Healthy life balance

Hybrid working, core hours and zero overtime policies mean that our team have the opportunity to manage their time better - both in and out of the office.

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I have a young family so working from home and the flexible hours policy mean I can remain just as productive at work but in a way that reduces the impact on family life - this is invaluable to me.
Lauren Jaques - Genus Client Financial Controller

We are providing a premium service for clients – but we make sure that this is without compromising our principles – something we’re deeply passionate about. We are an award-winning firm, but alongside awards recognising the work we do for our clients, we are also immensely proud to have been named Best Employer in Tax at the Tolley’s Taxation Awards 2022 and Employer of the Year at the 2023 Yorkshire Accountancy Awards. So whilst we look after our clients well, we know that we are also looking after our team.

Because personal time is valuable for every team member at all levels and is fundamentally important to personal well-being, we do not expect any of our team to work more than the basic weekly hours. And we do monitor this, with

HR Dashboards report on overtime statistics. The current average of just below 1hr per person per month is well below the industry average
management lead by example and do not work overtime
partners often chat to the team before leaving at the end of the day to ensure nobody is feeling under pressure to stay late
conversations will be held with anyone posting overtime to discuss the situation and determine whether workload can be reallocated etc.

Interview with Accounting Podcaster

Committed to zero overtime

Rob Brown is a best-selling author and successful podcaster, within the accounting sector. An expert in delving into the heart of the topic, Rob interviews Managing Partner, Andy Irvine to understand why getting overall overtime stats down to nil is one of his top priorities.

How our team feel

Accounting podcaster, Rob Brown interviewed four members of our team (Alice Johnson, Stephen Allender, Martin Dean and Helena Flatters) and explored how Shorts successfully implement the promise of a healthy life balance and the effect that has on each of them personally.

Our experiences - in our own words

Alicia Williams, Client Finance Director

"The flexible working at Shorts is a big advantage – particularly as I have three children. It allows me to rearrange my day when the unexpected happens without the stress and pressure of needing to be in the office. I can now do some of the school pickups as well so my work/life balance has really improved as I have never been in the position to do this previously. I really enjoy working at Shorts and look forward to seeing the progression over the coming years."

Lauren Jaques, Genus Client Financial Controller

"I feel Shorts really do care about having a good work/life balance and as I have a young family at home this is invaluable. The working from home policy and the flexible hours means I can remain just as productive at work but in a way that reduces the impact on family life which is rare.

As I complete another year with the firm, I can see that there is still potential for me to keep developing and moving forward with the brilliant Team I work with."

Daniel Thomas, Audit and Accounts Senior

"Before I joined people were talking to me and saying that Shorts were much better than other firms, and it's a more relaxed sort of environment. And you're always a bit wary until you join. Then after the first few weeks, I actually realised, yes, at 4.30 pm you can actually go home. And your whole work-life balance just changes completely. Since I joined, I just started picking up all the hobbies that I wasn't doing."

Ian Robinson, Audit and Accounts Senior Manager

"After having met 4 of the partners through the interview process, I was left feeling that they were all very personable, and easy-going and I felt that I could comfortably work with them and be treated as an equal. They really stressed the importance to them of work-life balance & how this is a key element of the culture within the firm and I can honestly say that they practice what they preach – they lead by example and don’t expect of others what they are not prepared to do themselves. The firm is very flexible in terms of its working practices and having 2 offices helps with this."

David Robinson, Tax Partner

"After starting my career in Birmingham and Leeds, I started to consider relocating back home to South Yorkshire, for family reasons. Having worked at that time exclusively for large, mid-tier accounting firms, I was looking for a local firm that was progressive, could offer excellent career opportunities and had a good work-life balance. Shorts fitted the bill as it is a growing, advisory led firm willing to invest in good people.

The Partners and senior team members all pull in the same direction, have a friendly open-door policy and promote a healthy, family orientated work-life balance. I truly believe that Shorts is a great place to work."

Liam Buttery, Senior Manager - OMB

"The core hours policy, and hybrid working have both been instrumental in my quality of work-life balance. A perfect example for me – playing a sport in England that isn’t your typical British sport, Ice Hockey, means we play/train at incredibly unsociable hours – specifically training at 11pm on a Sunday night, until the early hours of Monday morning. Being able to work from home on a Monday, and also utilising the later start of the core hours policy (where my diary allows), means that I can still get the sufficient rest before starting the working day on Monday morning. This has always been a huge issue for me at previous firms, so the impact these policies have had on my personal life is monumental."

Supporting our clients - living our lives

Team focus

Beginning your career - the first steps
Career Progression and Development - the next steps
Enjoying what we do
Charity and volunteering
Working at Shorts
The Benefits
Team News

Our recruitment program includes many just starting out on their career journey in accountancy.

Whether joining through our graduate program, as an apprentice, or studying for higher qualifications, all of our trainees are fully supported throughout their training journey, and many stay with us after completing their studies.

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For many, completing professional qualifications is only the beginning of their journey, and understanding how to achieve a promotion or climb the career ladder is the natural next step.

So, our Management Development Program is designed specifically for those individuals wanting to understand, plan and navigate their route to promotion.

Through a program of structured courses, mentoring, and training we continue to support our team throughout their development journey.

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We don’t work to unrealistic timescales and never accept client work that we are unable to fulfil.

We aim to manage our employee levels to ensure that our team is always around 15% over capacity at any time, meaning that they should never feel overwhelmed or under undue pressure

Consequently, our team have the appropriate time to focus on their work – time to think, time to analyse, and time to bounce off one another with ideas. Not only does this lead to improved job satisfaction, but also results in higher levels of client service.

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Our team regularly takes part in local and national fundraising events and all team members have the opportunity to take part in one volunteering day each year.

There is an opportunity to get involved in

Sporting events, tournaments and challenges
Cake sales
Christmas events
Local charity collections

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We’ve created an environment where our team feel supported, developed and happy; a blend of interesting and challenging work, with time to contribute their own ideas, concentrate on personal development whilst ensuring a healthy life balance, both in and out of work.

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Those who work for Shorts can expect all the stuff you would normally expect from a really progressive form, and lots more besides

Find out more - Benefits in full

We work together, celebrate our successes together and always share our team news.

To find out more about what’s been happening recently, visit our LinkedIn page.

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Team News

Our recent Team News

23 November 2023

A Festival of Christmas Trees

The Chesterfield Festival of Christmas Trees has once again opened its doors for what is now the ninth year. Running from now until Sunday 3rd of December, the festival is open daily for visitors at the Parish Church St. Mary and All Saints (The Crooked Spire). Once again, Shorts is proud to be joining in the festival, with our Christmas tree joining the many others.

15 November 2023

Shorts Pumpkin Carving Competition

Who doesn't love a team competition?

9 November 2023

Shorts promote Kirstie Wilson to Audit and Accounts Director

Shorts are delighted to announce the promotion of Kirstie Wilson to the position of Audit and Accounts Director with immediate effect. Since joining Shorts in 2016 as an Audit and Accounts Senior, Kirstie has demonstrated exceptional dedication and aptitude, earning promotions to Manager in 2018 and then Senior Manager in 2021. Her progression to Director is testament to her exemplary skills and continued commitment to excellence, and to the active role she has played in the development of our corporate team during that time.

More News

Interested in finding out more?

We’re always open to talking to great people. If you feel that Shorts would be a great fit for your next career move, then why not send us your contact details; we’ll give you a call and maybe meet up to chat over coffee? (If you’d prefer to send us your CV, you can add that too – we prefer blind CVs where possible)