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FIRM PRACTICE MANAGEMENT

‘It’s about making sure that something firms don’t utilize,” said Chris Cicalese,
CPA, associate partner at Alloy Silverstein. “A lot
of firms might not be using technology to leverage
everybody’s working smarter, their time in that way, and the technology itself
has gotten really good.”
The firm also hires per diem employees to
not harder. There is a point help during busy season. The key is to choose the
right work for the right contractors, Cicalese said.
of diminishing returns. When Contractors who have previously worked for the
firm may be able to work directly with clients,
while others are better suited for simpler tasks.
you’re asking somebody to you’re giving them,” Cicalese said. Other firms are
“You have to be strategic in the work that
using offshore workers in similar ways, he said, but
work 16 hours a day, things Alloy Silverstein has not made that leap yet.

KEEPING STAFF ENGAGED
tend to get sloppy.’ Despite efforts to reform, some firm leaders don’t

think the busy season will be going away any-
time soon.
Erin Roche, CPA, CGMA, a tax planning and business strategy expert Some see positives in business that they would
and a shareholder at Elliott CPA Group like to keep. Roche believes that, when properly
managed, the season’s urgency and excitement can
result in more engaged and experienced employees.
So, instead of requiring every employee to work She wants to continue to take on “interesting
long hours, Smith Adcock has created incentives and complex work to give that good learning expe-
for those who can do so. rience to the team members — without going into
“We do a purely mathematical tax season the mentality that we have to be at the beck and
bonus,” Chandler said. call of the client at any time of the day,” she said.
The firm sets 38 as the weekly minimum num- Cox agrees. “I do think there’s a difference
ber of hours. Employees who work hours beyond between having pressure and stress. I think high
that number are paid at their salary’s hourly rate performers like pressure. You have to provide that
equivalent. They may accept the reward in cash or opportunity for them to be challenged and driven,”
paid time off. she said.
“We expect the minimum, but we are reward- Cicalese thinks that a busy season will still be
ing you with this bonus,” Chandler said. “That sort required to serve many client bases. “Clearly, it’s
of puts it in the staff member’s control over how working for some people, but I don’t think there’s
big a bonus that they want — which lets them one formula that works for everyone,” he said.
take all of their life circumstances into account.” Even firms that have made headway still see
Annual bonuses in this system range from a long road ahead. Cox and other partners at
$3,000 to $15,000 or more, he said. Saltmarsh are still working long hours themselves.
The system, which has been in place for many But their busy-season reforms for lower-level
years, requires some oversight from management employees have attracted a wave of young talent,
to ensure it’s not abused by people exaggerating she said — and that will eventually benefit the
the number of hours they’ve worked, but Chandler whole firm.
believes it has contributed to the firm’s “extremely “Once we develop our people, there is a light at
low” turnover. the end of the tunnel, and I do see relief for us in
Other firms also have found ways to ease em- the future,” she said.
ployees’ workloads. Alloy Silverstein Accountants And when that relief arrives, it can be quite
and Advisors, a firm of about 40 people in New sweet. After 23 years at Smith Adcock, Rodney
Jersey, has invested in basic automation to scan Chandler recently worked his first tax season
forms and populate databases. without a 70-hour week — a change he “kind of
“It sounds silly in 2022, but that’s still liked, by the way,” he joked. ■

10 | Journal of Accountancy October 2022