Culture

Will I fit in?
Characteristics that are imperative and apparent in the employees at Flores & Associates are the ability to work quickly, efficiently, and without error. Employees must have the ability to multitask in order to meet the daily demand of employee calls and client questions. That being said, each day is different at Flores & Associates and the ability to be flexible and to provide excellent service in this busy environment is a necessity. Employees are responsible for managing their client, broker, and participant relationships. By empowering and encouraging employees to develop these relationships, employees have direct responsibility for the overall success of the organization and an increased personal worth and job satisfaction. A Flores Account Manager states, "Being part of a small organization filled with people of all different ages, backgrounds, opinions, and learning styles, plus our overwhelming respect for one another allows us to use each other's differences to learn and grow. Our team structure promotes interacting with our peers to learn and expand our knowledge. This structure encourages all employees to work together to provide the best service for our clients and participants. By having co-workers we respect and value as integral parts of this company, we are able to ask questions freely and use other's experiences to provide our clients and participants with accurate information. Because of our hardworking, conscientious employees we are able to lean on each other for support and knowledge to help make this working environment a great success."

What type of education prepares me for success with Flores?
More than a specific type of education... desire to learn is required. Our college-educated account managers never stop learning. The proper fit is very important. Candidates with the capacity for learning our business and a desire to grow as a professional may come from all types of educational backgrounds. The ability to speak to large groups of people, conduct business via telephone and e-mail are keys for long-term success and satisfaction. One account manager says, "Being raised with an appreciation for working hard and a passion to do well, allowed me to be successful in school. I was able to attend the business school of a major public university which significantly groomed me to be a successful employee. My coursework in college greatly prepared me for success with Flores. The courses I took that related to accounting and business relations engaged my work ethic and helped train my understanding of business procedures and employer expectations. My communications courses helped hone my interpersonal and relationship skills which are vital to the firm. Also the courses that allowed me to practice my leadership skills help prepare me for opportunities as an employee."

You will be trained from day one
Training begins... and never ends. Our industry touches on legal, tax and accounting matters with many regulations and laws involved. These ever changing dynamics cause everyone in the firm to be a student. For that reason you will find Flores employees that want to be a part of the firm for many years. If you start with Flores you will want to be committed to your profession. You will have tools and opportunities for growth. Training of new staff is extremely important in the Flores culture. The training process is individualized, detailed, and hands-on. The Client Services Manager coordinates the training for new Account Management staff plus the Senior Account Management staff plays an important role. In our view, the more comprehensive the training, the more quickly the Account Manager is able to become an integral part of the Account Management Team.

Professional development
Flores invests in the on-going training of our employees. Account Managers commonly receive COBRA training and certification as a COBRA Administrator early on. Employees eager to grow in the employee benefits area pursue their GBA Designation as a Group Benefit Associate through the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Employees pursue designations through the Flexible Compensation Institute, LLC a wholly owned subsidiary of the Executive Council on Flexible Compensation for CFC, Certified in Flexible Compensation and for FCS, Flexible Compensation Specialist.

Employees remain current through weekly updates from EBIA Weekly and Flores subscribes to EBIA/RIA Checkpoint as a research tool to assist clients and participants with unique and challenging questions. A new account manager commented, "There is a strong emphasis on continuing professional development. The firm supports and encourages employees pursuing certifications in the field. The opportunity to learn more in-depth about our industry keeps me challenged and motivated."