Earlier this month, the audit team stepped away from the day-to-day pressures of client deadlines and busy calendars to focus on: pausing, reflecting, and resetting.
The annual away day was designed to be far more than a break from routine. It provided an opportunity to reconnect as a team, step back from “business as usual”, and focus on how we continue to develop, improve, and deliver an outstanding service to our clients.
The day began with a simple but powerful question: “What makes a great audit team?” This prompted thoughtful discussion and ultimately led to the identification of nine key behaviours that underpin the work we do.
When we explored these behaviours further, there was significant overlap between those that enhance the client experience and those that strengthen the working environment within the team. It reinforced a key message: great client service is built on strong internal culture.
The second session focused on project management, and what that term truly means in practice. We explored the idea that managing a project is, at its core, about managing stakeholders – whether that is junior team members, firm partners, or client personnel. The senior team came away with a range of practical, implementable techniques to improve project delivery, from maintaining motivation through effective resource allocation to ensuring reviews are completed promptly and consistently. One key takeaway from the discussion was the development of an immediate feedback loop, ensuring that learning and development takes place in real time, rather than being limited to monthly one-to-ones or annual appraisals.
The team also produced a highly effective “Start / Continue / Stop” framework, ranking behaviours on a two-by-two matrix of difficulty versus impact. Even within a week of the away day, several of the quick wins have already been introduced.
Engagement throughout the day was fantastic, with the sessions conducted in an atmosphere of honesty, openness, and constructive challenge.
Of course, no away day is complete without lighter moments. In the afternoon, the team headed into Leeds to take part in a corporate challenge inspired by Channel 4’s Taskmaster. Team Masters of Innovation (Kiran Kaur, Khadijah Varachhia, Harvey Walker, Liam Ellam and Andy Lucas) emerged victorious across a series of fun and creative challenges, from producing a corporate jingle to capturing the best larger-than-life photograph.
As the team returned to the office, the key takeaway was clear: we are moving in the right direction and we are not standing still. The away day reinforced our collective ambition, strengthened team alignment, and produced practical actions that are already being implemented.
