"We also place new advisers in a mentoring group, which meet regularly, with virtual meetings fortnightly", she adds. Before the pandemic, they would have normally met face-to-face once a month.
St James's Place's Mr Godfrey advocates continuing to focus on the "core development needs" of employees throughout their careers, Covid-19 or no Covid-19.
He says this focus on tools and training to support individuals' personal and professional development will feed through to the end client.
"Technology has been thrust to the forefront of the adviser/client relationship, and being able to nurture and strengthen these relationships, and make them feel personal despite the virtual limitations, is an important aspect of an adviser's training", he comments.
This is why the company has created a series of 'client events' for trainees passing through the St James's Place Academy to invite their existing and potential clients to. These cover such topics as 'investing in the current climate'.
By continuing to invest in staff training, especially staff new to the financial services world, despite the limitations of the pandemic, companies and individuals will feel part of a team working together for a long-term goal.
Leigh Tarleton, director and IFA at Beaufort St Helens, hired two graduates recently and comments: "We have two young people joining our profession who are eager to learn, accustomed to studying and able to absorb new information quickly.
"They are naturally advanced in the use of technology - a critical advantage when working remotely - and have lent a certain youthful vibrancy to the working environment."
simoney.kyriakou@ft.com
