Accounting Influencers Podcast | Leading in a People First Culture: Xero's Jen Surtees - Accounting Influencers

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Published on:

2nd Mar 2023

Leading in a People First Culture: Xero’s Jen Surtees

Welcome to the Accounting Influencers Podcast, going live every Monday to 150 countries and 30,000 accounting practitioners, fintech specialists and influencers in the accountancy, CPA and bookkeeping space.

In this Talent Special bonus, "Leading in a People First Culture: Xero's Jen Surtees," host Rob Brown speaks with Jen Surtees, the Director of People Experience (UK & EMEA) at Xero, about the importance of building and leading in a people-first culture.

Jen explains that a people-first culture prioritises employees' well-being, development, and growth. She emphasises cultivating a culture where employees can thrive and feel supported. She identifies the first step as identifying the values that will drive the culture and developing a clear vision.

Leaders should create a safe environment for employees to voice their opinions and concerns. People leaders can support the culture by ensuring policies and practices align with the company's values. Jen shares top tips for understanding and developing culture, including listening to feedback, identifying areas for improvement, and incorporating change where needed.

You can also watch this on Youtube - https://youtu.be/7gz1D2r1Idk

Guest Bio:

Jen is the Director of People Experience (UK & EMEA) at Xero, with extensive experience in coaching and a passion for supporting individuals to be their best selves at work. Jen designs recruitment, development, and cultural programs for businesses that prioritize people at heart. She thoroughly researched the psychological conditions that foster high-performing teams and a sense of belonging, resulting in strong team cultures. Jen works at Xero, ensuring the company provides every employee with a world-class and inclusive experience. She creates an environment where employees can believe, belong and flourish. Under her leadership, Xero has been named the 5th Best Workplace in Tech and the 2nd Best Workplace for Women in the UK Large Business Category. Jen loves the great outdoors and recently moved with her husband and daughter to the coast, where they enjoy spending time outdoors and experiencing nature.

Key takeaways

➤ A people-first culture is crucial for businesses in today's recruitment landscape.

➤ Leaders must prioritise employee well-being, development, and growth to cultivate a thriving culture.

➤ To build a people-first culture, leaders should identify the values that drive the culture and develop a clear vision for the organisation.

➤ Leaders should create a safe environment for employees to voice their opinions and concerns.

➤ People leaders can support the culture by ensuring policies and practices align with the company's values.

➤ Top tips for understanding and developing culture include: listening to feedback, identifying areas for improvement, and incorporating change where needed.

➤ Businesses need to specialise in a niche and become thought leaders.

➤ Firms offering client advisory services (CAS) must focus on sales and marketing to succeed.

➤ Verticals matter in CAS, and firms must think beyond write-up and controllership to provide more value to their clients.

➤ To scale successfully in CAS, firms must focus on hiring and training staff, creating processes and systems and building technology infrastructure.

➤ CPA and BPO firms can compete with low-priced providers in the current market by providing niche expertise and thought leadership.

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Thanks to our sponsors:

Accountex. Accountex will return to ExCeL London, UK, on 10-11 May 2023. Bringing together 250+ top fintech companies and cutting-edge start-ups, visitors can browse new software and stay updated with the latest technology, tools and ideas in accountancy and finance. Alongside the exhibition, attendees will take away actionable tips from the CPD-accredited seminar programme, led by 200+ thought leaders shaping the profession.

Accountex is Europe’s largest annual event for the accounting and finance profession. It attracts 8,000+ attendees and 250+ exhibitors. Attendees can get up to 16 CPD hours with 200+ free seminar sessions across 12 theatres.

https://www.accountex.co.uk/london/

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About the Podcast

Accounting Influencers
Insights, interviews and commentary for accounting, CPA, bookkeeping and finance professionals
ACCOUNTING INFLUENCERS is a weekly podcast for accountants, CPAs, bookkeeping and finance professionals, together with the networks, associations, fintech vendors and influencers who lead them, work in them and serve them.

The show is hosted by Rob Brown. co-founder of the Accounting Influencers Roundtable (AIR). The style of the show is not overly technical/technological/tax in nature but more on people, performance and success in the accounting world. Popular topics and themes covered include:

☑ leadership, executive presence, trust, integrity & reputation
☑ M&A, business models, future proofing, drivers of change & disruption
☑ performance, values, culture, vision & strategy
☑ employer brand, gen z/millennials & talent - succession, recruitment and retention
☑ industry trends, statistics and patterns
☑ growth, marketing, differentiation & positioning
☑ pricing & profitability
☑ digitisation, cloud, technology & automation
☑ advisory services, niches & emerging markets
☑ environmental & social governance ESG
☑ diversity, equity & inclusion DEI
☑ professionalism, career development & CPE/CPD
☑ business acumen & commercial awareness

Sources and guests come from:
★ EXPERTS - influencers, disrupters, consultants, gurus, podcasters and broadcasters in accounting and fintech
★ EVENTS - live coverage and interviews from exhibitions, conferences and a range of industry events
★ MEDIA - newspapers, online outlets, commentators, writers, bloggers and authors
★ VENDORS - suppliers and providers of accounting apps, platforms, fintech and software
★ REGULATORS - professional accounting bodies, institutes and associations
★ NETWORKS - alliances, associations, networks and communities of professional firms and accounting practices
★ SOCIAL MEDIA - opinion pieces, high engagement posts and controversial conversations

Rob Brown is a renowned presenter, facilitator and chair of high level conferences, panels and events globally for the accounting and fintech profession. He is retained by many professional networks, alliances, associations, practices and vendors to chair their events and provide high-level interview content for their communities.

He is a dynamic speaker and accomplished expert on trust, reputation, employer brand, talent, career development, succession, gen z/generations, executive presence, referrals, networking and winning new business. He is also the bestselling author of Build Your Reputation (Wiley) and his TEDx talk ‘The Personal Brand of You’ has been viewed 320K times on YouTube.
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About your hosts

Martin Bissett

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Martin Bissett is the founder of the Bissett Group of companies that provide practice and personal growth communities, content, and continuing education exclusively to the accounting and bookkeeping professions worldwide.

Previously he established a high six-figure consulting firm while serving as a keynote speaker with over 100 one-off and repeat engagements to his name, as well as becoming the most published author on his topics of specialism with 11 books including 1 bestseller.

Since 1998, he has played a major part in working with over 1800 accounting firms in over 40 countries. These projects have led to those firms acquiring over £500m of recurring fees before inflationary increases, referrals and upselling are factored in. He stopped keeping track of this number over 5 years ago. Martin now advises both accounting practitioners and FinTech companies alike, at board level.

Rob Brown

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Rob Brown is a renowned MC, facilitator and chair of virtual and in-person panels, conferences and events globally for the accounting and fintech profession.

Rob is co-founder of the Accounting Influencers Roundtable (AIR) mastermind group and co-hosts the world’s most popular accounting and fintech podcast: Accounting Influencers.

Throughout the pandemic, he chaired 24 virtual panels with leaders of global accounting networks and alliances to discuss the key issues and challenges. Rob is retained by several associations and vendors to chair their events and provide high-level interview content for their communities.

He is the bestselling author of Build Your Reputation (Wiley) and his TEDx talk ‘The Personal Brand of You’ has been viewed 300K times on YouTube.