What’s New at Wakefield Partners – Winter 2020

Well, what an interesting 12 weeks it has been! When we wrote the last one of these at the start of Autumn, there is no way we could have foreseen what was about to happen!  Coronavirus popped up and everything changed extremely rapidly. Wakefield Partners was not immune to these changes and to the chagrin of the office extrovert and the delight of some, we gathered up our vital possessions (laptops, printers, phones and Cup-a-Soup sachets) and headed home.  We spent 6 weeks at home, but are now back in the office.

A little run down of how each of us handled the time at home differently:

Elise is the aforementioned extrovert of the group and is so glad to be back in the office with her colleagues after 6 weeks of working from her dining room table. She enjoyed not having to get dressed up for the work day and relished life in her trackies! Elise was able to keep some structure to her day by walking her dog, Flash, in the morning, followed by a yoga session and then her regular work day from 9-5pm.

Scott felt like he was on holiday, working from his dining table and stretching the work day to fit in walks with his dog, Chester, to the local coffee shop for a break in the sunshine. He was brought breakfast on occasion by his wife and enjoyed a cheeky beverage at the end of the evening. Working from 6am – 6pm certainly has its advantages!

Lynette kept up with her routine, getting ready for the day by putting on her work clothes and makeup. She says that it helped separate the work time from home time and therefore she was hotly focussed on her work requirements during the day. Lynette worked from a desk in her daughters’ room which she found suitable as she was able to close herself away from the rest of the house. She also loved being at home with her dog, Diesel.

Petra worked from her spare bedroom at home with her cat, Poppy, and dog, D’Arcy, keeping her company, as well as trying to home school her two children. Juggling work and home life was interesting and rewarding.  Petra and her phone were best friends for the 6 weeks we were working from home!

In other news, the leaderboard for the “Most Qualified Financial Adviser” has seen no change at the top, with Elise passing her Adviser exam in February. This 3.5 hour ethics based exam is imperative to working as an adviser within the industry post-2020 and was most nerve-wracking for her to pass. With her degree and a pass in this exam, Elise is currently the only adviser qualified to provide advice in 2021 onwards.  Congrats to Elise, but her bragging rights won’t last long, with both Lynette and Scott attempting the same exam in June!

Scott has also completed his further studies required for the new financial planning regulations and is looking forward to assisting Elise and Lynette with their continued study plans.

Scott is returning to his monthly journeys down to the South East after some time away in isolation. Feel free to make an appointment with him should you wish to discuss your financial situation.

Roll on EOFY! Hopefully the second half of 2020 brings luck (and good investment returns) to all of us.

This website contains general advice which does not consider your particular circumstances. You should seek advice from Wakefield Partners who can consider if the general advice is right for you.