As a CPA, I believe we work in the greatest profession on earth. We are taking a lot of heat right now with pipeline issues, challenges in getting and retaining talent, and battling the overall perception of who we are and what we do. I think we could do a better job of talking about the great work we do. We don’t just crunch numbers behind a desk; we are problem solvers, sought-after advisors, and yes, we still do compliance work. There is a lot of work to do, and as with any change, it happens one person at a time. One firm at a time.

Take Responsibility
As professionals, especially in this industry, we have a strong desire to reach our full potential. While I believe it is a shared responsibility between the firm and the individual, it often begins with the firm culture and environment. Firms create the environment for individuals to thrive by providing the knowledge, skills, and experiences they need to grow. We are seeing the generations entering the workforce now asking for growth and development opportunities more than any generation before them. Enhancing benefits and increasing flexibility are nice, but there is a deeper human need to be connected to the work we do and to each other.

Engagement
Firms that stand out from the competition focused on engaging their people early and often. Think about it like a marriage proposal that results in an engagement: you get engaged and it becomes the main topic of conversation. It’s all you can talk about, and everyone is asking about it. How did he propose? When is the date? What is the venue? Have you started planning the menu? It is exciting! Employee engagement is the same, and it all starts on day 1 with onboarding. It’s about being intentional about how you bring people in to the firm on day 1 and every day after that. Onboarding is key in introducing new hires to the firm’s mission, vision and values. Firms that are truly living out their values make “promises” on day 1 and then live them out every day after that.

Live it Out
Firms that don’t just talk about who they are, but truly live out their core values every day speak louder than any marketing campaign or benefits they can offer. I have seen firms that have a mission statement, that was developed by someone years ago, and no one even knows what it is. Or maybe it’s on the wall of the conference room where it can be seen regularly, yet no one can recite it. Having a vision or mission is one thing. Partners who have invested in creating a vision and mission that is meaningful and relevant can not only tell you what it is, they are living it out daily and exemplifying it for their staff.

I encourage you today, to spend a few moments thinking about how you are intentionally living out the vision, mission, and values of your firm. You can be the difference that makes your employees stay connected at your firm.