What sort of business do you want to be?

I particularly enjoyed the session on ethics by Piers Connolly, head of membership and professional standards at CISI, which led to some interesting debate and solutions, as well as the talk by Julie Seberras, senior manager, wealth planning support, of TD Wealth.

However, it was Barry Horner’s final session on culture and how it can drive the growth in your business that had the most lasting impact.

Mr Horner is chief executive of Paradigm Norton Financial Planning, whose company is often at the forefront of financial planning.

Sometimes we are so busy dealing with the work, that we can often forget about the workers and how these changes can impinge on them

He explained how culture and a company’s core values can lead to more happy and satisfied employees. He said that, where the emphasis is on culture, your business can be more compliant.

This approach struck a chord with me, especially when Mr Horner suggested that now is a good time to review your policies and approach, especially when so much change is taking place due to the pandemic, such as working remotely, no face-to-face client meetings, recruitment and training.

While I believe our company has good core values, sometimes we are so busy dealing with the work, that we can often forget about the workers and how these changes can impinge on them.

Do we actually ask them what effect all this is having on them and their families, do we consult and collaborate enough so that they can make useful contributions to the solutions for our businesses’ problems?

We should do as Mr Horner advises: evaluate where we are now and what sort of business we want to be, communicate well and do what we intend.

P.S. Thanks so much for all those who emailed me about my case study last time. The response was amazing when it was really a rhetorical question I asked. If I have not replied to you yet, I promise,I will.

Marlene Outrim is a chartered financial planner at Uniq Family Wealth