Career Revive case study – PinnacleHPC Accountants

Growing our own – attracting and retaining female talent in the Griffith Region

Through participation in the Career Revive initiative, PinnacleHPC (PHPC) has successfully implemented several new initiatives and policies to help women re-enter the workplace.

PHPC is an accounting firm providing generalist and specialised accounting services to clients in Griffith.

PHPC is at a critical point in the growth of its business with opportunities to define and re-define their proposition for future successes. Workforce challenges include constraints in the local labour market and changes within the profession as a result of technology and automation.

The People and Culture team have a firm commitment to pursing and enacting continuous improvement initiatives with a focus on attracting and retaining staff to the Griffith region.

Participation in the Career Revive initiative was motivated by a desire to create a diverse, equitable and inclusive workforce that will ensure ongoing sustainability of the practice.

Actions

As part of the Career Revive initiative, PHPC prioritised improving the experience of female staff returning to work following maternity leave.

Following consultation with female staff, PHPC:

• established a safe, private and hygienic personal room for mothers, allowing them to continue to breastfeed or express milk;
• introduced leave for pre-natal appointments; and
• implemented new family friendly workplace policies, including:
  • parking spots for expectant mothers within close proximity to the office,
  • options for flexible work arrangements and
  • a strengthened commitment to the mental health and wellbeing of staff, which is being supported by a team of internal mental health ambassadors.

This is what the office looked like before it had a makeover.

This is what the room looks like now that it has been transformed into a personal room to be accessed by breastfeeding mothers, PHPC mental health ambassadors and staff.

PHPC has recognised the potential for a community-based solution to address workforce challenges and facilitated a Linking Women and Success workshop in April 2021.

The workshop, which was attended by representatives from across the business community, considered the actions that might be taken individually and collectively to increase female workforce participation, with a view to incorporating aspects of Career Revive into the regional movement, ‘Grow Your Own Griffith’.

To ensure PHPC continues its momentum towards a diverse and inclusive workplace they have appointed a Male Champion of Change from among its Principal team.

The Male Champion of Change will be supported by a KPMG mentor to step up beside female leaders, advancing more diverse women in leadership and champion continued investment in diverse and inclusive workplaces.

Next steps

Participation in Career Revive has supported PHPC to develop a clear work plan, which has been endorsed by the firms Senior Leadership Team.

PHPC will continue to work with KPMG to develop a Pathways to Success Program, which will provide tailored supports to female staff wishing to return to work following a period of leave.

PHPC will also be focusing on improving the experience of their current workforce through a focus on more inclusive practices which are modelled by leaders and underpinned by robust systems.

If you think your organisation could benefit from the advice and support of a specialist business improvement consultant, please visit the Career Revive website.