Change in Personnel Brings Other Opportunities
Recently, Chortek LLP has been working with clients who have experienced personnel changes in various roles throughout their company. These changes included bookkeepers and accountants in smaller companies and the CPAs, CFOs, and controllers in larger companies.
The hiring of new personnel can be viewed in one of two ways. On one hand, some companies may be concerned that they will not be able to get the new employee up to speed quickly enough. They may also wonder whether the new hire will want to make changes to the company’s existing systems. On the other hand, some businesses take advantage of this opportunity to make positive changes to their business practices.
What to Do Following a Change
One of the first things a company should do when someone leaves his or her job is to take the opportunity to evaluate the position. What does the company expect from that particular role – both now and in the future – in order to best support the needs of the company?
Once you have conducted interviews, evaluated candidates, and chosen the one best-suited to meet the requirements of the position, you now have an opportunity to improve your company’s ability to bring more value to not only the employees themselves but the customers as well. Key areas of experience to look for in prospective employees include experience in and knowledge of accounting, systems, and technology.
Benefits of Personnel Changes
Everyone gets comfortable with routines, and when something disrupts this flow, it can oftentimes feel unsettling. However, personnel changes bring about fresh approaches to the everyday workflow, and the result can be invigorating once you get used to it. For instance, having to learn a new software program can feel overwhelming and frustrating at first. But if the software allows you to better manage your time, speeds up the workflow, and allows you to improve processes, at the end of the day, you might feel less stressed.
In addition to a fresh approach, companies also benefit from increased opportunities for improvement so long as they are willing to embrace it. For example, new employees bring experience and methods that should benefit your company. In the big picture, it’s a win-win situation.
Surviving and thriving in a changing workplace is possible – but you must be willing to commit. Whether you dread anything different and new or you gladly embrace change, when things start to move, your only options are to be miserable or to assimilate. Consider these tips for handling change:
- Be willing to jump in with both feet and take risks. The old adage, “nothing ventured, nothing gained”, certainly applies here.
- Don’t dismiss new processes or ideas just because they’re new. Make an honest effort to give the change, and new hire, a chance.
- Don’t be a naysayer. If you actively encourage dissent among the ranks or fight change, you’ll find the struggle twice as difficult.
Although you might be uneasy about bringing someone new on board, try to remember that new employees offer knowledge and experience from other businesses. This can ultimately help you to improve your systems, procedures, and processes that may have been stagnant for years. Rather than worry about the negative, seek out the opportunity to learn from the new hire instead.
Helping Current Employees Through Workplace Changes
As we’ve discussed, it’s not uncommon to feel hesitant about change in the workplace. However, change can be a good thing that brings new opportunities and challenges to the forefront. The key is in managing that change, as well as expectations, and being open to new ideas and approaches. Strong leadership during these times can also help to ensure that transitions feel like a benefit, not a deficit, particularly where your current employees are concerned.
In addition to laying out the new plan in clear terms for your workers, let them know how you intend to update them as the personnel change initiatives unfold. Will you send out a weekly email to update them? Call a special meeting each week? Tell your employees when and how they’ll get information about what is going to change. Employees need reassurance that their leaders, managers, and owners are actively involved, that expectations will be made clear, and that the higher-ups know what they’re doing.
And, whenever possible, explain the reason or rationale behind your decisions as they ultimately affect the entire team. Does it tie into your business plan and your year-end goals? Whenever you see a chance to increase understanding and lessen uncertainty, take it. Unpredictability feeds anxiety; knowledge calms it. Then you can shepherd your team through the emotional hills and valleys of needed change initiatives. You can also help your employees build a track record of success that will help them through any changes that may come about in the future. After all, confidence is success remembered.
For Efficiency’s Sake, Contact Us Today
Every day, our firm’s business consultants work with companies to reduce costs, improve customer service, create efficiency, and improve profitability by using technology. This ultimately allows you to make improvements right away rather than waiting for a change in personnel to drive you. Call us today to schedule a review of your business. We can help you identify key areas to work on as well as processes you can put into place now in order to help your business grow and prosper.
