A finance firm, which says it wants to challenge the more ‘traditional’ ways of doing business in the sector has banned staff from wearing suits in the office as part of efforts to bring a modern spin to typically formal services.
Cardiff-based Cadre – which supports business across the UK with accounting, commercial and corporate finance – has made the move as part of its rebrand from Lime Advisory – with a relaxed culture, flexible hours and work from home where needed among staff perks.
Taking inspiration from the tech sector, Cadre’s Tax Director, Jamie Williams, says, “Automation is central to what we do. We focus on being service led, whilst using technology to streamline processes.
“The pandemic and working from home requirements have taught us – and I’m sure many other businesses – that you don’t need to dress a certain way or be in a certain place to work efficiently,”
“We’ve all no doubt worked from kitchen tables and spare bedrooms in tracksuits and slippers over the last eighteen months. We have. Cadre’s accountants and finance experts have acted as business advisors to sole traders and multi-national organisations all while dressed casually.
“Why should the way our team dresses change just because we’re back in each other’s physical company? I doubt many of our staff actually want to wear suits with so many comfier options available.
“Suits are fine in certain circumstances – but it’s not our everyday style.”
Cadre, which means ‘a small group of people specially trained for a particular purpose or profession’, has increased its workforce by 300% in the last year, and prides itself on not being year-end accountants but instead an extension of a firm’s finance team.
Jamie says, “Typically if you imagine an accountant, you’d no doubt think of somebody in a suit surrounded by paperwork. That’s true for some firms. But we fully embrace modern technology and can be on hand for our clients 24/7 by dialling in. With automation at the heart of everything we do, we are blessed with the benefit of time to use data to best advise our clients.
“Being in previous roles with other firms, I knew there was a better way to do things. Our business set up means you no longer need an accountant, a corporate finance specialist or a funding professional – just us.”
