Dahl Consulting’s tagline is “It’s the People.”

“Our people are our greatest resource,” says Melissa Cossairt, senior HR manager. “Each person is a vital asset who must have a safe, supportive environment in which to work, learn and grow.”

Dahl Consulting, or DAHL, based in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area, provides contingent and direct staffing in several verticals, including IT, business professionals, accounting/finance, and customer service/call centers. In addition, it offers a managed service provider program, a vendor management system, and payrolling and IC compliance solutions.

The company is also a WBENC-Certified Women’s Business Enterprise, or WBE — a certification administered by the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council that means a business is at least 51% owned, controlled, operated and managed by a woman or women.

DAHL was already WBE certified when Valerie and Tim Doherty purchased the business in April 2017.

The Dohertys felt strongly that the WBE certification reflected a continuance and consistency with the values of DAHL’s sister company, Doherty Staffing Solutions, which is also WBE certified. Doherty Staffing Solutions focuses primarily on light industrial and administrative support. The DAHL acquisition “allowed us to elevate our solutions to both current and new client businesses,” says Valerie Doherty, who is the majority owner and CEO of both Doherty Staffing Solutions and Dahl Consulting.

Growing Emphasis on Diversity

The certification is part of the bigger diversity picture that encompasses both internal and external hiring as well as sales.

“Overall, diversity, equity and inclusion is evolving to become a bigger conversation — not only within our own industry but in many industries,” says Amy Giessinger, vice president of marketing.

Currently, 80% of DAHL’s corporate employees are women and 20% are non-Caucasian. Among the contract workforce, 40% are women and 50% are non-Caucasian.

“We are focused on recruiting and hiring talent with different backgrounds, ideas, races, ages, genders, abilities and disabilities to enhance our organization and contribute to the long-term success and growth of our employees, contract workforce, clients, and our companies,” Cossairt says. “We are dedicated to providing inclusive work environments for our corporate employees and contract workforce, where they feel welcomed and supported to show up authentically.”

Broad-Based Benefits

DAHL has seen increased interest in its diverse workforce and WBE status from all of its stakeholders — internal employees, consultants and clients — and has a defined approach for each.

Internal employees. DAHL has been working to build out its diversity, equity and inclusion policies and take other steps to bring attention to its diversity efforts.

Giessinger says that when her own department is hiring for internal positions and asks candidates why they are interested in working for the company, “a lot of times, the fact that we’re woman-owned is almost the first thing that’s mentioned.”

Consultants. The firm’s commitment to diversity includes its recruitment of consultants.

“We have recently expanded our recruiting efforts to specifically try to attract even greater diversity within our consultant areas, partnering with job boards within diverse areas such as veterans, women, and Hispanic or African American workers,” Giessinger says.

Clients. Clients are also interested in DAHL’s diverse candidate pool — “not just from the standpoint of providing a more diverse consultant pool, but also making sure that we’re looking at diversity of thought and diversity of background,” Giessinger says. “There are a variety of benefits clients can enjoy from working with us as a diversity-owned business.”

DAHL promotes the following benefits of working with a woman-owned business to its business clients:

  • Tax incentives
  • Supplier diversification
  • Diverse business reputation
  • Increased profits and revenue
  • Innovation and creativity

A Values-Based Commitment

The focus on diversity reflects the company’s values, Cossairt says.

“While we may not understand all of our employees’ challenges, we listen and show each other grace and compassion,” Cossairt says. “We witness our employees living our values daily through teamwork, respect for one another, and providing excellent service, with a commitment to growth while always remembering to take a moment to have fun.”

One consistent focus for DAHL in living these values has been through its charitable giving program.

“We believe strongly in the importance of serving our communities through charitable giving: supporting those in need and working collaboratively to make the world a better place,” Cossairt says. “Through our employees, we have collaborated with many diverse charitable organizations for decades, through the gifts of service and/or charitable donations.”

This commitment to values — and diversity — is helping build the company’s success.

“Women are still very much in the minority when it comes to corporate ownership, and people want to be a part of a dynamic and forward-thinking organization that is rooted in strong ethics and values,” Valerie Doherty says.