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If your organization or department plans to embrace remote work,
make sure that the tools you choose can operate outside the office
for more efficiency and flexibility, and to ensure business continuity
during disruptive moments.

continually updates and refines how it Because everyone has unique needs dialogue, brainstorm solutions, and sim-
conducts business. and responsibilities, flexibility is not a ply spend time together — what we refer
We have found our culture to be one-size-fits-all approach. It gives our to as “teaming.” At BDO, we have intro-
particularly helpful as the tax practice people the power to decide where and duced teaming hours where small groups
has evolved to leverage a remote service how they work, based on their respon- meet in virtual rooms to collaborate on
model when it is in the interests of our sibilities to their clients and the firm. projects — just as if they had booked a
clients and the firm. That is because As a leadership team, we are focused on conference room for a half-day. We have
our firm culture is built on values the outcomes of the work. We prefer also been intentional about bringing back
that emphasize trust, accountability, guidelines — or guardrails — to rigid live meetings and client events when that
and flexibility. workplace rules. forum is most suited to the opportunity.
Trust is a central leadership phi- When the pandemic required our firm With respect to training, we recognize
losophy at our firm. We employ smart, to switch to remote work indefinitely, our the need to help people develop their
purpose-driven people, and we trust and people were able to pivot quickly. The skills in a variety of learning environ-
empower them to achieve exceptional hard work our professionals had put into ments. Virtually, that generally means
outcomes for their teams and their cli- developing a culture of trust, account- more frequent but less extensive develop-
ents. We also make it clear that we de- ability, and flexibility paid off. Our teams ment sessions using a self-study or virtual
pend on one another. No endeavor is an rose to the challenge because we had a collaboration model. In-person connec-
individual effort. While establishing this cultural frame of reference for our work. tion will still at times help facilitate more
level of trust takes time and dedication, rapid and nuanced understanding. Much
it is worth the effort. It fosters a sense of Addressing the challenges of of this learning has shifted, however,
belonging and helps a culture weather a virtual culture from large-scale conferences to smaller
the inevitable challenges that arise. When leaders prioritize culture, the group settings that allow for a more cus-
Accountability and a commitment outcome is a more inclusive and resilient tomized participant experience.
to quality go hand in hand. Our profes- environment in which people can do Coaching may be the most important
sionals are committed to being part of a their best work both in person and in a item on this list, as organizations must
best-in-class organization because they remote setting. That said, there are dif- be invested in the development of their
know it provides opportunities for their ferences when you have a team that is professionals to thrive. In a virtual envi-
continued growth. They are accountable partially or fully remote. One of the big- ronment, there are fewer opportunities
to their clients and to one another. We gest hurdles is nurturing the same type of for a sit-down lunch or a spontaneous
are particularly proud that our culture interpersonal connection that is naturally chat in the hallway. No one stops by your
encourages healthy dialogue and a spirit cultivated in person. office anymore, so you cannot save feed-
of ownership that supports quality work, We recommend proactively identify- back for those interactions. You need to
no matter where that work is done. ing and addressing the ways a leadership deliver it without delay, by intentionally
Getting trust and accountability team can continue to foster the con- scheduling a time to talk. That is why we
right allows us to advance our flexibility nections critical to their organization’s are leveraging more immediate virtual
strategy. Over a decade ago, well before operations. At BDO, we are focused on coaching to complement live models,
the pandemic, BDO began embracing three broad buckets: teaming, training, rather than try to replicate live coaching
flexibility as a key element of our culture and coaching. in a virtual space.
and a powerful operational lever. We Many tax departments have locations Intentionality is key to making any
knew then, as we know now, that it helps in multiple cities or regions. It is im- type of flexible work arrangement oper-
us attract and retain the best talent and portant to encourage teams to gather in ate effectively. There is power and agility
creates space for innovative thinking. both virtual and physical spaces to share in virtual work environments, but the

www.thetaxadviser.com December 2022 51