The Tie-In Between Staffing and Succession
Source: Accounting Office Management & Administration Report
It is no secret that staffing is one of the major problems for CPA firms today. Succession planning is a part of the staffing process, since firms need to hire people who will one day become partners. That makes the staffing problem more acute, as the focus is on quality. But quality in technical skills is not enough. Accounting professionals must have the requisite soft skills to succeed in the current environment.
Some firms deal with the problem by hiring more people than they need and to overpay them to ensure retention. But they can become top-heavy leading to dissatisfaction because of limited opportunities for promotion. Firms should look for ways to empower staff to have greater impact on the progress of the firm
One strategy for enhanced recruiting is to use younger professionals in the recruiting process. Aptitude testing and mentoring are also becoming popular.
Firms are dealing with staffing problems in the following ways:
- Searching in industry for talent.
- Using more technology to improve efficiency.
- Hiring interns during tax season and moving them to full-time after tax season.
- Recruiting off-campus.
- Using the Internet for searches.
From Accounting Office Management & Administration Report, April 2005, p. 1.
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