If you’re looking to expand your accounting practice or just looking for some useful tips to make sure that your current team achieves success, we have some suggestions for you. Many companies are now returning to the workplace, and some are still working from home- with the dynamics changing, it’s important to keep on top of ways that you can progress yourself and your team, to ensure your accounting practice keeps on developing. Read our top tips here on how to do so.
Set goals
As always, you’re going to need goals in place to measure your success. How many staff do you have now? How many staff do you want to have by the end of the year? This will depend on your workload, and you might want to question how many clients you will be aiming to have by the end of the year. Take some time out of your day to look at your current level of work- if you notice that you’re turning people away, or you want to make your practice even bigger then it could be time to set the goal to grow, and plan how you’re going to do so. Make sure that all your staff members are on board with your goals- it might even be worth dedicating an action plan for each employee so that you know the goals are going to be achieved. Being realistic when setting these goals are important so that your staff don’t feel overwhelmed and unmotivated to reach an unrealistic goal. Make sure that you set a time (at the start of each month for example) to review these goals, and check If you’re making good progress towards them. Research shows that people are 42% more likely to achieve their goals when you write them down, showing just how valuable this step is!
Hold regular meetings
One way to make sure all your team are en route to achieving success is to hold regular meetings. It’s important to find the balance with these as too many can take your staff away from important tasks, but one check-in per month should be enough to track progress and see if goals need to be adapted. Feel like this isn’t working? Don’t be afraid to ask staff what works best for them. Asking them can make them feel more involved, build good relationships, and also takes care of your staff’s wellbeing.
It could be a good idea to hold two different meetings- a team meeting at the start of each month to make sure that your team is on track, and speak about goals that have been achieved and things that need to be changed. Brainstorming together as a team can result in a creative way to fix any issues that might have risen.
A 1:1 meeting can give your employees the time to raise any issues that they have in a more private matter that they might not feel comfortable sharing in a large group otherwise. Listening and talking about these issues will not only help your staff feel valued, but it will also resolve any issues to help you on the road to success.
Provide an opportunity to learn
A recent study has shown that 94% of employees would stay within a company longer if they were provided with learning opportunities. Giving staff time to learn will show that you’re invested in their future, and you will all benefit from this in the long run as your staff will be more qualified. Training will enable your staff to feel more confident in different areas- and equal learning opportunities for all means that you won’t have to worry if a staff member is taking leave. You will notice an improvement in the quality of your staff’s work, and they will be aware of the correct procedures to follow regardless of the situation. There are also a variety of ways to deliver training depending on the subject- 1:1 in-person training, online courses, signing up for local courses or providing staff with time to explore their own learning. There are a variety of courses accounting staff can complete such as customer care, IT courses, time management, leadership courses, diversity, and communication courses. Again, it’s a good idea to involve your staff with this and ask them what sort of training they would benefit most from.
Co-source your staff
One easy method to grow a successful accounting team is to co-source your staff. Co-sourcing makes your success rate even easier, as you’ll have less worry about keeping track of all the struggles that come with employing staff members such as a pension, equipment, and training. Your staff will be qualified and experienced, running your practice’s workload effectively. With the time you’ll save, you will have more time to spend with your clients who are at the heart of your practice and overall enable your success. There will be no need to worry about issues such as staff holidays or sick, as all these will be covered when you co-source your staff with Totus Finance. Another benefit is that this service is flexible depending on your needs- so whether you’re just starting out, or you’re an established practice, you can achieve success regardless. Read our blog here to find out more about creating your accountancy practice using co-sourcing, or send us a message today if you have any further questions.
Reward your team
If you notice that a team member has achieved something, big or small, let them know! Rewarding staff will motivate them so that they can be sure that they’re on track to success. It will drive staff members to achieve the same outcome once again, getting them closer to smashing those goals. Feeling appreciated will show your staff just how valued they are in your establishment, encouraging them to put more effort in and follow that path to success. Think of ways that you can reward your employees, such as employee of the month, a special shout-out in team meetings, and even a pay rise.
