JGA’s first Employee Conference – and we loved it!
How should it feel to be part of our business once we’re employee-owned? At JGA, we’re used to enabling other organisations and teams to shape their own EO transition, but now we’re living that journey ourselves – from the other side.
That’s right: we’ve taken the first steps on our own path to becoming employee-owned. It’s exciting and (a little) unnerving at the same time.
So how can we make our employee experience interesting and rewarding? This was one of several topics on our list when we got together last week in the Cotswolds for our first ever JGA Employee Conference.
The interactive day included a reveal of our evolving employee materials, hands-on ‘tech workshop’ (SharePoint is coming!) and updates on our financial performance, client services and brand.
Also up for discussion was how we can continue to grow the impact of the EO and values-led sectors through our work with our Trusted Partners and the Employee Ownership Association.
Milestone on our EO journey
For Founder and MD Jeremy Gadd, our Employee Conference was a significant step on both his and JGA’s employee-owned journey.
‘I felt excited and proud to see how everyone contributed as we looked at the challenges and opportunities ahead,’ he says. ‘The fact we’ve gone from one to nine Employees in a year reflects the maturity of JGA as a business.
‘We’ve held Associates’ Conferences before and we’ll continue to do that, as JGA Associates bring real expertise for our clients. However, as our first get-together for Employees, this was a pre-run of what will one day be the JGA Owners’ Conference.’
‘I left with a real sense that JGA are embracing trends and technology to make our working lives easier, so we can create a more polished and efficient end result’
Nessa Good, JGA Virtual PA
Strengthening the sense of belonging
JGA Coaching Lead Corrine Thomas valued the chance to gather as a team. ‘It’s an exciting time to be part of JGA – we’re working with brilliant clients and putting in the foundations for our own transition to EO,’ she says.
‘I loved hearing the plans for growing our business and the ideas for developing our services. I gained a real sense of belonging.’
Associate Employees Libby Unsworth and Nessa Good also enjoyed the face-to-face nature of the day. ‘We’re a close knit team who happen to like each other, so it’s always fun to meet up,’ Nessa says.
Libby was encouraged by how JGA is developing our wider offer alongside our core business functions. As she explains: ‘It’s interesting to be part of this EO transition, helping to shape JGA’s expectations of us as a team as well as what we’ll offer our clients and existing and future JGA Employees.’
Deepening trust in our business
Nessa adds: ‘I left with a real sense that JGA are embracing trends and technology to make our working lives easier, so we can create a more polished and efficient end result. Because of Covid, we’ve already become a more agile team that’s able to offer alternative ways of working, which is great for us and our busy clients.’
Having supported Jeremy since 2015, Nessa has seen JGA evolve into the company it is today.
‘Our transition into EO suggests a greater commitment from those who are now Employees and a deeper level of trust, loyalty and responsibility to the business,’ she says.
Focus on efficiency to build value for clients
After the conference, Jeremy reflected on how JGA’s sharper focus on efficient processes should enable us to ‘buck the trend’ of companies raising their client prices to offset their own spiralling costs.
‘Instead, we’re exploring how we can offer even greater value to our clients by prioritising our own efficiency as we work together to create the lasting results they want.’
‘I felt excited and proud to see how everyone contributed as we looked at the challenges and opportunities ahead’
Jeremy Gadd, JGA Founder and MD
We’re on a journey! If you are too and would like to know how JGA can support you through our Transition, People and Governance services, please get in touch here.