1 . |
Flexible hours |
45 % |
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2 . |
Getting your birthday off work 39 % |
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3 . |
A good coffee machine |
28 % |
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4 . |
Working from home at least twice a week 27 % |
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5 . |
Gym membership 26 % |
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6 . |
A travel card |
25 % |
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7 . |
Subsidised lunches 25 % |
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8 . |
Free fruit |
24 % |
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9 . |
A relaxed dress code 20 % |
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10 . |
Office cakes and pastries on a Friday 18 % |
11 . |
Team lunches and dinners 18 % |
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12 . |
Fun team away days 18 % |
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13 . |
Cycle to work scheme 15 % |
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14 . |
Friday afternoons off 15 % |
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15 . |
Access to a life coach or psychotherapist 15 % |
|
16 . |
Access to professional financial advice 14 % |
|
17 . |
Showers |
13 % |
18 . |
Bean bags or comfy break out areas 12 % |
|
19 . |
Plant based milks to have with tea / coffee 11 % |
|
20 . |
The chance to take a sabbatical 10 % |
21 . |
Being able to bring your dog to the office 9 % |
|
22 . |
A career mentor 9 % |
|
23 . |
A smoothie / juice machine 8 % |
|
24 . |
Hair dryers |
7 % |
25 . |
Yoga sessions 7 % |
|
26 . |
Annual duvet day allowance 7 % |
|
27 . |
Gluten or dairy free snacks 7 % |
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28 . |
A meditation room 5 % |
Currently at Haines Watts there are two young adults who have taken on roles as audit and accounts trainees through a traineeship and a university placement .
Shalini Roy ( 20 ) is a former student of Royal Wootton Bassett Academy and is studying for a degree in accountancy and management at the University of Reading . She ’ s completed two years of her course and is now doing a year ’ s placement before returning to complete her final year at the end of 2023 .
“ Working at Haines Watts has been a really good experience as the entire team are friendly and welcoming . Every day you learn something new , even if it ’ s a tiny Excel trick . I have gained knowledge in preparing year end accounts for clients and VAT returns with the assistance of my helpful colleagues .
“ I have also done many bookkeeping jobs . Even smaller jobs like completing a cashbook analysis , posting a trial balance , or finishing a tax analysis is enjoyable as these are jobs that they don ’ t teach you at university .
“ I will continue to develop new skills
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and gain more knowledge in the upcoming months . I believe I will be able to apply this in my studies and I will be able to share my knowledge with my friends studying the same course as me .” Another young member in the Haines
“ We need young people coming through and all accountancy firms can play a part in encouraging and nurturing the accountants of tomorrow ”
Watts team is Ryan Leigh ( 18 ) who is a former student of The Ridgeway School .
“ After leaving school at 16 , I went straight into the finance industry completing my level 2 AAT qualification elsewhere . Haines Watts has offered an open and welcoming atmosphere that has allowed me to comfortably become part of the team and become a valued member of the workplace .
“ Over the coming years , I would like to earn
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my Level 3 and 4 AAT qualifications and move into a position where I can offer those who are new to the company the support and guidance I have received . Overall , I would like to be in a position where I hold some responsibility and leadership as I believe I thrive as a leader and can bring new and exciting leadership qualities to the table .”
Mike Lloyd , managing partner of Haines Watts Swindon , is an advocate of bringing young talent into the company and also the sector as a whole .
“ We need young people coming through and all accountancy firms can play a part in encouraging and nurturing the accountants of tomorrow . I had that support when I was younger , and you never forget those who support you and mentor you in the early days of your career .”
To find out more about working with the Haines Watts team , they will be exhibiting at the UK Careers Fair at the County Ground in Swindon on Wednesday 29th March or you can get in touch directly by emailing : swindon @ hwca . com .
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Nationally , Haines Watts is a top 15 firm of Chartered Accountants and was named Accountancy Firm of the Year 2020 in the FDs ’ excellence awards . In 2021 the company was named as one of the UK ’ s Top Ten accountancy practices to work for after investing in staff wellbeing , cultural development and mindfulness support across the pandemic .
For more information visit : www . hwca . com / accountants-swindon
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THE BUSINESS EXCHANGE 2023 17 |