Employees' professional and personal development is a key part of the culture at the financial consultancy Sedulo. Each staff member has a tailor-made plan for their next steps in the business, named after the adjective “sedulous” – showing dedication and diligence. The team of 130 people offers a world-class service to clients with experts in accounting, corporate finance, tax, wealth management funding and more.

Set up with credit card finance in 2009, the fast-growing consultancy advises entrepreneurs in many sectors and industries from the inception of a business idea to growth and exit strategies. From headquarters in Manchester, Sedulo has expanded to Leeds and London and a Liverpool office is due to open in June 2021.

The team aims to get results together, give back together and have fun together. During the pandemic, Sedulo's most successful engagement strategy has been a clear framework of two virtual daily meetings: one to focus on the workload and the other to spend time together having fun. The leadership team checked in with individual staff members on a weekly basis and kept channels of communication open.

There have been plenty of opportunities for staff to voice concerns or communicate what is going well. Colleagues get together virtually for a drink, quiz or game. Every employee has been sent a thank-you gift for their hard work in challenging times.