Well, the priority is the continued development and certification of our new team members. Some testing centres have fully embraced remote proctoring whilst others haven’t, so we will need to continue to work around that challenge. Our teams’ ongoing development and certification is a critical success factor for us and something our clients increasingly look for, as it demonstrates our commitment to our people and industry standards.

The coming few months will start to see mothballed programmes and projects start to kick back into life, and the development and assignment experience our new team members are getting now will provide a fantastic foundation to support our clients moving forward.

Our new team members have also told us how this has worked for them which you can read below. It’s great to see that they have all felt that the virtual onboarding process has worked well. We’ll continue to adapt and learn from this, however we’re hoping that the next intake will be able to come into the office on day one, and meet everyone face to face.

Ben Chilton

I joined the P2 Academy at the end of March 2020 during lockdown and this meant that I was not able to meet any colleagues face-to-face and would go through onboarding virtually. Although this was new to all of us, P2 made a seamless transition and adapted to the environment. Common bonding activities which help you to settle in, such as coffee meet and greets and the highly regarded P2 socials, were all swiftly adapted to ‘virtual coffees’ and internet quiz evenings with the whole team. This really helped me to feel part of the team and bond with fellow team members.

P2 really encourages personal development and this is one of the reasons I joined the company. Already, in the first couple of months, I have completed numerous personal development initiatives such as gaining my Foundation and Practitioner PRINCE2 Project Management qualifications, as well as attending virtual training sessions focusing on core consulting skills. Alongside this, Career Managers and a buddying system have ensured I am supported throughout the development. One thing I have been really impressed with is, even though we are working in a virtual environment, visibility has been maintained extremely well with daily stand-ups, regular development sessions, and Heartbeat calls, as well as P2 Matters. All these have ensured effective dissemination of information throughout the company.

Shortly after joining P2 I landed a role with a client, working in a PMO support capacity. Being placed with a client so quickly after starting has accelerated my development and I have learnt a huge amount since starting the PMO role. I have already given client presentations and taken on responsibility for managing the portfolio list, and having this exposure has enhanced my consulting skills. The first couple of months at P2 have been great and I am relishing going to the office when possible and meeting everyone face-to-face.

Victoria Duru

I have been at the Academy for just over two months. I can say without hesitation I have the most supportive team around me, who are willing to go out of their way to make sure I get all the help I need. In the short time I have been here the Academy has given me numerous learning opportunities to develop my consulting skills and my personal development.

My managers are there to give me help when needed. There is no such thing as a silly question – they have been where you currently are in the early stages of your career.

Being in the early stages of my career I can make mistakes, but I must use what I have learnt from past projects to know what to improve on in future roles.

I have really enjoyed the culture and the staff. I’ve met the nicest people and the company is extremely inclusive, creating a warm community atmosphere to ensure new starters feel part of the team. I am sure that anyone who joins the company will love it.

Sam Sherwood

Joining P2 Consulting during a national lockdown was an interesting experience. The induction process was completed virtually, and to great effect. Come the end of my first week I had spoken with numerous colleagues across the business, as well as the management team. P2’s culture is extremely friendly, with colleagues reaching out to welcome me to the business. At a time like this, those messages help you to feel part of the team.

P2 places a high value on their employees’ learning and development, and the number of opportunities for professional development has been huge – even in the short period of time I have been with the business. Within my first month I had completed essential qualifications as well as being placed on assignment.

The importance of informal conversations has been highlighted by the current situation. Those ‘corridor conversations’ you would typically have in the office not only provide an opportunity to share information but also help break up your day. There has been an added effort to try and re-create these conversations “virtually”, making working from home an easier experience.

Even in lockdown there has been plenty of opportunity to engage socially within the business, from virtual pubs to quizzes.

The importance of providing excellent customer delivery was evident from my first day, and the mindset runs through the business. It is great to see the value P2 employees place on their customers – it really helps motivate you to do the best you can.

For more information on the P2 Academy please click here.