2023 was one for the books at The Improve Group. As we reflected on the year in a recent staff meeting, we shared both concrete accomplishments as well as areas we made progress and continue to pay attention to. As an evaluation firm, always working to get better feels just about right.
Through all the changes, we had the support and well wishes of our awesome network of hard-working clients, dedicated partners, and loving family and friends. Thank you!
In case you missed it, here are some highlights from our year:
- We bought the business from Founder Leah Goldstein Moses, making us a worker-owned co-op! As we grow into being a co-op, we continue to practice being a “Teal” organization of shared leadership and decision-making. The first meeting of our all-employee Board of Directors was a big milestone!
- Our team continued dedicating time and energy to being more equitable in our practices, particularly considering how our work impacts others and supporting clients to respectfully engage the communities they serve.
- We spent more time in our new-ish office location on Raymond Avenue and adjusted to a “new normal” of having a few team members in the office each day. The days many of us were in the office together provided the joy of a lively office environment we haven’t experienced in years.
- We welcomed new team members: Writer & Communications Assistant Alice Markey and Associate Consultant Taryn Mortimer.
- We started work with awesome new clients and deepened relationships with long-time clients.
- IGers attended annual meet-ups of the American Evaluation Association, the Center for Culturally Responsive Evaluation and Assessment, the Minnesota Evaluation Association, the Minnesota Public Health Association, and other spaces to learn and share our work.
- We extended our Family, Medical and Service Member Leave of Absence (FMLA) policy to 16 weeks and experienced our second year with unlimited PTO. Equally important, we supported each other’s work responsibilities so we can all take time away from work.
As a reminder, we close our office the last week of the year through New Year’s Day (Dec. 25, 2023, through Jan. 1, 2024) to spend time with family and rest. We will be refreshed and restored when we log back on to work on Jan. 2, 2024.
Thank you to everyone in the IG family for contributing to a 2023 that challenged and inspired us. We are excited to see what 2024 brings!