Abby: finding the balance
I originally trained in audit at another firm, and I left at manager level to work in industry. I spent five years there, as financial controller and then divisional finance director level. But I always thought I'd return to audit because I like the variety of the role and that it's project-based. I also like that you're working with professional people, all of whom are smart and committed to the job.
I'd had my eye on Grant Thornton for a while because of what I'd read about it - about the culture and the ability to make more of an impact when compared with other firms.
I was looking for a home - somewhere that I knew I could be for a long period of time. It needed to fit with me as a person. I needed to feel like I could be myself here and just feel comfortable among a community of like-minded people that I'd be working with.
Valuing individuals
That community is present. I felt quickly that at Grant Thornton you can build up a network, which includes some senior people who would take a lot of interest in you as as an individual. They really listen and they come to the employee forums, and they're interested in the new joiners.
I think that everyone has similar motivations and values as well. There is diversity and inclusion, flexibility and making the job work with your other commitments, everyone that I speak to values that about the firm.
Leadership sees people as individuals. So, when you have a child, it's a given that they're the most important part of your life, and work flexes around that. At other places I've worked at before, you might almost feel pressured to not even mention that you've got a child, particularly as a woman. But here, I feel very comfortable in being myself and talking about my personal life.
Agile working
What I've realised over time is that the person who's most in control of the balance is myself. That's also been emphasised in the messaging from leadership. If I want more flexibility and balance, I need to ask for it, and I need to think about how that might best work for me and then put that forward.
When you do put something forward, it's listened to. I've seen that in practice here, so where I've flagged that I might have too much in my portfolio at a certain time, I've raised it and extra support has been brought in. Grant Thornton will give you the flexibility if you ask for it.
My husband and I both work full time, and my work revolves around dropping my daughter at nursery in the morning and picking her up just after five. I'll quite often log back on after she's gone to bed in the evening, but that's my choice.
I'm able to flex work around my childcare, which has worked fine for me over the last two years. The flexibility comes from everyone at all levels - from messaging at the senior leadership level, to more junior members of the team.
Supported to progress
When I first joined Grant Thornton, I set out an ideal timeline of what I wanted my career to look like, and I spoke about it regularly with my people manager. The conversations have been very open and honest, and the timeline is largely on track. I can see even over the past two years that the company is making the effort to get more people up to the next level.
Grant Thornton is committed to diversity and inclusion, and one of the ways women are being helped is with the Elevate programme. It gives you the time and resources that you need to progress up through to director and partner level.
It takes about six-to-eight months and involves a series of different speakers, as well as group and individual coaching. It feels very much like a boost from the firm, so they've got an arm around you, encouraging you.
It's about you saying what you need, and the company will do its best to get that in place for you.
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Laurie speaks about his experiences of working part time, and being supported to develop his career, achieving promotion.
Abi Davies joined Grant Thornton in 2021 after 16 years working in industry. We spoke to Abi about her experience joining the firm, returning to practice, and how she manages her career working term time.