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Business Risk Services
Our Business Risk Services team deliver practical and pragmatic solutions that support clients in growing and protecting the inherent value of their businesses.
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Corporate Finance and Deal Advisory
We offer a dedicated team of experienced individuals with a focus on successfully executing transactions for corporates and financial institutions. We offer an integrated approach, with our corporate finance specialists working seamlessly with tax and other specialists to ensure that every angle is covered.
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Economic Advisory
Our all-island Economics Advisory team combines expertise in economics and business with a wealth of experience across the public and private sectors.
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Forensic Accounting
We have a different way of doing business by delivering real insight through a combination of technical rigour, commercial experience and intuitive judgment. We take pride in delivering responsive and tailored solutions to all our clients, capitalising on the wealth of experience housed within our Belfast and wider Forensics team
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People and Change Consulting
The Grant Thornton People & Change Consulting practice works with clients on these issues as well as on all aspects of how they attract, retain, engage develop, deploy and lead their people.
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Restructuring
We work with a wide variety of clients and stakeholders such as high street banks, private equity funds, directors, government agencies and creditors to implement solutions which provide the best possible outcomes.
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Technology Consulting
Motivating and assisting our clients to pursue, maintain and secure the benefits of digital solutions is at the core of our Digital Transformation teams' agenda and goals. We work with business leaders to deliver efficient digital strategies and operating models that provide new or enhanced capabilities.
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Corporate and International Tax
Northern Ireland businesses face further challenges as they operate in the only part of the UK that has a land border with a country offering a lower tax rate.
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Employer Solutions
Our team specialises in remuneration and incentive planning and works closely with employers, shareholders and employees to ensure that business strategies are aligned and goals achieved in the most tax efficient, cost-effective manner.
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Entrepreneur and Private Client Taxes
Our team of experienced advisors are on hand to guide you through any decision or transaction ranging from the establishment of new business ventures, to realising value on exit, to succession planning and providing for loved ones.
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Global Mobility Services
Grant Thornton Ireland offer a different approach to managing global mobility. We have brought together specialists from our tax, global payroll, people and change and financial accounting teams across Ireland and Northern Ireland, while drawing on the knowledge and insights of our global network of over 143 offices of mobility professionals to provide you with a holistic approach to managing global mobility.
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Outsourced Payroll
Our outsourced service provides valued service to over 150 separate PAYE schemes. These ranging from 1 to 1000 employees, working for micro, SME and global employers. The service is supported by the integrated network of tax and global mobility teams and the wider Grant Thornton network delivering a seamless service. Experienced staff deliver a personal service built around your business needs.
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Tax Disputes and Investigations
Our Tax Disputes and Investigation team is made up of tax experts and former HMRC investigators who have years of experience in dealing with a variety of tax investigations. Our expertise and insight can guide you through all interactions, keeping your cost at a minimum while allowing you to continue with the day to day running of your business.
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VAT and Indirect Taxes
At Grant Thornton (NI) LLP, our team helps Northern Ireland businesses manage their UK and global indirect tax risks which, as transactional taxes, can quickly become big liabilities.
The power of empowerment
27 Nov 2018Businesses will not keep pace with the speed of change if they expect all decisions to go up to the top of the hierarchy before action is taken. Agility is key to competitiveness, which means that decisions need to be made at the appropriate level, and that requires a workforce that knows they are empowered to act. Employee empowerment, is more than just a business buzzword, in organisations, it is becoming a necessity rather than a ‘nice to have’. It is fundamentally about delegating greater responsibility and decision making to employees, telling them what they need to do to meet organisational goals without telling them how they need to do it and monitoring them in the process.
A more empowered workforce can increase motivation and subsequently performance, productivity and potentially profitability. Other forces such as the digital revolution, the ever-growing millennial workforce and the globalisation of teams all reinforce the case for empowerment.
Workplaces are responding to this with a more flexible approach to work hours, responsibilities and locations. Of course, there is a catch, although not endemic, in society today there are those who want as much as they can get for minimum effort. These sorts of behaviours are detrimental to the fostering of a truly empowered workforce. So what key features can help promote the benefits and decrease the drawbacks.
Leadership: There are many quotes that the best leaders are those who surround them by the best people, by doing so that frees them up to spend more time on strategic priorities by trusting their team to get things done and welcoming any ideas and suggestions they have. Just as constant micro-management will limit employee ability to think for themselves, involving employees in decision-making, and listening to feedback and suggestions will help them recognise they play a part in achieving the organisation vision, strategy, goals.
Thanks and recognition: When promotion, compensation and recognition are linked to performance people are more empowered to do the right thing and encouraged to learn and grow. Even a simple ‘thank you’ can be highly effective in boosting motivation and morale as well as indicating what you want to see more of. On the other side of that, is recognising that by giving people power there is the risk that mistakes will be made and these should be treated as learning opportunities rather than punished, which will inhibit decision-making and hinder creativity.
Training/Coaching: Ongoing learning and education empowers us not only in the workplace but also in life. Providing technical, soft skills and management training gives people the knowledge and skills needed to do a job and also increases confidence naturally leading to a greater sense of empowerment. This coupled with ongoing coaching or mentoring, whereby employees receive positive reinforcement and feedback, will help develop their decision-making ability.
Successfully fostering the culture of empowerment is a two-way street of trust, holding others and ourselves accountable, and respecting the boundaries in place. It is up to leaders and employees alike to believe it can work and behave in a way that merits empowerment.