’s meaningful for our people to be in positions to help our clients be more successful.” 

“RevGen supports challenging ideas and provides room for new solutions and approaches.” – Employee Quote from the Top Workplaces Survey

“Not only do we use data to drive value for our clients, we also use data to drive our own business. Trending data from these surveys over the past nine years is invaluable in improving our employee experience.  Each year we evaluate feedback, determine the key themes, and create a roadmap to close gaps. This has enabled us to make substantial improvements every year!” 

Of course, creating a culture that earns a Top Workplace designation goes beyond just reacting to survey data.  

“We believe in empowering people — employees, clients, and those within our communities — so we may all aspire to be more. To empower people, you need to understand them. Everyone brings different skills, experiences, and career goals to the consulting industry. It is in our culture to identify the unique qualities each person brings to RevGen and help them figure out where they will thrive. It takes work to listen and understand, but we believe that focusing on individuals’ strengths can bring out their best and create stronger teams.” 

[Read More: The Balancing Act — An Interview with Chrissy Winkler]

She continues, “We are a values-driven culture. I interview everyone we hire, and in every interview the topic of our values comes up — that’s amazing! It’s evidence that our values mean something to people looking to join an organization, and they are asking the right questions to make sure it’s a fit.

“When we started thinking about articulating our values, we asked ourselves ‘what do we personally all believe in?’ We had a few iterations, and then we asked everyone to vote.  Respect, Integrity, Stewardship, and Enjoyment were important to all of us.

“My personal favorite is enjoyment because you don’t want to work somewhere that’s not fun!  However, that’s not about ping pong and beer; it’s about our passion and optimism. The friendships and supportive relationships we establish with each other and our clients.” 

Over the years, Emily has received lots of advice about building culture and being a leader, so when asked what the best advice she’s ever received is, she smiles. 

“That’s easy — do the right thing.  Always do the right thing.”  

Emily Sims leads RevGen’s People Strategy. She is passionate about fostering a culture of participation, inclusion, and collaboration so we can drive business value for our clients.