I joined Grant Thornton in 2021 after spending 16 years working in practice. Before joining the firm, I never thought I'd return to professional practice because I thought it would be too challenging to strike a balance between work and personal life. I didn’t want to go into an environment where I’d feel pressured to be the first one to arrive and last one to leave the office every day.
Grant Thornton was recommended to me by various contacts, so when I was made redundant from my previous role, I decided to have a chat with a recruiter at the firm – and I’m so pleased I did. It was clear from the calls with the recruitment team and hiring manager that the culture was nothing like the professional services I remembered. Over the years I’ve worked at the firm, my initial impressions of the culture were proven correct.
When I started the recruitment process, I was honest about wanting a term-time only contract. With two young children at home, I wanted to be there for them. The firm’s openness to this made me feel really valued, and the flexibility I have is fantastic. No longer having to juggle all our annual leave to cover school holidays is incredible.
That said, it doesn’t mean it’s easy, and it takes a lot of planning to achieve the right balance. The support of my wider team is invaluable. The six-week holidays take the most planning, as it’s longer than the usual one or two weeks for other holidays, but I’m supported to find a balance that works for all of us.
Returning to practice at Grant Thornton has exceeded my expectations. Our firm is such a caring place to work, not only in my team but across all our people and clients. The firm understands that while we have all worked hard to get to where we are in our careers, there is more to life than work. It’s great to see that in practice across all grades, including the partners, who are open about sharing when they have upcoming childcare or non-work appointments in their diaries.
When I joined the firm as an associate director, I was looking for progression in my role by expanding the breadth, rather than gaining a promotion. I was happy to be working term-time only, and I didn’t see how that could work at director level.
After joining, I met partners and directors here who are making it work; balancing their careers alongside raising young families. Having seen first-hand that the firm truly lives their values, I wondered if I was putting the limitations on myself.
I broached the conversation with senior colleagues about whether they thought a director role may be possible for me, and there was never any question about whether it would work with term-time only hours. The questions were only ever focused on my capability, and how we could build a business case that worked for both the business and for me.
I was promoted in January 2024 and it’s been a great first year. I’ve had opportunities to broaden my experience through working with other teams across the tax practice and the wider firm. Transfer pricing in its very nature is an area where we really need to understand the whole of a business to provide the best advice. And as our tax practice focuses on providing a broader service, it’s our conversations with clients that really help to open the opportunities.
Over the past year I’ve been able to bring in colleagues from other tax teams to provide advice to clients, and, having been in the clients’ shoes for much of my career, I really enjoy being able to introduce colleagues and help clients on a more holistic basis.
In terms of work-life balance, if I’m honest, I’m not sure I’ve always got it right – but that’s something I continue to review and evolve with the support of those around me. Our own individual needs, and those of our families, change over time, and I really value being in an environment where I’m given the flexibility to adapt my working arrangements when needed.