FITT Forum Archive
You can find a full archive of valuable insight from other First Intuition Think Tank forums below.
First Intuition Think Tank (FITT) Forums
Below you will find highlights from our 2020 FITT forums. These addressed issues relevant to the time where we invited expert speakers to join us to share their experiences and point us to real-world case studies.
Below you will find the highlights of our 2020 FITT forums.
Remote Onboarding and Inducting of New Staff
During our first First Intuition Think Tank (FITT), we discussed the topic of Remote Onboarding, a hot topic for many employers. We were delighted to be joined by Felix Mitchell, Founder and Director at Instant Impact and Will Dempsey, Global Talent Acquisition Lead at AstraZeneca. They shared their own experiences of remote onboarding and gave insights into best practice in this area. In our second session on this topic, we were also joined by representatives from the AAT, ACCA, CIMA and ICAEW who provided an industry-specific perspective on this subject. You can find out more about this topic, watch the recording of the sessions and find useful links in this article.
Remote Management of Junior staff
In our second topic of our First Intuition Think Tank, we moved on to talk about the remote management of junior staff. In our first session, we were delighted to be joined by C-J Green, Co-Founder and Executive Director of BraveGoose and we also launched our own insight report on this subject. In the second part, Dyfrig Jenkins, of YOU.DEVELOPMENT.co.uk talked about this topic in more detail and we also heard from the accountancy awarding bodies who shared their thoughts and the work they’ve been doing to tackle the challenges many employers are currently facing. You can find out more about this topic, watch the recording of the sessions and find useful links in this article.
Returning to the Workplace
Our third topic in our ‘First Intuition Think Tank’ session focused on returning to the workplace. With many firms now evaluating how they can provide a safe and welcoming environment for those employees who are planning to return to the office in some way, we examined this topic in more detail. Barnaby Clark and Lizzie Duckworth from COEL, a commercial and design fit-out company joined us for our first session to share their expertise in this area. You can find out more about this topic, watch the recording of the sessions and find useful links in this article.
Online Delivery
Our fourth ‘First Intuition Think Tank’ focused on Online Delivery of induction and internal training. Upcoming intakes of new students are likely to be starting their accountancy careers in a largely (or entirely) remote environment. Many employers are facing the prospect of delivering initial induction and internal skills training virtually, rather than in a conventional board room or office setting. Getting this right will be critical to ensuring engagement, productivity and retention in those important first months in work. It’s therefore critical to maintain quality and keep engagement levels high. You can find out more about this topic in this article.
Maintaining a Team Ethos and Culture in a remote-working world
In our fifth ‘First Intuition Think Tank’ we focused on team ethos. For many employers, their ‘team spirit’ and ‘family feel’ are crucial parts of their identity. Many are concerned that this will be challenging to maintain if many staff are working predominantly remotely. We were lucky to hear from expert speakers C-J Green and Dyfrig Jenkins, plus insight from the accountancy awarding bodies. You can find out more about this topic in this article.
Remote Recruitment, Attraction and Selection of Candidates
Many employers are already turning their attention to starting their recruitment process for their 2021 intakes, and are facing a very different environment to any normal year. Online platforms, techniques and processes for recruitment can prove just as effective as being ‘in-person’ if used correctly. In this session we were joined by expert speakers Felix Mitchell from Instant Impact and Katherine Wiid of Recrion. Felix covered the practical, operational, and technological elements of remote recruitment including tips on successfully running remote assessment centres. We then heard from Katherine Wiid who took us on a deep dive into interpersonal and interview-related aspects. You can find out more about this topic in this article.
Mental Health and Workplace Wellbeing
Whilst the first 6 months of the pandemic presented a commercial, financial and liquidity crisis for many businesses, the next 6 months seem more likely to create a mental health crisis amongst the teams we will all be relying on to carry our businesses through the recovery. The combined impact of high levels of remote working and the career uncertainties and anxieties caused by the pandemic will make the winter months a challenge for many. In this session we were joined by expert speakers Jen Christie (Rise Well) and Sophie North (Luminate). You can find out more about this topic in this article.
