INTHEBLACK May 2022 - Magazine - Page 19
03
02
ALISON MCLEOD
MEET THE
EXPERTS
D AV I D C AW L E Y
DAVID ROSS CPA
HR PROJECT DIRECTOR, EY OCEANIA
SENIOR DIRECTOR,
H AYS A C C O U N TA N C Y & F I N A N C E
People sometimes need a change from the daily
work grind, and that’s where career breaks can
be a useful tool to engage and retain employees.
Career breaks can allow people to gain new
perspectives on their life and career, study, pursue
a hobby such as yoga or writing, travel or simply
spend time with family and friends, which is what
I did when I took my career break.
At EY, we’re happy for our people to take a
career break, and our counsellors work with them
to determine if it’s right for their circumstances.
The decision to take a career break sits with the
individual, and we encourage them to discuss it
with others, including family, friends and those
who have chosen that path themselves.
It can be challenging returning to work after
a two-week holiday, let alone a 12-month career
break, but we do offer support and guidance about
coming back. Flexible work structures are really
important, and some people opt for a gradual
return over a period of a few weeks. We’d also
generally try to avoid them immediately working
with a brand new client who they aren’t familiar
with. They can tap into their counsellor as well as
our Employee Assistance Program – they are well
positioned to help them.
I think a career break is something everyone
should consider at some point. I took one myself
a few years ago and have never regretted it. I was
able to spend time with my newly born nephew
and I am so glad I was able to take advantage of
the break – it meant a lot to my family.
At the beginning of 2021, across Australia there
was a sense of optimism in the accountancy and
finance job markets, bringing with it an increase in
vacancy activity as employers reintroduced roles
and added to teams. The flipside was that some
professionals were feeling exhausted by growing
workloads, the lack of additional resources and
the ongoing pressure of the pandemic. Burnout is
a real issue, and I think there is a general sense
across the workforce that 2021 was a particularly
tough year.
My team and I work closely with our candidates
to help them navigate each stage of their career
and encourage them to do what makes them
happy – including taking a career break or even
changing careers.
However, timing is a key consideration when
deciding if a career break is right for you. In the
current market, there’s a range of opportunities
to move into new and exciting roles and progress
significantly in both seniority and in salary, so I
would encourage anyone who is thinking of a
career break to consider if the timing is right,
based on your longer-term career goals.
If you do decide on a career break, it’s an
opportunity to take time to re-evaluate what you
want to do in the future, what your passions are
and what learning and upskilling opportunities
are available to you.
When you’re ready to rejoin the world of work,
reach out to a recruiter. We’re often best placed
to provide jobseekers with an up-to-date read on
the job market.
_
The decision to take a career break sits with the
individual, and we encourage them to discuss it
with others, including family, friends and those
who have chosen that path themselves.
_
If you do decide on a career break, it’s an
opportunity to take time to re-evaluate
what you want to do in the future, what
your passions are and what learning and
upskilling opportunities are available to you.
David Ross CPA has almost
25 years of insolvency
experience. He has worked as
part of a management team
to assist distressed hospitality
businesses, and spent several
years in Malaysia working
with financial institutions to
provide solutions to their
non-performing loans. He is
currently a partner with I&R
Advisory in Melbourne.
ALISON MCLEOD
Originally from Scotland,
Alison McLeod has significant
experience working in
recruitment, having most
recently led EY’s recruitment
team. A master's graduate,
she currently works closely
with EY’s talent and business
leaders on retention and
engagement initiatives as EY
Oceania HR project director.
DAVID CAWLEY
David Cawley is senior
regional director of Hays
Accountancy & Finance in
Australia, and has operational
responsibility for a number
of offices in New South
Wales. He began his career
with Hays Education,
based in the UK, where
he managed outsourced
public sector contracts
and was instrumental in
establishing a number of
new business areas. He has
worked extensively across
both the private and public
sector within the UK and
Australia, including within the
temporary and permanent
recruitment market.
intheblack.cpaaustralia.com.au May 2022 19