When it comes to the workplace, our attention is focused on ensuring our environment is somewhere people can thrive professionally and personally. Our culture is one that evaluates success through team as well as individual endeavour and is collegiate and respectful.
We know that people will do their best work if they are happy in their work environment. Our Spirit Survey is just one mechanism to help us gauge engagement and satisfaction levels and understand what our employees think we do well, and what we could do better. We were delighted to get a 95 percent response rate when the survey was last conducted in February 2011.
What our people say about the workplace
The results were impressive. Staff said we had a "great work environment". They were positive about our approach to flexible work arrangements and were proud to be working for the firm. We also received compliments on our leadership, equal opportunity initiatives and our team-based environment.
Of course we are just as keen to know what we can improve.
As a result of the Spirit Survey, performance coaching across the firm, a high-level leadership program for partners and a mentoring program for several practice areas have been implemented. We are also working on enhancing our performance management process.
We listen to what our staff tell us and act on it.
Our social side
Henry Davis York is known as a great place to work. Throughout the year, there are plenty of social functions and activities to get involved in such as:
- our annual 'Big Day Out' for the firm's families
- firm wide Christmas and Financial Year End parties
- sporting activities including inter-firm touch football, the corporate rowing challenge and our own annual tennis competition
- monthly staff drinks on our Rooftop Terrace
- practice group social functions.
