Jennifer Wilson, Author at CPA Trendlines

A Call for Change: An Open Letter to Each Generation

Drop the preconceptions and start working as a team.

Much like siblings, multiple generations working at the same firm often bring entrenched points of view and strong biases that have at least some basis in truth. Dropping these notions may be uncomfortable and require a conscious effort, but will benefit the firm as well as individual relationships within it.

With three distinct generations in the workplace today, the impacts of generational differences are phenomenal. Firm leaders are challenged to balance and blend each generation’s unique historical context, motivators and somewhat differing values systems to create a unified team and a sustainable firm.
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PRO Member Exclusive

Making Flex Time Work in the Real World

BONUS: A sample flexible work arrangement policy.

By Jennifer Wilson
On Staffing

Art Kuesel of Kuesel Consulting said it’s funny how people and organizations launch a new philosophy, policy or approach with the best of intentions, but somehow fail to consider an unintended consequence that threatens to negate the whole purpose of the original initiative.

MORE ON STAFFING: How to Make Mandatory Saturdays a Thing of the Past | Guidelines for Flexible Work Policies | Staff Need Meaningful Recognition | SURVEY: 97% of Leading Firms Now Offer Flexible Work Arrangements | How to Create a Talent Management Strategy | What Happened to the Relevancy of the CPA Profession?
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His examples:
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STAFFING & RECRUITING

How to Make Mandatory Saturdays a Thing of the Past

Four mental shifts to make.

Sound-Off: Does your firm require working on Saturdays?
Join the conversation here.

By Jennifer Wilson
On Staffing

I always challenge firm leaders to evaluate their “old school” practices and shift toward more engaging, motivating and even “cool” ways of operating to retain top talent.

MORE ON STAFFING: Guidelines for Flexible Work Policies | 10 Winning Traits of Accounting Firm Leaders | The Importance of Great Bosses | The 12 Reasons Your Staff Hates Your Firm | What Happened to the Relevancy of the CPA Profession?
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One of the ideas we’re hearing cool firms employ is the elimination of mandatory Saturdays during busy season. When I’ve shared this in group settings at CPA conferences, I literally hear a gasp of surprise because it challenges one of the most fundamental elements of public accounting – tracking, measuring and valuing time.

Today I want to explore the possibility of eliminating mandatory Saturdays – which does NOT mean eliminating overtime in most cases – and discuss ways that might help make this “new school” idea work and make public accounting an even cooler profession for up-and-comers.

PRO Member Exclusive

Guidelines for Flexible Work Policies

Plus 6 reasons to adopt unlimited PTO.

By Jennifer Wilson
On Staffing

The best way to reduce conflict and disappointment in flexible work policies is to clearly establish expectations.

MORE ON STAFFING: 10 Winning Traits of Accounting Firm Leaders | What Staff Mentoring Is and Isn’t | Do Flexible Hours Help or Hurt Us? | 8 Keys to Keeping Staff Engaged | How to Create a Talent Management Strategy | What Happened to the Relevancy of the CPA Profession? | Staffing: What CPA Firms Are Learning the Hard Way
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There is no better way to accomplish this than by having a clear, transparent and up-to-date policy document.
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PRO Member Exclusive

Do Flexible Hours Help or Hurt Us?

Taking time off remains a challenge.

By Jennifer Wilson
On Staffing

For better or worse, we can now work anywhere. There’s nowhere our employers and clients can’t reach us. And there’s nowhere we can’t reach our employers and clients.

MORE ON STAFFING: Why Flexibility for Staff Works (and How) | The 12 Reasons Your Staff Hates Your Firm | 8 Keys to Keeping Staff Engaged | How to Create a Talent Management Strategy | What Happened to the Relevancy of the CPA Profession? | Staffing: What CPA Firms Are Learning the Hard Way
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Some of us like this arrangement. Some of us don’t. All things considered, are flexible hours helping or hurting us?
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PRO Member Exclusive

SURVEY: 97% of Leading Firms Now Offer Flexible Work Arrangements

But only 83% provide the tech to do it well.

By Jennifer Wilson
On Staffing

What is work flexibility?

MORE ON STAFFING: The 12 Reasons Your Staff Hates Your Firm | 8 Keys to Keeping Staff Engaged | How to Create a Talent Management Strategy | What Happened to the Relevancy of the CPA Profession? | Staffing: What CPA Firms Are Learning the Hard Way
Exclusively for PRO Members. Log in here or upgrade to PRO today.

At Convergence Coaching we use the terms “Anytime, Anywhere Work” and “work flexibility” very similarly. Both refer to increased flexibility around one’s work schedule and the place where work is done, while simultaneously meeting the needs of clients and staff and the goals of the firm.

ConvergenceCoaching’s Anytime, Anywhere Survey

OUTLOOK & ANALYSIS

SURVEY: Next Gen Leaders Getting Restless

How do you keep them?

By Jennifer Wilson
The Rosenberg MAP Survey

Growth is up for many firms. But so is staff turnover.

MORE FROM THE SURVEY: Mergers Keep Racing Forward | Do You Have a Firm or a Co-op? | Accountability, Equity, Compensation Are Concerns | MAP Survey Top 10 Findings | CPA Firm Revenues Rise a Hefty 8%
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In firms with solid marketing engines, people – including firm leaders – are stretched thin trying to

land prospects,
serve clients,
recruit and onboard people and maybe even
integrate a merger.

OUTLOOK & ANALYSIS

2014 Roundtable: The Baby Boomers Take Control

Click for the full Rosenberg MAP Survey

As one generation ages out, a new one reshapes the future of the profession.

See the complete 2014 Roundtable

By Jennifer Wilson
Convergence Coaching

Analysis

Without a doubt, succession issues permeate all aspects of the firms we’re encountering.

These include identifying and developing successors — especially rainmakers and practice leaders, ensuring that the buy/sell makes sense and can be sustained over time, determining retirement timing and issues, establishing and executing transition plans, communicating plans, recruiting new talent to backfill positions and exploring new ways to govern the firm to give more voice to those who will be taking over. Succession implications are far-reaching and can be consuming. READ MORE →

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Jennifer Wilson

MORE AT STORE.CPATRENDLINES.COM

Jennifer Wilson is a co-founder and partner of ConvergenceCoaching, LLC, a national leadership and marketing consulting firm dedicated to helping leaders achieve success by helping them develop and implement leadership, succession, marketing, and training and development plans. Jennifer’s ultimate goal is to make a transformational difference in the lives of her clients and in their businesses.

She is a contributor to Bridging the Gap: Strengthening the Connection between Current and Emerging Leaders in the CPA Profession, available from CPA Trendlines.

Named as one of Accounting Today’s 100 Most Influential People in Accounting, INSIDE Public Accounting’s Top 10 Most Recommended Consultants, and CPA Practice Advisor’s Top 25 Thought Leaders and Most Powerful Women in Accounting, Jennifer has worked in both the public accounting and IT development sectors before cofounding ConvergenceCoaching, LLC. As a partner for the top ten accounting firm, BDO USA, Jennifer ran the National Financial Solutions Group practice with nearly 100 consultants providing financial systems selection, implementation, and support services to clients. Jennifer is a member of the Association for Accounting Administration (AAA), Association for Accounting Marketing (AAM), American Marketing Association, American Institute of CPAs (AICPA), Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), and International Coach Federation. Jennifer is an active volunteer in the profession and serves as Chair of the Education Committee for AAM, as a member of the Bill.com Advisory Board, and on the CPA Leadership Panel for the CPA Leadership Institute. Jennifer is a member of the New Horizon Group, CPA Consultants’ Alliance, and Accountants’ Global Advisory Panel, all forums for leading consultants to the accounting profession. She is a regular guest columnist and blogger for Accounting Today, Accounting Tomorrow, and AICPA CPA Insider with many recently published articles on leadership, partner programs, people management, and business development. She is a nationally recognized speaker, teacher, and facilitator delivering leadership and marketing programs to accounting and technology associations, state societies, and firms. In her free time, Jennifer enjoys spending time with her husband and three girls, gardening, practicing yoga, running, and is also active in her church.

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