As AKA Case Management marks its 20th anniversary, the business – which prides itself on doing things differently – continues to do just that as it looks to the years ahead.
NR Times learns more about its values, its approach, and why its sector-leading adoption of the four-day working week is reaping rewards for staff and clients alike
Since its inception in 2002, AKA Case Management has grown to become one of the best known case management companies in the sector, with a reputation for supporting clients and their families to rebuild their lives after catastrophic injury, and investing in the development of its team to ensure their wellbeing and ability to deliver the best possible service.
And as the business enters its third decade, having marked its milestone 20th anniversary on June 19, these core values continue to remain central to all AKA does.
While it changed hands last year in a management buyout (MBO), which saw founder Angela Kerr hand over the reins to directors Dawn Abernethy and Andrew Rose, there has been a distinct lack of seismic change – rather a commitment to carry on with developing the business in the client and staff-focused manner for which AKA is known.
Andrew Rose
Its recent anniversary celebration was indicative of that, with a fun day culminating with an It’s A Knockout-style event providing the forum for staff and clients alike to socialise and enjoy themselves together, further strengthening the relationships that exist.
“We want to make sure that what we do is good and that what we do for everybody is good,” says Andrew.
“We want to be a good place to work, which provides good quality services to our clients.
“We’re not focused on becoming the biggest case management company, because the biggest doesn’t mean you’re the best – we’ll do what’s right for us, our employees and our clients.”
“It’s definitely about quality, trust and transparency, they are values at the heart of everything we do,” says Dawn.
“One of the things we’ve learned is that we implicitly trust all of our team, and they truly trust us too. None of this could work without that.”
Dominic Hobdell, who heads operations and finance at AKA, says: “I think our fun day really spoke volumes about what we’re about, people came along and just enjoyed themselves.
“We all just had a great time together. It was about everybody, staff and clients, and people left saying what a brilliant day it had been. That’s our culture, it’s very inclusive, and we’re proud of that.”
Andrew adds: “I think, going forward, it’s important that we remain at the forefront of innovation in the sector, and to model that. We are happy to lead the way, and if people want to watch us and follow, then that’s great.”
One area in which AKA truly is leading the way is in its introduction of the four-day week for staff.
Launched in its 20th anniversary month as part of a UK-wide trial encompassing businesses from a host of sectors, the four day week – which sees staff paid 100 per cent of their salary for 80 per cent working time – is seen as a particularly forward-looking approach.
For Andrew and Dawn, given AKA’s commitment to staff and clients and to embracing positive change, its adoption was not a difficult decision, and its implementation is being done in co-operation with the whole team.
“We genuinely want our people to be happy, and if they are, then our clients will get the best out of their life through getting the best out of us,” says Andrew.
“Through the four-day week, it’s acknowledging that we need to look after ourselves, and taking the action to support that.
Dawn Abernethy
“For so many years, we’ve all been attending events and training that talks about self care, but then most companies say ‘Yes, but you’ve got to be available for your clients’. But those two things don’t work in balance – how can you be available to your clients 24/7 and also find the time to look after yourself?
“Case managers, as everyone does, need time to replenish themselves. Whether that’s doing yoga, reading a book, taking some time for them – whatever it means to them to take some time out, that’s what their day off every week is aimed at.”
“We are committed to focusing on what’s best for the client, or what’s best for our staff, but also I think working a four-day week is quite an uncommon thing, especially for a company in the care industry,” says Dominic.
“So as well as realising it was a great thing to do, I think the fact it was that bit different made us want to do it even more.”
Dawn says: “Of course, some of our team did have concerns because they do try to be available for clients as much as possible, but we try and do things differently and find solutions to problems, so have been able to address this.
“Over the weeks leading up to the four-day week trial, our team did a series of workshops and learned various techniques for productivity, such as giving people permission to turn off Teams while working on a task so they can focus, being less responsive to emails for periods, making sure they are only working on one thing at a time.
“This is something we’ve all contributed to and have given people the freedom to choose what works for them.”
“Everything we’re doing is research and evidence-based,” continues Andrew.
“What we are doing with working practices and wellbeing is all clinical best practice.
Dominic Hobdell
“We’re not corporate, we’re not driven by profit, we want to run a successful business which helps to reward our employees and treat them well.
“And actually, if you look at the period our trial has covered so far – including the Jubilee Bank Holiday weekend and BABICM Conference – the figures so far are looking pretty good.
“So if this makes good business sense, as well as ensuring the wellbeing of our staff and supporting the service we can offer to clients, then that’s great.
“I think the only slightly scary part of it was when we heard the statistic that every six years, we’ll have given someone a year off. That was quite eye-opening!”
Going forward, Andrew and Dawn will continue to add new people to the business as part of its ongoing growth, but are adamant the foundations of AKA’s reputation and the values behind that will remain as they always have.
“There isn’t a hierarchy here, it’s about everybody, everybody contributes and has their part to play – AKA isn’t Dawn and I, it’s all of us,” says Andrew.
“What Angela achieved was great, and we are where we are because of that, but we are taking it forward and doing things the way Dawn and I do, without losing any of what makes us, and has always made us, AKA.”
Dawn adds: “AKA is everybody, our team and our clients. Our celebration event showed that, we’re all in it together – and without the people doing everything they do, none of this would happen.”
