There are big recruiting challenges facing CPA firms and accounting leaders at the moment, and a lot of them are to do with employee retention. Due to a lot of people switching to remote and hybrid working, many employers are struggling to attract and retain top accounting talent. A lot of top accountants now want choices, flexibility and compensation for the work they are doing. They want to be supported in their professional development, and employers are having to change what they are offering CPAs. It’s important for accounting firms and leaders to develop a reputation as an employer brand that offers a lot to employees.
How to establish a powerful employer brand
- Highlight what makes you different – One of the main things to do when you are trying to attract CPAs to your business, is to differentiate yourself from other companies. Think about your core values, missions and purpose, and highlight what you are doing differently. For example, if you are a less structured firm that encourages employee innovation, mention that. It’s important to ensure these the firm’s differences are obvious on social media, advertising, marketing and in branding.
- Evaluate your culture regularly – When you are establishing a powerful employer brand, it’s important to regularly evaluate your culture and what you are offering as a workplace. Professionals are looking for choices, and you need to ensure that this is what you are offering. Think about what they are looking for, and how you can change your culture to meet these needs. Unless you regularly evaluate your offerings, you run the risk of missing out on recruitment and retention opportunities
- Gain the trust of stakeholders – Gaining the trust of stakeholders is a key part of developing your employer brand. Top talent and potential employees want to work for organisations that they can trust, and this starts with following the stakeholders’ lead. Employees want to work for a company that cares for their staff, that does the right thing and is reliable. They want to know that their personal wellbeing is being considered, and they want to feel as though they are a valued and prioritised part of the team.
- Have a one brand mentality – Embracing a ‘one brand mentality’ is a vital part of having an employer brand that attracts the right CPAs to your business. This means having a single, powerful and unique brand that makes up a ‘one brand mentality’ throughout the business. Communications, marketing, recruitment, leadership and accounting should all work with the same ‘one brand mentality’ in mind. You can convey this by emphasising your employer brand throughout the entire recruiting and onboarding process.
With continuing changes happening in the workplace, CPA firms and leaders need to provide a flexible and supportive workplace. To do this, regularly reviewing and evaluating your employer brand is key.