This tax season is a challenging time for tax and accounting firms, and the goal posts seem to continue to move further away. While the IRS was initially steadfast in maintaining regular tax deadlines in 2021, that is giving way to new discussions about extending the filing season in a fashion similar to 2020. This extension may be welcome news for some, but for tax practitioners it is a distressing flashback to last year’s seemingly endless deadline season.
New requirements and amplified stress in our current environment combine to create a complex picture: Stimulus legislation is further complicating already difficult work, the intensity of client demands remains high, balancing personal needs and responsibilities in quarantine offers a unique set of challenges, and travel restrictions and fear of exposure to COVID has left little recourse for truly using paid time off to reset.
In our line of work, there is constant pressure to “just keep going,” or as Bill Belichick famously says, “Do your job!” In this profession, we have an obligation to keep pace with changing regulations and stay ahead of client needs — all under very tight deadlines.
These challenging times — exacerbated in 2020 and 2021 — require firms to make key adaptations to our routines and norms. And adapting to the new culture of the pandemic is one thing; creating a sustained support structure that will motivate and reward staff is our true challenge.
Building the right balance for staff and clients calls for a three-phase approach: Create a safe space, apply lessons learned, and map a vision for the future.
Create a safe space
People need a safe space and structure in order to effectively work, develop new skills and have access to the personal resources they need to stay balanced. This is where a strong firm can shine by providing the scaffolding around which teams, results, comfort, and careers are built.
At the outset of the pandemic, firms nationwide (and globally) were called upon to reinvent the way they work. Physical and mental health jumped front and center for every employee, and firms that were not recognizing these needs in the past saw quickly that their role goes beyond simply providing a job and a service.
There are several paths to giving employees the confidence they need to perform as a valuable part of a team:
- Providing a connection to leadership and a steady flow of information through town halls, video series, and email communications that serve as updates on remote working, PTO, self-care, diversity, equity & inclusion, work/life balance, and mental health awareness.
- Maintaining links to mental health resources, websites, and reminders for scheduled wellness check-ins among managers.
- Enforcing safety standards to comply with the COVID-19 environment, but opening the option to work on-site for those who need the space and change of scenery.
- Offering a reduced or flexible schedule for those who need to shuffle their time management requirements.
- Focusing on gratitude in team meetings and internal interactions, rather than on the daunting challenges of the current climate.
Recognize the lessons learned
The pandemic quickly altered the way we interact as teams and deliver to clients. The good news: We are more confident than ever in our tools and the agility needed to operate in this environment. However, having the tools is not enough.
Never has it been clearer that we can’t be all things to all people all the time. We must understand and communicate our limitations so we can maintain high quality and avoid stress and exhaustion that may lead to burnout. Everyone needs to be realistic about expectations without losing sight of their goals and obligations. If this pandemic has done one good thing, it has made us all more human.
We encourage employees to:
- Speak up and not compare themselves to others. Ask for what you need.
- Embrace that “it’s OK to not be OK.” We all have our moments — even our days and weeks. Encouraging open communication about the effects of the pandemic has helped us relate to one another’s situations.
- Communicate about availability. If team members need to alter their schedule, get extra coaching and mentoring, or need help from their team, they need to raise their hand. Clear and proactive communication makes all the difference, especially when teams are primarily remote. Encourage transparency in calendars.
- Focus on the things that are within our control. So much has been taken out of our hands, but our ability to work together towards common goals is still central to our lives.
Craft a vision for the future
The changes required over the past year set a new tone for collaboration and erased norms that have guided the accounting profession for much of its existence. The evolution of off-site working and prioritizing self-care is just beginning. Leaders should take note of changes that have positively impacted the team and overall growth potential, and they should have a vision for what new approaches will remain after the pandemic culture subsides.
We can achieve significant long-term benefits by fine-tuning existing offerings:
- Optional on-site working opens up freedom for employees while creating flexibility for leased space and different office configurations. It also reduces commuting time, a true pain point for those of us serving metro areas notorious for endless traffic.
- Remote working and ubiquitous video conferencing means that firms do not need to be confined to an isolated geographic footprint. Expansion across the U.S. is as simple as a laptop, a webcam, and a strong team communications structure.
- Remote auditing translates into significantly less travel for team members. Clients have quickly become accustomed to fewer on-site visits, opting for video calls instead.
- Support groups and self-care resources will always be available. If these were not a lynchpin of firm culture in the past, they certainly should be going forward. The world continues to bring uncertainty to our doorstep, and firms must rise to the occasion and serve as a stable force in the lives of their professionals.
For all firms, the primary goal is straightforward: Provide clients with the service and expertise they need to thrive. Even in difficult times, accountants and tax professionals must stay oriented on that endgame. Firm leaders, however, should embrace their role of providing a balanced environment that supports employees in a manner that allows them to perform at a high level and grow as professionals, individuals, and valued members of the community.
