The way of conducting business has changed dramatically in the past few years. Earlier, business organizations have limited local resources in their hands to develop their productivity and efficiency, but today, they have the entire globe at their feet to create a highly efficient business environment. Among all the other dynamic new business conducting ways, remote staffing has become very popular.
Remote staffing means acquiring talent from around the globe and using it to enhance your competency level. Here, today, if we put remote staffing companies in the context of accounting organizations, then we can see that various CPA firms are adopting this method to improve their business efficiency level.
However, if you are the first time using remote staffing for your CPA firm, then you must be going through some amount of ambiguity. That’s because there’s some uncertainty involved in the entire process like how will you convey your motive. How can you properly communicate with your remote team? How will you set deadlines? Etc.,
Predefined Parameters to reduce ambiguity from your Remote Staffing Setup
Whenever we welcome a new client to the CapActix family, then we have heard them saying that they don’t know how remote staffing for accounting firms works as they have never tried it before. So, due to less experience in the remote staffing field, the number of accounting firms hesitate to use it. For those new clients, we always recommend they draw up seven dramatic parameters that will help them in squeezing the full potential out of their remote staffing company.
Parameter 1. Ripe the Benefit of Separate Time Zone
When you hire a remote staffing company from a different time zone, then you will be able to work around the clock. Suppose you hire a remote staffing company based in India, then in between India and the US almost 12 hours of time difference present. So, you just need to assign work to your accounting remote staffing company at the end of the day and when you open your work computer on the next morning, then all of your work will be already accomplished and present on your computer.
That’s why the first parameter to consider while hiring a remote staffing company is to hire a company that works in a different time zone.
Parameter 2. Predefine Communication Methods
Just like your local staff, it is very important to regularly communicate with your remote team and discuss various strategies. You need to draw a few basic communication parameters like which method of communication is preferred, how many times will be remote staff meeting held, emergency communication method, and much more. You must leverage the real-time chat apps to regularly communicate with your remote staff so that you can provide constant feedback to your remote staff.
The communication parameter needs to be in real-time and easy to access.
Parameter 3. Crystal Clear Expectations
This is a core element for remote staffing companies to clarify what are you expecting from them. You need to clarify all the work requirements that you want your remote accounting company to perform for you. Suppose, if you want to use remote staff to maintain the daily books of your clients, then you need to clarify this and provide the correct information to create books. However, if you don’t define your requirements clearly, then you can’t expect remote accounting staff to provide you with desirable services.
A proper contract with clear work expectations needs to be drawn between both parties.
Parameter 4. Take Advantage of Productivity Technology Tools
The productivity technologies have been improved a lot with the intervention of cloud services and real-time tracking tools. Today, there are plenty of different tools available by which accounting companies can keep track of their remote team’s work. They can share screens with remote workers to access their work or can share information with the help of cloud-based accounting tools like QuickBooks, Zoho, FreshBooks, etc.,
Set the parameters to use the latest accounting technologies and software for quick allotment and assessment of the work.
Parameter 5. Treat your Remote Staff and Local Staff The Same
One of the main things that accounting companies should always remember is that their local staff and remote staff are the same. You need to give some time to your remote staff to adjust to your working methods and ways of preparing different accounts. You cannot expect your remote team to magically understand everything and produce the best results. Just give some time to your remote team to get familiar with your work culture and style.
You should share the goals, aims, and vision of your accounting firm with remote teams so that they can better understand your business ethics.
Parameter 6. Conduct Regular Meeting
If you want your remote accounting team to follow all the latest technologies and accounting software, then you need to conduct regular staff meetings with your remote and local staff who can brainstorm and share different things. You should schedule a video conference meeting once a month where your local and remote teams can share their ideas to improve your business strategies.
Meetings should be preplanned so that every member of the remote, as well as local staff, must be present in it.
Parameter 7. Think Long Term
Remote staffing for accounting firms is a long-term solution so you need to hire a team by keeping this perceptive in your mind. Having someone work with you over a longer period helps them grow, develop skills, take responsibility, and become more productive in themselves and the firm’s interest.
So, always hire a remote staffing company that can become your partner in the long run.
There is no doubt that remote staffing for accounting firms is a great solution to make their business successful and highly productive. But, to drive all the benefits from your remote staff team, it is very important to set some ground rules that we have discussed in this post
So, if you are looking for a remote accounting team that can work regularly, then you can contact CapActix at email – biz@capactix.com. or can calling on +201-778-0509