During this immersive 3-hour workshop, we will dive into the world of client and employee experience in today's ever-evolving business landscape. As more and more firms shift their focus towards offering advisory and consultative services, understanding the vital role these two dimensions play has become paramount. In a world where attracting and retaining top talent can be quite the puzzle, nurturing a positive employee experience becomes the secret sauce. At the same time, crafting an outstanding client experience is the cornerstone of business success. While these priorities may seem conflicting on the surface, this workshop is all about unveiling the magical synergy they share. We'll keep you actively engaged throughout with lively breakouts and guided discussions.

Featuring Arianna Campbell, Boomer Consulting

The shrinking accounting pipeline and workforce shortage calls for real innovation in staffing models so we can continue to deliver an excellent client experience and support our often-overwhelmed client-facing staff. Leading-edge firms are expanding their service lines to include new operational and client service personnel who break the traditional “admin” mold, participating directly in the client service and service delivery processes. Picture new team members who are planning ahead, projecting capacity, balancing resources, onboarding clients, gathering important client deliverables, loading client components onto portals, responding to client emails, and generally removing all work from your advanced-degree audit, tax, accounting and advisory team members. In this interactive session, we’ll explore strategies for establishing a difference-making, non-CPA client team.

You've survived the “great reshuffle,” now what? Leading the talent of tomorrow requires a new and different skill set. Shorter employee tenure and increasing client demands can leave leaders feeling off balance and unclear how to maximize the employee experience in a way that also addresses client needs. In this session, you will learn frameworks to help employees get real about what they want in their career and coaching conversations to help connect the dots between team member, client and firm needs. Additionally, you'll learn about the upskilling trends top firms are using to maximize team member performance.

Succession planning is on everyone’s list and on meeting agendas at every level of our industry. The dilemma with this critical topic is there isn’t a “one-size-fits-all” solution. The uniqueness of each firm’s cultural and performance expectations creates different lenses by which we view solutions. Clarity and action, however, is a must. In this session, we’ll discuss best practices and principles common to effective plans, as well as recent findings and case studies, and have a group discussion surrounding this impactful topic.

In today's fast-paced and demanding professional environment, it is essential to prioritize the well-being, mental health, mindfulness and stress reduction of individuals within our firms. In this session, we will explore the significance of creating an environment that fosters not only firm efficiency but the overall well-being of its members as well. The panelists will share their personal experiences and innovative approaches to promoting well-being within their organizations.

Are generational differences really driving the challenges in your firm today? Of course! However, if you think that is the only attribute creating angst, you are only scratching the surface. Generational attributes, personalities, work styles and strategic thinking all play a role in how a firm’s culture is created. In this session, we will identify the positive attributes that the 5 generations bring to the workplace, define how personalities and work styles can play a huge part in team performance, and how can you pull all of the attributes people bring to the firm into one strategic “future focused” culture.

On average, professionals hold approximately 12 jobs throughout their lifetimes. Just because a professional leaves your firm doesn’t mean you can’t maintain a mutually beneficial relationship. Those leaving the accounting world become CEOs, business owners, CFOs, and decision-makers who need your services. But staying in touch, maintaining relationships, and educating your alumni often takes a backseat to outreach to new prospects. In this session, we will walk you through the process used to jump-start BDO’s alumni program in the New York Metro area, including how to develop a plan, create a solid contact list, educate alumni and select appropriate events.

If resilience is the ability to withstand and recover quickly from difficulties, it is no wonder that resilience can be considered a superpower. Resilience isn't just reserved for superheroes, however; it is a skill you can learn and grow for yourself and your team. If you're an employer, how do you create an environment where your people can build their resilience and the resilience of their teams? What systems, processes, practices and paradigms need to exist in order for your workforce to withstand the difficulties in the industry and the overall profession? In this session, we will learn about ways you can grow and nurture a resilient workforce.

Recruiting is a priority for many firms, which is why marketers have pivoted to focus in this area. If you’ve started with social posts, career fairs and swag, it’s time to move to the next level. Learn how the marketer’s toolbox can help your firm clearly express the employee experience, what it’s like working with your clients, and the way your work makes an impact. While you can’t control the size of the labor force, you can put your best foot forward in attracting professionals who will be happy and successful at your firm.

People are a firm’s greatest assets, so employment law and HR issues have a direct link to the firm’s success. In this session, we will discuss the employment law issues that managing partners and other firm leaders need to understand to stay on the right side of the law; avoid inadvertent violations; get in front of potential claims; ensure that the right structure is in place to coordinate personnel-related matters; and effectively protect the firm’s clients, personnel and other business interests.

There is often a gap between what we KNOW and what we DO. We know that going to bed at a reasonable hour will likely allow us to feel well-rested in the morning, but we may stay up an extra hour or two watching Netflix. We know that letting a high producer treat their team poorly is bad for morale, but we may not speak up and hold that person accountable for their actions. Whether for our own well-being or the well-being of our organization, accountability is a critical component to ensuring good health and longevity. In this session, we will explore what accountability looks like and how it can be embedded into the everyday behaviors and beliefs of ourselves and our teams.

The accounting industry relies on the proficiency of our professionals to reduce risk for our clients. Like accounting professionals, healthcare providers are in the business of reducing risk. Yet in healthcare, more than just finances are at risk. Over the past several years, 29 leading health systems in America have united to harness brain science, fMRI technology, and AI for scalable course development, significantly reducing errors and patient harm. In this session, we will reveal how the principles learned in healthcare are now being harnessed to revolutionize the training landscape in accounting and professional services. You will learn how research-backed brain science combined with learning data can transform your training, bridging the gap from required to desired.

In this session, we will unpack the real dollars-and-cents impact and the PR nightmares that businesses face when Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) get pushed to the back burner. Through straight-talk and real company stories, we’ll explore how ignoring DEI can hit where it hurts – the bottom line – by tanking team morale, skyrocketing staff turnover, and dragging your brand name through the mud. Let's keep it real about avoiding the financial pitfalls and reputation hits of exclusion and talk straightforward strategy about embedding DEI into your everyday business playbook. Be ready for an eye-opening journey into safeguarding and future-proofing your business through genuine, actionable inclusion strategies.

Outsourcing has become an increasingly popular strategy in the accounting profession, offering firms the opportunity to optimize their operations, enhance efficiency, and focus on core competencies. This panel discussion will bring together representatives from different Alliance firms, each employing a unique outsourcing tactic, to share their insights and experiences.

The summer of 2024 is being called “The Peak 65” because it will be when the largest number of Baby Boomers turn the traditional age of retirement. This, paired with dwindling numbers of students graduating with accounting degrees, has made for an incredibly tight labor market. Our teams are feeling the pressure and it is contributing to higher levels of burnout and turnover. With the cost of losing an accountant in public accounting currently exceeding 150% of their salary, understanding how to reduce that turnover is a business imperative. In this session, we will discuss employee burnout and how to get ahead of it, tools to help re-engage top performers, and ways to minimize turnover risk.

Most firms are finding big challenges in guiding and leading a firm, team and culture through a hybrid workplace, whether most people live in the geography or not. It has affected every facet of the employee lifecycle, from talent acquisition to culture building, leadership development and, ultimately, growth. This session will address how to lead through a hybrid workplace, including employee expectations, physical space considerations, and guidelines for working at home vs. the office – all while preserving the firm’s culture.