I’m delighted to introduce our new internal newsletters, designed to keep you informed, engaged, and connected with everything happening across EQ.
These updates, created by our Marketing, IT, People & Culture, and Operations teams, will provide key insights, updates, and useful resources from each area.
Our goal is to make communication clearer and more accessible, ensuring you have the latest information to support you in your role. Expect updates on key projects, initiatives, and ways to get involved, along with practical insights to help you stay ahead. Keep an eye out for these newsletters in your inbox, and as always, we’d love to hear your feedback to make them as valuable as possible.
CarolineMcKenna
MARKETING INSIDER
FEBRUARY2025
WELCOMETOTHE FIRSTMONTHOF MARKETINGINSIDER!
We’re excited to introduce MarketingInsideryour inside look at all things marketing at EQ!
This will be your go-to update for our topperformingsocialmediaposts,newclientwins, sectorinsights,andkeyreporting. We’ll also showcase any newsarticlesorPRfeatures we’ve appeared in, giving you a full picture of how EQ is being seen externally.
Let’s break down the numbers, celebrate our wins, and continue building a strong, visible, and engaging brand!
KeyTerms& KeyTerms& Phrases Phrases
KPIs(KeyPerformanceIndicators):These are numbers that show how well something is working. They help track success in marketing, business, or projects.
Reach:This means how many people have seen a post.
Engagement:This means how many people have interacted with a post.
PR(PublicRelations):This is how a business or person manages their image and reputation. It’s about getting positive attention through news, social media, and other channels.
SEO(SearchEngineOptimization):Improving a website to rank higher on Google.
LeadGeneration:The number of potential customers/clients.
PPC(PayPerClick): This is where businesses pay a fee each time someone clicks on their ad, rather than earning visits organically.
CTR(ClickThroughRate):measures how often people click on an ad or link after seeing it.
Impressions:This means the number of times an ad or piece of content is displayed on a screen.
If you come across any words or phrases you’re unsure about, feel free to ask - we’re happytohelp!
The Marketing team were asked to create a 3 minute video regarding our organic growth journey from 2024/2025 for the Sumer conference. Check out the video below by clicking on the image:
Top Performing Top Performing LinkedIn Posts LinkedIn Posts
Post: Harris Academy Careers Fair
1,147 EngagementRate:13.6%
Post: Reducing Payments on Account for 2024/25 Tax Year
Reach:1,053 EngagementRate:49.1%
Post: Tax Efficient Investments Reach:977
EQ in the EQ in the News News
EQ featured in the Scottish Financial Times and The Courier with articles on our graduate and trainee applications.
Between the two publications, we achieved 79,500 impressions! That is potentially 79,500 new clients who have been exposed to the EQ brand!
TopNew TopNew
Sector Sector Reporting Reporting
Our focus sectors have all been assigned growth targets for the 2024/25 financial year. For the “A” sectors (Agri and Professions), this target is 18% of the annual turnover of the sector. For “B” sectors (Leisure and Healthcare), the target is 12%. The numbers below show the percentage of that target the teams have achieved so far. Well done everyone
Agriculture50.35%ofannual targetachievedsofar
Leisure239.27%ofannual targetachievedsofar
Professions138.05%ofannual targetachievedsofar
Healthcare76.81%ofannual targetachievedsofar
ComingUp ComingUp
PR around promotions and new joiners.
We are aiming to issue ourfirstclient engagementsurvey. A client engagement survey is a questionnaire used to measure how satisfied and connected clients feel with our products, services, or overall experience. The results provide us with an opportunitytolearnandgrow. A communications matrix and schedule for 2025 which will clearly detail where to find certain types of information, and how to strategically interact with the Firm.
WELCOMETOTHE FIRSTMONTHOF PEOPLE&CULTURE INSIDER!
Creating a great place to work where everyone can reach their full potential is fundamental to our success at EQ.
Our People & Culture Team is responsible for developing a thriving working environment, seeing the world through the eyes of colleagues, co-designing people solutions and implementing initiatives that meet the firm’s objectives and enable everyone’s success.
We value your feedback, so let us know what’s working for you, and any ideas you have that will continue to deliver our people goals by emailing hr@eqaccountants.co.uk
StrategicPeople StrategicPeople &Culture &Culture
Our strategicdevelopmentwork in the background in January&Februaryhas been:
TalentAcquisition
Optimising the candidate recruitment experience via collaboration with the Sumer Talent Acquisition Team and the launch of a new applicant tracking system called PinPoint. Collaborating with our colleagues in South Africa to develop an offshore talent pipeline for those roles that we are unable to recruit locally.
Learning&Development
Investing in colleague development to build future ready skills and create career opportunities via our planning and preparation of the EQ Development Academy, Induction and Onboarding process, Statutory & Mandatory Training processes, Learning pathways for all roles and levels and Organic Growth skills development programme.
Operatingmodel&Servicestructure
Driving the firm’s agility to optimise capacity and productivity across the firm and continue to provide excellent client service by establishing a firm wide operating model, service structure, clear job grades and levels, job accountabilities and updated competencies that are transparent and provide visible career paths from junior to senior leadership roles.
EmployeeValueProposition(EVP)
Articulating the unique value that the firm offers to all colleagues via promotions, development and career opportunities, wellbeing initiatives, pay and benefits. Preparations for the annual promotions and Pay Review process. All of the above is our broad work in progress and we’ll be launching various initiatives, next steps and communications in relation to these projects in the coming weeks.
From a generalistperspective, our focus in February has been:
Health&Safety
We’ve launched the updated Fire& EmergencyEvacuationProcedures, FirstAidtraining,ReturntoWork Process,SexualHarassmentPolicy and briefings and the SignInprocess. Weencourageyouto:
Become familiar with the emergency procedures, fire exits, fire assembly points etc in your working location.
Utilise the return to work process upon return from sick leave.
Read and understand the Sexual Harassment Policy, attend the booked Team’s briefing or watch the briefing and sign to acknowledge your acceptance and agreement to abide by the policy.
Ensure that the sign in process and app is working on your phone or that you manually sign in and out of the office through the sign in app each day so that each office has an accurate fire register at all times.
StudentSupport
We’ve launched ourStudentsupport programme with each student taking part in 1:1s, the development of the StudentHandbook and the creation of a Studentspaceontheintranet, which seeks to answer all questions in relation to our student pathways and support needs.
Weencouragestudentsto:
Review the Student Handbook and follow up with Chiara if there are any further questions or feedback. Logbooks will be the next focus, and we’ll be looking to students to set out their plans to complete their logbooks incrementally throughout their studies.
AnnualLeave
We’ve calculatedandreported to each individualon their remaining annualleave as we near the end of the holiday year.
Weencourageyouto:
Book and take remaining holidays where possible. Follow up with holiday intentions to the hr@ email.
CoordinatingLearning (CPD)
We’ve established a technicalCPD reportingprocess that provides information to colleagues to enablethem tologtheircontinuedprofessional developmenttotheircomplianceportal trainingrecord.
Weencourageyouto:
Review your report and take time to log your learning on to the Compliance Portal.
Email learning@eqaccountants.co.uk if there are any queries.
Learning&Development
We are in the process of developing a ‘Learn before lunch’ calendar and process that will provide opportunities for colleagues to participate in various
Weencourageyouto:
Book onto learning sessions and let us know any training in any role that you would like us to explore.
Discuss the proposed learning with your go to Manager/Partner internal and external sessions before lunch. Sessions are already organised and being communicated; however, we’ll be pulling this together into one calendar of events on the intranet and making the registration process as easy to follow as possible.
ComingUp ComingUp iinMarch nMarch
Furtherinitiatives and updatesin relation to all of the above strategic and tactical projects. Preparations for our first full team EngagementSurvey. Preparations for ourServicestructure, grades,levels,promotions,payawards and benefitscommunications. An updated Lunch&LearnsCalendar
FEBRUARY2025
WELCOMETOTHEFIRST MONTHOFI.T.INSIDER!
In today’s digital world, staying informed is key. Our IT team is here to provide the tools and support you need.
This month, we’re excited to relaunch KnowBe4, our interactive security training platform, to make cybersecurity education engaging and accessible. Look out for updates from Alexa Hindes soon!
You'll also find Outlook tips to boost efficiency.
We value your feedback - share your thoughts and help us build a secure, innovative, and connected workplace.
Thank you for you StuartGarrick
ServiceDesk ServiceDesk
LoggingTickets
To help our team plan their workload and prioritise tasks effectively, it is crucial that all issues are logged as tickets. You can log a ticket through our Helpdesk portal, by emailing helpdesk@eqaccountants.co.uk.
Whyyoushouldlogticketsevenwhenyou’rebusy
When you are in the middle of work and encounter an issue, logging a ticket might seem like an interruption. However, it is essential for several reasons and is preferential to walking up to the team mid-task.
Bestpracticesforusers:
HighlightUrgency: If your issue is urgent, make sure to highlight its importance when logging the ticket. This helps our team prioritise and address critical issues promptly
FollowUp: If you have not received a response within the expected timeframe, feel free to follow up on your ticket. This ensures that your issue remains on our radar and is resolved as quickly as possible.
JanuaryKey JanuaryKey Statistics Statistics
Total Tickets Logged 789 30 minutes Average response time 8 Tickets open longer than 3 days
200 More tickets logged in January compared to December due to Citrix downtime 1.5 days
EQ’s Q1 and Q2 2024 average response time. It is now 30 minutes.
Security Security
KnowBe4
We are pleased to announce the relaunching of our KnowBe4 platform, designed to boost our security awareness in a fun and engaging way
What’snew?
Interactivetrainingmodules-dive into gamified lessons that make learning about security a blast! PhishingSimulations- test your skills with realworld scenarios and see if you can spot the phish. PersonalisedDashboards - track your progress and earn badges ad you become a security superstar!
Whyitmatters?
In today’s digital age, staying vigilant is more important than ever. Our revamped KnowBe4 platform is here to help you stay one step ahead of cyber threats while having a bit of fun along the way.
Let's make security awareness a part of our daily routine and protect our digital world together. Stay tuned for more updates and happy learning!
Tips & Tips & Tricks Tricks
SchedulingEmails
Need to send an email later? Schedule it! Compose your email, then go to the "Options" tab and select "Delay Delivery." Choose your desired send time, and Outlook will handle the rest.
SetUpRules
Automate email management by creating rules. For example, you can set a rule to move all emails from a specific sender to a designated folder. Go to "File" > "Manage Rules & Alerts" to get started
ToDoBar
Use your To Do bar (in the View tab) to view your calendar and appointments on your main mailbox screen
HowcanIkeepmyselfsecure?
Enter your personal email into the following sitehttps://haveibeenpwned.com/ to determine if there has been a data breach. If there has been, ensure you change your passwords on the sites shown and on your email account.
LimitPersonalInformationSharing
Be cautious about the amount of personal info you share online, especially social media.
Bewaryofphishingscams
Don’t click on suspicious links or open attachments from unknown senders. Always verify the source before providing personal information.
Ensure your home Wi-Fi network is password-protected and avoid using public Wi-Fi for sensitive transactions. UseanAnti-Virus
www.avg.com gives you free anti-virus.
OPERATIONS INSIDER
WELCOMETOTHE FIRSTMONTHOF OPERATIONS INSIDER!
We’re excited to bring you the latest updates from the Operations team in this new monthly newsletter. Operations Insider will keep you informed on key projects, admin updates, process improvements, and all things behind the scenes that help keep EQ running smoothly.
In this edition, we’ll cover the feedback from CCH training, admin updates, and highlight ways we’re working to improve efficiency across the firm.
Stay tuned for insights from the team, upcoming projects and updates.
We hope you find this newsletter useful and let us know if there’s anything you’d like to see featured in future editions!
CCH Training Staff Feedback
South & Central
As part of our recent Integration Lessons Learned meeting, we gathered feedback from staff on the CCHPMSmigration. 6 weeks after the CCH PMS migration, we undertook an exercise to receive feedback from staff about their own experience, how successful the migration and support offered was, as well as giving them a platform to suggest actions we could implement in any future projects. This involved:
Online survey sent to EQ South and Central Staff (92)
31 Respondees (33%)
3 of 6 Partners Responsed (50%)
Survey Results
OverallQualityofTraining
Although the overall quality of the external CCH training content received mixed reviews, 45% of staff stated that the quality was average and 31% believe the training to be good. Overall, 90% of feedback said the quality of the external CCH training was average or better.
LengthofTraining
It was fairly unanimous that the external CCH training sessions were too long. 77% of all feedback stated that they would have preferred the sessions to be shorter. 1 person stated that the sessions were too short (outlier).
EffectivenessofExternalTrainer
60% of staff said that Yemi’s deliver of the content was effective, 17% believe he was ineffective. 23% of staff said the delivery was neither effective or ineffective.
RelevanceofExternalTraining
80% of feedback stated that the training was either completely or partially relevant to their current role. 13% stated that the training was in no way relevant. 2 staff members said other.
New Kelso Hire
Exciting news for our Kelsooffice!We’ve extended an offer for the Receptionist/Administratorrole, with the new recruit set to join us on aninitial three-monthcontract. If all goes well, we hope to make this a permanent addition to the team.
Bringing valuable experience from the legalsector, our new team member is well-versed in audio typing, client confidentiality, and front-of-house responsibilities, making her a great fit for EQ. She will officially start on 3rdMarch and will spend her first three days training in our Dundeeoffice before settling intoKelsoon6thMarch. We’re looking forward to welcoming her on boardstay tuned for introductions!
Update on PMC Implementation
We’ve made great progress with implementing the PMC model in the South, with additional support from Dundee & Forfar providing our South managers with more capacity to focus on planning and managing, rather than being directly involved in the compliance work. This shift is helping us embed the PMC model effectively, and we’re already seeing positive results. Our January PMC meeting was particularly valuable, with insights from North managers on how they approach their roles. We’re considering a joint North-South manager session to exchange further ideas - let us know your thoughts!
Adjusting to this way of working takes time, particularly as managers need to transition to delegating more and focusing on oversight. We’re also ensuring senior controllers have the necessary support, so workloads remain balanced. Keeping work flowing consistently, even during quieter periods, is key to fully embedding the model.
A few initiatives in progress to support this transition:
✅ A Teams chat for Technical/Workflow managers to facilitate quick work allocation.
✅ A skills matrix to better match staff with specific tasks.
✅ Implementation of workflow and employee planners for the South, once CCH is fully updated.
CCH having accurate and up-to-date information is essential for effective resource planning. We’re working with Grant Reigate & Laura Horsburgh to update it, with juniors in the South available to assist once trained.
Engagement Letters & Fee Protection Update
The bulk issue of engagementletters for the CentralRegion is now complete! Both DundeeandGlenrothes have wrapped up their updates, leaving only Forfarto finish in the North. Meanwhile, in the South, clientlistsarebeing updatedandrefined to ensure we’re reaching the right clients effectively. Once these lists are fully cleansed and approved by partners, engagementletterswillbe sentout.
This data refresh also aligns with our Marchfeeprotectionoffering, ensuring clients have everything they need in place.
