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accountants and bookkeepers

Driving team efficiencies and retaining top talent with training and technology

By QuickBooks Australia

Published on June 14, 2024

When it comes to productivity and efficiency, investing in both your technology and your talent pays off.

Ongoing training, skills development, and opportunities to advance professionally regularly top the list of the best ways to retain talented workers. Combined with having the right technology in place is the number one way to boost productivity and drive efficiencies in your firm.

Smaller firms continue to struggle to fill roles, as experienced candidates are scarce, and many struggle to compete with the salaries and other benefits larger firms can offer.

The challenge is particularly acute when it comes to attracting younger professionals, who may be seeking to fast-track their career development by joining a larger firm.

Still, accounting firms can attract and retain young professionals by offering them opportunities to advance professionally, and further increase retention by providing ongoing training and skill development. They can also stand out by investing in the tools and technologies that create a competitive advantage over other firms.

Investing in technology could be key to attracting and retaining talent

Research from Intuit Canada showed that 9 in 10 agree that financial management systems that reduce admin tasks allow more opportunities for teams to focus on engaging work which can be attractive to younger talent.

Using technology to streamline internal processes and improve workflow makes everyone’s lives easier. Freeing up time and energy of employees that would otherwise be spent on menial tasks means they can focus on the work activities that bring them the most joy and satisfaction.

Businesses that are ready to drive innovation by investing in emerging tools and technologies, such as cloud computing, mobile accounting, and artificial intelligence, will also attract the best talents and creative minds. Tomorrow’s labour force will play a primary and strategic role in business growth because they will be able to take full advantage of data-driven technologies.

And while having the right tools in place is key, proper onboarding processes that include training your team on using those tools are just as critical. Not only will it make your team members more confident, it will boost their efficiency and that of your firm overall. It can also drive client satisfaction since your clients know their Advisor is proficient in the same accounting tools they use to manage their business.

Run a more productive practice - discover more tips and tools on our Efficiency Hub.

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Why training and certification are key

Career and personal development are two of the top non-financial motivators for any employee. Onboarding new team members would be considered incomplete without effective training – it not only gets employees comfortable with the existing tools, applications and workflows, but it will also polish and enhance their existing skills. For existing team members, creating an environment where they are encouraged to continue to learn and develop is key – and recognising and celebrating those learning achievements is critical.

Over the last few years, thousands of Australian QuickBooks ProAdvisors have completed our Certification program and shared how beneficial the training and certification bolstered their confidence to help their clients and practices prosper.

In response to your feedback, we’ve recently completely redeveloped our Core Certification program. The comprehensive on-demand training program includes everything you need to know to get started using QuickBooks Online for your clients, from setting up subscriptions to connecting bank accounts, reconciliation and the latest product updates. Learn more about the comprehensive training modules in Core Certification.

QuickBooks Online Certification is a pillar of the free ProAdvisor Program and empowers accounting professionals to confidently advise small businesses, demonstrate their expertise and connect with new clients.

Certification builds, enhances and recognises your advanced skills using and troubleshooting QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Online Accountant.
The points you earn for successfully completing certification exam(s) help you move up the ProAdvisor Program tiers and unlock new member benefits.
Once certified, you can add your profile to the Find-A-ProAdvisor directory where small businesses looking for an accounting professional can find you.
Displaying your Certification status on your website and social media profiles lets potential and existing clients know you’re able to assist them in using their accounting solution of choice.
And you can earn CPD credits that count towards your Professional Body’s annual requirements.

How to find training & become certified

Completing Certification is your roadmap to becoming a certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor.

You’ll learn how to manage your practice and access your clients with QuickBooks Online Accountant, the basics of setting up QuickBooks Online, payroll, banking, transactions, reporting and more. New modules cover key tools like Books Review for your BAS preparation and lodgement, and you’ll discover more efficient tips in preparing a set of accounts for EOFY.

You can also take your expertise to the next level by learning key features like multi-currency and inventory with Advanced Certification. Advanced Certification also covers creating and managing quotes, GST set-up, class and location tracking, BAS reports, processing and managing GST, and much more.

Finally, we offer a number of Speciality Courses to help your team gain specialist, expert knowledge. Our QuickBooks Tax powered by LodgeiT course is suitable for both BAS agents and tax agents, covering how to prepare and lodge ATO forms and BAS returns. For your payroll specialists, the QuickBooks Payroll powered by Employment Hero course covers how smart payroll automation tools will have them running fast and compliant payroll.

To get started, log in to QuickBooks Online Accountant, and go to the ProAdvisor Training tab in the left navigation column, or find out more about our certification options.

We also run regular training webinars that will help you learn how to use the QuickBooks suite efficiently and will help increase your confidence working with clients. Covering a wide range of topics, adding our free training webinars to your team’s learning plan calendar is a simple and cost-effective way to stay up-to-date and ensure your team members' professional development needs are being met.

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Driving team efficiencies and retaining top talent with training and technology

Investing in technology could be key to attracting and retaining talent

Why training and certification are key

How to find training & become certified

Related Articles

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