A Guide to Staff Training in Accounting Firms: Boost Performance and Efficiency

Employee training programs are essential for all accounting firms to maintain their reputation and prepare their staff for their responsibilities.

Creating an employee training program requires the consideration of the specific needs of each staff member and the firm as a whole. Furthermore, providing continual learning opportunities can help your staff stay keen.

At the two-year mark, an employee who has made an internal move has a greater chance of staying with their company, as per LinkedIn Learning Report 2023.

Effective staff training programs require time, effort, and money to implement, but they are worth the investment in the long term.

While it is rare to hire a fully trained staff member, training can instill the skills, processes, and values that a firm wants in its staff.

Additionally, training can expand staff’s areas of expertise and help them brush up on accounting skills, thus enhancing their accuracy and efficiency.

Here is a guide to know about training your accounting firm’s staff to boost performance and efficiency:

1. Identify the training requirements

The first stage of developing an effective training program is identifying your staff’s strengths and weaknesses.

Identify the areas where your staff members may be struggling, as well as the areas where they could benefit from additional training.

Once weaknesses are identified, firms should focus on those areas to develop training programs. Similarly, by identifying strengths, firms can continue training staff on skills they excel at to maintain a high level of performance.

Assessing each employee’s needs and soliciting input on the training offerings can provide insight, while creating an employee development plan as part of performance reviews can help track the topics and skills your staff want or need to learn.

By identifying training focus areas that help them to achieve greater results, firms can provide a consistent, high-quality service to their clients.

Creating a cohesive framework that incorporates specific processes used in each role can ensure consistency and quality.

2. Develop a training program

Once you have identified the training requirements of your staff, the next step is to develop a training program.

This plan should outline the training program’s objectives, goals, and timeline, as well as the resources required to implement the training. This could include budget, time, and people.

Firms should develop an integrated training plan that aligns with their overall objectives and goals.

3. Choose the Right Training Methods

There are various training methods you can choose from, such as online courses, classroom-based training, on-the-job training, and workshops.

Depending on the nature of the training and the availability of your staff, you should choose the appropriate method.

For instance, online courses are perfect for self-paced learning, while classroom-based training can provide more in-depth knowledge and interaction with other staff members.

68% of employees prefer to learn at work, 58% of employees prefer to learn at their own pace, and 49% of employees prefer to learn at the point of need, as mentioned in Forbes.

4. Make Training a Priority

Training should not be considered a one-time event, but rather an ongoing activity that is integrated into the culture of your accounting firm.

Make training a priority and set aside time and resources for it. Consider implementing regular training schedules or rewarding staff who participate in training.

5. Provide Access to Resources

Training is only effective if your staff has access to the necessary resources. Make sure that your accounting firm has cutting-edge software, reference materials, and access to industry updates.

This will ensure that your staff is equipped with the knowledge and tools they need to perform their job responsibilities effectively.

6. Measure the effectiveness of your training

To determine the effectiveness of your training program, it’s important to measure its impact on your staff’s skills and knowledge.

This could include feedback from both your staff and clients and tracking performance indicators.

7. Continuously improve your training program

Finally, it’s important to continuously improve your training program to better meet the needs of your staff and clients. This could involve implementing new training methods, updating content, or collecting feedback from your staff on how to improve the program.

Accounting firms can either develop their own in-house training program or hire an outside trainer to work with their staff.

Contacting the supplier can also be a good option if the firm wants to improve its usage of technology. Firms can also use less formal methods to help staff improve specific accounting skills, such as a book club or online training.

To make training engaging, firms should select relevant content and methods that cater to the staff’s learning preferences.

Creating a well-planned and effective training program can benefit the firm and its staff in the long run, as well as enhance high-quality client service.

Training is an essential aspect of every accounting firm.

By identifying the training requirements of your staff, developing a training program, choosing the right training method, engaging your staff, measuring the effectiveness of your training, and continuously improving your program, you can ensure that your accounting firm runs smoothly and effectively, and maximizes profitability.

Bonus Tip:
5 Best Practices for Closing the Skills Gap in the Accounting Industry