UK 
United States
Just over a year ago, Grant Thornton became the largest UK professional services firm to take external equity investment, following our transaction with Cinven.
Much of the public debate has focused on what this meant for the partnership model and the professional services sector more broadly.
Internally, the conversation continues to sound vastly different. In the weeks following the transaction, and since I joined the firm, the questions we sought to answer were not about structure or valuation, but about what change would feel like for the people who are building their careers here.
From my perspective as Chief People Officer, that is where the real responsibility lies.
Every organisation is wrestling with transformation. For people leaders, this has resulted in the challenge of ensuring that change accelerates performance without eroding trust or culture – which is no small task. Speed and humanity are often treated as opposing forces in transformation programmes.
In practice, I’ve found the opposite to be true: when change accelerates, the human dimension matters more, not less. Judgement and expert advice will become critical, and it is important that the HR agenda focuses on developing these skills, while organisations nurture the people who excel in these areas.
Key traditional learning and development offerings on topics such as networking, communication, commercial acumen, and honest conversations have never been more important
Change at speed requires more humanity, not less
Private equity investment has given us the ability to redesign how an audit, tax, and advisory firm operates in the modern world. That includes modernising technology, rethinking processes, and ultimately enabling our people to spend more time and energy creating insight and value for clients.
Technology-led change only succeeds when people are given the space to test the technology and learn how it can help them uncover opportunity – whether that be time back as a result of more efficient ways of working, or how it can enhance their client offering. We need to take the time to support people to change the way they fundamentally work.
It is important to note that key traditional learning and development offerings on topics such as networking, communication, commercial acumen, and honest conversations have never been more important. Technology does not replace or excuse not knowing the basics of human interaction, which influences, steers, and motivates those we line manage, the people around us, and ourselves.
In roles like my own, that means being honest about uncertainty and creating psychological safety wherever possible.
People don’t expect us to have all the answers, but they do expect honest communication about what we do know, what is still undecided and how we can support them to work alongside technology – like a friend that enhances our lives.
People want to see that talent is recognised in real time, that progression is attainable, and that potential is not constrained by precedent
Challenging assumptions about progression and recognition
Periods of disruption also expose long‑standing assumptions about how organisations recognise and reward talent. Traditional models built around linear progression and time-served promotion are increasingly misaligned with how people actually build careers.
Research indicates that people want experiences as well as progression. Work content that energises them where they can make a difference.
At Grant Thornton, we have started to challenge those norms by creating more flexible and accelerated pathways, broadening how contribution is recognised and enabling greater mobility across roles and disciplines. A key part of this has been introducing an Employee Benefit Trust (EBT), an approach that directly links employee reward to the long-term success of the firm.
