“You may have people who are struggling financially, people going through vulnerabilities in their lives, illnesses and we like people to share those things if they’re able, so that the team understands we are all vulnerable and we are here to help.”
But she said it was also vital for employers to show vulnerability to staff as well.
She said: “By showing vulnerability to staff it shows that we’re not this entity they can’t communicate with.
“When I started out it was a case of you didn’t talk about your mental health or your personal problems at work.”
She added the industry has come a long way in the sense that more people feel comfortable to speak up about their struggles but there is always more to do to improve work culture and environments.
“I don’t think I have ever come across an adviser who doesn’t want to do a great job for clients and part of their job is to support clients and to have open and honest conversations about their vulnerabilities and worries.
“And so the support employers give advisers needs to be the same, to allow for them to feel that they can speak up and have open conversations about what they are struggling with themselves.”
alina.khan@ft.com
