Recruiting , Training and Retaining the best and the brightest in your accounting firm

Throughout our #BBG network, the biggest issue that accounting firms have is to recruit, train and retain the right people! —there is no bigger cause of headaches for partners.
Why would anyone want to work at your accounting firm? 
Why would any of your existing staff members want to stay? 

Is your practice a workplace that presents obvious answers to both of these questions.

Using technology and collaboration tools - enabling staff that communicate with team members and clients - have resulted in teams working  remotely becoming part of the DNA of a firm. 

The idea of “the office” has changed, which is having significant implications on all aspects of the employee lifecycle. 

Does your firm have the best of breed tools to make this happen?

Be crystal clear on the benefits you currently provide employees, make some small changes to strengthen this value, and ensure that this is made clear to those inside and outside of your firm, and  your accounting practice will quickly become a place where the brightest and best will want to be! 

Your employer brand

Your accounting firm’s employer brand is the identity you create to attract prospective talent. This is how others in the accounting industry see and form an opinion of you.

Your brand encompasses what you stand for, your why, your values, your culture, and your personality.

Does your team feel a connection to the firm or the people they work with?

Is there a culture of transparency that allows people to feel that connection and play an important role in the growth of the company.

Is there a path for growth, continual learning and diversity?

Below are 6 Ways to improve your employer brand 

  1. Lift the curtain and share what your current team is like by bringing them along to events, showing them on your website and sharing updates on social media
  2. Monitor your firm's public presence, respond to online reviews from clients, and encourage staff to review you on employer rating websites
  3. Write and share content that demonstrates who you are and what your firm stands for
  4. Be active wherever your ideal employees are—whether it is social media, trade shows or industry events
  5. Increase your firm’s voice in the wider accounting community by contributing to industry publications, forums and events

Your firms Culture 

Culture is not just a word for your team’s happiness, or whether you have a ‘cool’ office with a ping pong table and beer-stocked fridge. 

Your culture considers why your firm exists—the sum of your shared values, beliefs, objectives and priorities. The things that that guide every aspect of your firm’s activities, team behavior and executive decision-making.

Understanding why you’re doing what you’re doing centers the entire firm and gives them a purpose for where they need to go.

Carla Caldwell — Caldwell Training & Consulting


Defining and being crystal clear about your culture is a critical component of your talent management plan. Not only will it align your team on these core values, but it will be a critical tool in your recruiting decision process because cultural fit must be a consideration with every new hire.


With every new employee you hire, your firm’s culture evolves slightly, so it needs to be revisited as you grow. To assist with this, take the time to define and capture your culture on paper.


Your employer value proposition

Your employer value proposition (EVP) encompasses the offerings and benefits you provide to your employees. It helps to define your brand, differentiates your workplace from other firms, and increases your ability to attract and retain the team you want.


For your team, it is not about the money. It is about the empowerment. It is about the type of work they get to do. It is about enjoying their days and delivering value.

Sharon McClafferty — Slipstream Coaching


To define your own EVP, consider your employer brand, culture, and what your ideal members of staff are looking for in their employer. For each of the following employer/employee success drivers, think about what your current staff love most about working with your firm, and what you currently offer that is attractive to potential employees.

• Value alignment

• Flexibility

• Including all staff in the ‘big picture’

• Values of management

• Regular performance and feedback

• Career planning and growth opportunities

• Remuneration


Secondly, identify any changes you can make or new activities you can implement that will appeal to your employees.


The best relationships are those that enable mutually beneficial outcomes. Documenting, reinforcing and refining your EVP will help you achieve this.


All of this will take time—in fact, it should not ever stop—but the impact of your efforts will be felt almost immediately. When you are a destination workplace, every other aspect of talent management—inlcuding recruiting, retention and even training—becomes easier.


This article is an excerpt from The Talent Playbook.  The book includes worksheets and activities to help you recruit, train & retain a world-class team in your accounting firm.


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