With all the talk of the accounting pipeline “crisis” and how to attract and retain staff, one solution could be staring you right in the face.
It is a simple ask for what may seem like a daunting task. If you are wondering where your next hire will come from, or even if the staff you have is satisfied with what work life is like, ask yourself: Would you work for you?
What I mean is to really take a mental pause, examine the following, and ask yourself these things:
Place yourself firmly in the position of your staff. I know some managers or owners who have a philosophy of never putting themselves above their staff, and that everyone is equal and on a team. That is all well and good, but that’s not what I’m asking you to do.
What I am saying is to take a good, hard look at your processes, your policies, the type of work that is getting done, and also how your staff are working (as well as the time put in). Look at the systems you use, the client base you have, and possibly even the physical environment staff typically work in.
This next one may be a bit harder, but ask yourself the last time you had a one-on-one conversation with a staff member. How did it go? What was the outcome?
I’m not asking just a simple question or two, but find out about their work and perhaps even their thoughts and feelings about the work they do and at your firm. Moreover, do you have anything in place (meetings, surveys, touch-bases, etc.) to really know how staff think and feel about the work they do?
Let’s go a bit deeper. Lots of firms love to tout their “culture” as a differentiator. Could you ask a staffer, manager, or anyone who works with you to describe what the culture is there? Do you think they could answer you honestly, and, moreover, would you get a consistent response?
I know this is a lot to process, but I’ve been having (and hearing) these kinds of conversations lately with staff and firm owners. Being able to answer these questions and address these issues can, in my view, go a very long way to attracting and retaining the staff you want. This will allow your firm to grow, and thrive, with intent and purpose, be a place to be proud of for years to come, and increase its value when the time comes to move on.
There is plenty more to say on and around this topic, but I am putting it out there as a point of discussion—one that needs to be had openly and honestly around the profession today.