BCG is rolling out a new program called PTO (Predictability, Teaming and Open Communication) across its offices globally to address burnout among consultants. The program allows consultants and partners to disconnect from work for a few hours each week to pursue personal interests, following discussions with clients. It started as a pilot in the US and India offices and will now be expanded. Consultants can schedule their off-hours at the beginning of projects, whether it's leaving early one day or starting late another. A team facilitates discussions between partners and clients about creating value while improving work-life balance. Surveys found the program increased perceptions of client value, learning and employee retention.

1. BCG Makes `Disappearances' Legit
Consultants, partners allowed to take time off every week to pursue
their interests, following discussions with clients

2. Contd..
It's a breakneck 60-70 hour work-week profession that can often lead to
burnouts and early exits. But, a unique experiment conducted by The Boston
Consulting Group in association with Harvard Business School (HBS) could be
the solution for consultants looking for some time out.Called PTO, or
Predictability, Teaming and Open Communication, the programme, which
started out as a pilot in the US and in BCG's India's office a few years ago, will
now be rolled out across the firm this year.
PTO will enable consultants and partners across BCG in India to switch off for
some time to pursue their interests or other work outside office. BCG will
enable all consultants to switch off during those few hours in a week after
discussions with clients on projects. And switching off just doesn't mean not
being at work, but a clear understanding between clients and colleagues that
the professionals will not respond to calls, mails and texts.

3. Contd..
The firm is in talks with clients across practices to discuss this at the start of projects, said
Alpesh Shah, senior partner and director at BCG, who leads the PTO efforts in India.“What
started off as Predictable Time Off was expanded to include Predictability, Teaming and
Open Communication. The idea was to try and give some predictability about the time off
for consultants and to get some visibility around client interactions. We started this with
five projects two-and-a-half years ago and hope to cover 50-60 projects this year,“ said
Shah.
Besides India, PTO will be rolled out across BCG's offices in big business markets like the
US, Germany and Australia this year.
PTO would work differently for different consultants depending on their needs, interests
and commitments, and break times and work styles can be discussed at the start of
projects. “A Wednesday evening could be wrapped up early for someone who'd like to
catch a movie or an early dinner, or someone who might want a learn a foreign language
and might want to start the day early or late. The off time means no mails and calls, and
consultants are expected to not give any output,“ he added.

4. Contd..
A team of facilitators has been meeting the partners every two weeks to
summarise and share how the programme is being rolled out.“If clients are
unreasonable, then how do we try and convince them...all this gets
discussed... how do we create value, how do we make a difference to the
client and have a good time along the way ,“ said Shah.
The idea for PTO took shape about 10 years ago when Grant Freeland, now
the global leader of BCG's people and organisation practice, was heading the
Boston office and was losing some of his key talent. “I was trying to figure
out why. HBS professor Leslie Perlow came to us and asked if she could study
us as there was a debate going around in HBS on work life balance. The
analysis changed to how we do work,“ said Freeland.

5. Contd..
Freeland said merely putting in a few policies doesn't help address
work life balance issues. “It's all about reducing low valued added
work, getting people to collaborate in different ways,“ said Freeland.
HBS researchers were doing the observations, which were helpful in
feedback, and now BCG has about a 100 consultants worldwide acting
as facilitators. Surveys showed that not only did the work life balance
improve and BCG had higher scores on parameters like `likely to be
there in 12 months', but employees' perception of value for the client
increased, as did their learning per case, he added.

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