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HUMAN RESOURCES

At Caron & Bletzer, onboarding training is now on performance for employees working remotely,
done remotely. The firm has also begun reexamining and in the office, Reiner said.
its mentoring program and is considering having In January 2020, Caron & Bletzer decided to
regularly scheduled conversations to address the goals build its own workflow software and then adapted
of the firm and the goals of each employee through the software to fit its needs as an almost fully
more one-on-one communication, Bletzer noted. remote accounting firm, Bletzer said. The firm also
EisnerAmper provides a performance and career got rid of its internal phone system and now uses
coach (PCC) to each client-service professional, Microsoft Teams. The software helps the firm’s
which helps boost the careers of both male and leaders track workflow productivity and allowed
female employees. Caron & Bletzer to downsize its real estate. “In-
“The role of the PCC is to coach and guide stead of putting money into brick and mortar, we’re
your career progression,” Reiner said. “Usually that putting money into software,” Bletzer said.
relationship is one cultivated over several years.” Cherry Bekaert also adopted technology to help
Her firm is watching to ensure that everyone is track things like the number of client relationship
visible and that all employees have an open door to connections and daily employee activities. The
opportunities, she added. firm also assigns a “buddy” (mentor) to each new
hire to help new employees get acclimated and
Monitoring and promoting performance feel included, and it offers leadership training to
EisnerAmper created a “managing a hybrid team its managers on how to be innovative, manage
playbook” and has increased its investment in productivity, and make everyone feel included.
training. The firm is teaching its managers how to But largely, Cherry Bekaert is listening to its PHOTO BY IDEEONE/ISTOCK
lead in a hybrid environment by addressing key staff to determine the workplace of the future.
management practices, encouraging outcome-based “Everyone I talked to doesn’t want to go back into
measurements for client engagements, and focusing the office except for special events,” McCurley said.

8 | Journal of Accountancy April 2022