Aberdeen has agreed to sell Aberdeen Financial Planning to Ascot Lloyd for an undisclosed sum.

Tessa Lee, managing director of adviser fintech support firm Moneyinfo, looks at why, in a hybrid working world, being in the office and working with colleagues face to face still matters.

Over the last few years, the narrative has swung dramatically in favour of remote and hybrid work. We've all seen it.

The flexibility is fantastic, I’ve embraced it myself. But I’ve also seen first-hand that for both people and businesses, there’s real magic in being office-based.

Our model is simple: most people work three days in the office and two from home, with extra flexibility for those with childcare arrangements or longer commutes.

The whole product team is always in the office on Mondays, kicking the week off with focus and momentum. Our support team works on a three-day office rota that changes regularly so they get exposure to different colleagues and departments which is great for knowledge-sharing and building relationships across the business.

This rhythm keeps the office alive with conversation and ideas, while still leaving space for the focused work that’s easier to do at home.

There’s a unique energy in a room full of people working towards a shared goal. Conversations flow naturally, ideas spark and problems get solved in minutes instead of days. For new or younger colleagues, being physically present is the fastest way to learn, not just the technical side of financial services, but the subtleties of tone, timing and client care that you can only pick up in person.

My very first job was as a Junior Administrator at an advice firm and I learnt so much just by listening to my boss and colleagues speaking to clients. Those lessons became the foundations for how I approached my own client calls.

Culture is not a mission statement on the wall. It’s the small, daily moments: the quick “have you got a sec?” chat, the laugh over a cup of tea, the nudge that keeps a project moving. In advice and planning firms, this matters. Clients will feel the difference when they’re dealing with a close-knit team that clearly communicates well and has each other’s backs.

Some days are perfect for working from home: writing content, doing in-depth analysis, or tackling a project that needs complete focus. It also makes it easier for people to manage personal commitments without losing productivity. We have found that working from home makes our office days more purposeful, we come in ready to get things done together.

Our team spans different generations, backgrounds, and working styles. Working in a hybrid way has made us think harder about how we communicate, from picking the right channel, to encouraging quieter voices, to making sure tech works for everyone. Learning flows both ways, younger colleagues bring fresh ideas, while experienced team members share hard-earned wisdom and industry insight.

And for myself? From a leadership perspective, being in the office helps me stay connected to what’s really going on. I can see where help is needed, sense when priorities should shift and keep everyone aligned. We find productivity rises not from oversight but from removing the friction that can slow down collaboration.

There’s no doubt hybrid working provides flexibility - but the heartbeat of our business, and our culture, is still the days we spend together.

Tessa Lee is managing director of Moneyinfo, a fintech firm based in Warwickshire, specialising in client portals and mobile apps for the wealth management industry. She has more than 20 years’ experience working in financial advice and fintech and holds several CII Financial Planning qualifications.

https://www.moneyinfo.com/

@moneyinfotech 

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