Wellbeing in the Workplace – Supporting our Team

Wellbeing in the workplace has gained considerable attention and Hancocks acknowledge that our entire team has worked tirelessly during the pandemic. A high level of change and high workload can place severe pressure on mental health, and that’s why we’re taking a “firm holiday” on Monday 12 July.

Working from home at Hancocks was a huge change for all of us, and many of us have faced the inevitable challenges that arise from balancing family and work obligations. We have been working hard to support everyone across the firm, especially those who have had an exceptionally busy year.

In July 2020, the Government applied a nil-rate Stamp Duty Land Tax to property sales of up to £500,000, to support the economy during Covid restrictions. As a result, first-time home buyers and existing homeowners alike have benefited from the “SDLT holiday”. In addition to providing an important stimulus to the housing market, it has meant that our Banbury and Bicester conveyancing departments have had an incredibly busy time helping people buy and sell homes throughout Oxfordshire – and further afield.

The SDLT holiday has now ended and we feel it’s time for our employees to enjoy a short break. We will continue to help our valued clients progress with their house sales and purchases but we will be avoiding completions on 12 July. The team has worked extremely hard under enormous pressure for many months and we feel this is a way we can show our wholehearted commitment to their wellbeing.

We hope our one-day holiday will not cause too much inconvenience to our clients and that they will benefit from our team returning refreshed from their break. Our employees’ mental health is very important to us and this pandemic has created additional demands beyond those created by the SDLT holiday. We hope this extended weekend will go some way to showing our immense appreciation for their efforts. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.