When the pandemic began and many workers were forced to work from home due to businesses shutting down, The Rules of Thumb blog from MoneyThumb wrote this article, Advice for Those Transitioning to Work From Home. Many accountants were among those who transitioned into a work from home situation. Now, 4 months later, we are curious as to how remote work has affected accountants and want to offer additional advice that will help improve your experience.
Actually, even before the COVID-19 pandemic, accountants and CPA firms had begun embracing the benefits of cloud-based practices, empowering themselves to perform their duties and tasks from practically any computer, tablet, or mobile device. Advancements in technology have resulted in remote accounting work increasingly becoming the norm, as expectations and desires shift, and accounting firms discover the benefits that exist when working outside the constraints of a traditional bricks-and-mortar office.
Nearly half (2018 Anytime, Anywhere Work. ConvergenceCoaching, 2018) of all accounting firms had already been building a work-from-home culture into their practices before the global crisis and mandatory quarantine gripped the world. Now, we can expect those numbers to increase significantly, as the entire globe adapts to a new way of conducting business remotely, now and in the future.
However, there are still many accountants who are new to working from home. Therefore, we would like to offer sound advice from experts on how to handle remote work as an accountant and forecast for the future of working from home in the accounting realm. The Rules of Thumb blog and the MoneyThumb team have chosen the following whitepapers, articles, and webinars from our peers in the accounting field that we feel offer the best information to help remote accountants during these trying times:
- This whitepaper from Veriato titled Productivity and Engagement Monitoring: METRIC DRIVEN SOLUTIONS FOR MANAGING EMPLOYEES WORKING FROM HOME, is for anyone working from home, not just accountants, but we feel it will be helpful to our accounting friends.
- This free webcast being held by CPA Practice Advisor is titled Leveraging Innovation to Increase Your Firm’s Agility and will occur on July 23, 2020, at 1 pm CST. Below is a description from the CPA Practice Advisor website of what you can expect to learn during the webcast:
The pace of change has accelerated across all industries and professions. That’s why agility, the ability to recognize and seize new opportunities, is a key competency for forward-looking accounting firms. Firms that can identify strategic gaps and leverage innovation are better positioned to adapt to the new normal. In this one-hour session, a Wolters Kluwer technology expert will discuss tools and technologies that can help firms be more agile, including:
- Identifying problems before they get out of hand
- Reducing the average cycle time of engagements
- Uncovering hidden trends in your data and taking action
Our Peak Performance Webinar Series examines how firms are using technology to achieve positive outcomes with lasting impact.
Program level: Basic (no prerequisites required).
Receive 1 hour of free CPE credit for participating in this live webcast.
- Also from CPA Practice Advisor is this free webcast titled Adapting to Change in a Transforming Profession to be held on July 30, 2020, at 1 pm CST. Below is a description of what will be covered in this webcast:
While firms have been moving towards digital workflows for decades, the true transformation has been difficult for many. With incremental changes and a strategic plan, firms can move their technology infrastructure forward. In this one hour session, Wolters Kluwer product manager Damon Russel will discuss how to begin realizing the benefits of a digital transformation, including:
- Staying productive and accountable in remote work situations
- How client expectations are influencing accounting firm technology
- New tools and technologies that are helping firms transform
Our Peak Performance Webinar Series examines how firms are using technology to achieve positive outcomes with lasting impact.
Program level: Basic (no prerequisites required).
Receive 1 hour of free CPE credit for participating in this live webcast.
- A free webinar being held by Accounting Web on July 16, 2020, at 2 pm EST titled Revisiting the Risks of Working Remote Post COVID-19. Here is a quote from the Accounting Web's website describing the event, "Many firms rushed to adopt remote work and virtual client service with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the rush to adopt remote technologies, firms may not have properly addressed the home environment’s cybersecurity and privacy risks. Additional risks related to collaboration, employee engagement, and client service also go beyond technology. While in the short term these risks may not have been as prevalent if a firm is planning to permanently adopt remote work or hybrid work (part in-office, part remote) more comprehensive measures need to be taken to address technical and non-technical risks. Attend this webinar to learn what your firm needs to do to prevent a data breach and ensure a successful remote work program." This webinar will cover the following topics:
• Cybersecurity and privacy risks in home environments
• How to take proper measures to address risks
• Preventing data breaches
• Ensure a successful remote work or hybrid program
Recommended CPE Credit: 1 credit per 50-minute session
The team at MoneyThumb hopes that you get a lot out of the above-referenced events. If you could share this blog post on your social media page so that your accounting peers can benefit from the information provided, we would be grateful. Have a great weekend!
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