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Working life has changed for the better in the wake of the pandemic, says Mazars managing partner Matthew Ashley.
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‘Pandemic flexibility and family focus has stuck’
20 September 2022
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COVID-19 has left an indelible mark on his office and much of it has been an improvement, says Mazars Sydney managing partner Matthew Ashley, with flexibility now hardwired into the way it works.
Speaking on the latest Accountants Daily podcast, Mr Ashley said the focus on family and wellbeing was one positive from the pandemic but at the time, coping with the crisis was unquestionably tough.
Initially, it was all about helping staff and clients.
“I ended up walking 27km in a circle around the backyard and I was on the phone for something like 11 hours, just talking to our clients,” he said.
“Effectively we were like a triage unit, just helping and understanding their problems and trying to find a solution.
“So when COVID first happened was a real challenge on that side. But everyone just rallied around and we were able to get through it.”
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But the second Sydney lockdown, from late June 2021, raised the stakes uncomfortably.
“That was the one where we really saw the impacts of it – the lockdowns were a lot tougher in terms of the 5km radius and not being able to go out.
“We were already doing a lot with regards to our staff and a big focus on wellness and mental wellbeing.
“But we just tripled down on that. We introduced a wellness kind of day. So you could take off any day you wanted, turn every device off, and just recharge.
“We had step challenges, we were making sure that teams were connecting on a daily basis and the amount of different online games we were playing, with virtual trivia nights and even just constant check ins.
“It wasn't easy. And I, like everyone, had challenges. I had days where it was just really, really tough.
“But we put a big focus on having real conversations and not being afraid to say, ‘It's tough’.
The pay-off has come in a realignment of work to make connecting with family life easier.
“Those changes have definitely stuck. We're now three days in the office, two days from home, but staff have the flexibility where if they want to come into the office more they can – they've all got permanent desks.
“We've always had a big focus on work-life balance and the importance of family but it's really solidified with regards to COVID.
“Some staff work better at night, some work better in the morning, you've got school drop offs, you've got swimming lessons, whatever it might be, we need to have that flexibility.
“One of the things that was really positive about COVID was that parents were home at dinner, at rugby training, or whatever.
“So now you need to work your core hours, which is between 10am and 3pm, but the start time and your finish time, we're flexible. We've got everyone online between that 10am and 3pm, and when people start and finish is more at discretion.”
Mr Ashley said with that flexibility hardwired into the way Mazars works, finding staff was gradually becoming easier.
“We're starting to see more and more resumes come through … and the quality is continuing to improve,” he said. “So the tide’s turning. It’s still tough, but I think there is a little bit of light at that end of the tunnel.”
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