Beat Busy Season with Temporary Accountants: Expert Tips for Hiring and Maximizing Productivity

Don't let busy season overwhelm your accounting team. Hiring temporary accountants – especially the right temporary accounting talent - can be a game-changer in streamlining your operations and maximizing productivity during the busiest times for your organization.

Whether you are facing the public accounting busy season or year-end in corporate accounting, you have most likely felt the stress of meeting deadlines, working 70+ hour weeks and lack of work-life balance. Busy season doesn’t have to be a struggle! With the expert advice in this article, you'll learn how to ramp up your operations and increase productivity by bringing on temporary accountants to get through the busy season without breaking a sweat.

The challenges of the busy season for businesses

Busy season is a critical time for many businesses, especially in the accounting industry. During this period, public accounting firms face a surge in workload as they scramble to meet deadlines, handle increased client demands, and ensure compliance with tax regulations. The sheer volume of work can be overwhelming, leading to long hours, stress, and the potential for burnout among employees.

For an industry accounting team, a common busy season is around year-end close – often from December to February. Corporate accountants in industries like manufacturing, retail or healthcare must close out the financial records for the fiscal year. This involves adjusting entries, reconciling accounts, and consolidating financial statements. Often, additional hours are needed to ensure the team can complete the year-end close accurately and on time.

Maintaining efficiency and productivity is one of the primary challenges businesses face during the busy season. With limited resources and a tight timeline, it can be challenging to keep up with the influx of work without compromising quality or customer service. This can result in delayed deliverables, missed deadlines, and dissatisfied clients, all of which can have a detrimental impact on the firm's reputation and long-term success.

Another significant challenge is the strain on the existing workforce. Accounting professionals are already working at full capacity, and the added workload can lead to fatigue, decreased morale, and a higher risk of mistakes. This can further exacerbate the challenges, as firms struggle to maintain high-quality work while managing the well-being of their employees.

Benefits of hiring temporary accountants during the busy season

Hiring temporary accountants during the busy season can offer a range of benefits for businesses. One of the most significant advantages is the ability to alleviate the workload on the existing team. By bringing in additional support, firms can distribute tasks more evenly, reducing the risk of burnout and ensuring that all deadlines are met with high-quality work.

Another key benefit is the opportunity to access specialized expertise. Temporary accountants may have experience in areas that are particularly relevant during the busy season, such as tax preparation or auditing. This can be invaluable for firms that need to handle a wide range of tasks with efficiency and accuracy.

Hiring temporary accountants can also provide businesses with greater flexibility and responsiveness. As the workload fluctuates throughout the busy season, firms can quickly adjust their workforce by bringing on or releasing temporary staff as needed. This agility can help businesses adapt to changing demands and maintain a competitive edge.

Furthermore, the use of temporary accountants can help businesses avoid the long-term costs associated with hiring permanent staff. By bringing on temporary support only during the busy season, firms can reduce the need for overtime pay, employee benefits, and other overhead expenses that come with a larger permanent workforce.

How to find and hire temporary accountants

The first step in this process is to develop a clear understanding of the specific skills and expertise required for the role. This may involve assessing the tasks that need to be completed, the level of experience required, and any specialized knowledge or certifications that would be beneficial.

Once you have a clear job description, you can begin the search for qualified candidates. This may involve posting job listings on professional networking sites, reaching out to staffing agencies like Accountants One, or tapping into your existing professional network. It's important to be proactive in your search, as the competition for top temporary accounting talent can be fierce during the busy season.

When evaluating potential candidates look for a combination of technical skills, industry experience, and a strong work ethic. Temporary accountants should have a proven track record of delivering high-quality work under tight deadlines, as well as the ability to adapt quickly to new environments and workflows.

During the interview process, ask targeted questions that assess the candidate's problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and ability to work collaboratively with the existing team. It's also important to gauge their communication skills and their willingness to seek guidance or clarification when needed.

Once you've identified the right temporary accountants, the next step is to ensure a smooth onboarding process. This may involve providing comprehensive training on your firm's policies, procedures, and technology systems, as well as clear expectations and deadlines for the work to be completed.

Onboarding temporary accountants effectively

Effective onboarding is critical to ensure that temporary accountants can hit the ground running and contribute to the success of your firm during the busy season. The onboarding process should be designed to provide the necessary information, tools, and support to help the temporary accountants integrate seamlessly into the existing team.

One of the key elements of effective onboarding is clear communication. Ensure that temporary accountants understand their roles and responsibilities, as well as the specific tasks and deadlines they are expected to meet. Provide them with a detailed schedule of the firm's operations, including any key milestones or deadlines they need to be aware of. In the same way, the client company should provide a clear line of communication and provide regular feedback.

In addition to clear communication, the onboarding process should also include comprehensive training on the firm's policies, procedures, and technology systems. This may involve hands-on training sessions, access to online resources, and the assignment of a dedicated mentor or supervisor to guide the temporary accountants through the learning process.

It's also important to set the temporary accountants up for success by providing them with the necessary resources and tools to perform their duties effectively. This may include access to relevant software, databases, and other technological solutions, as well as any physical equipment or supplies they may need.

Maximizing productivity with temporary accountants

One of the key strategies for maximizing productivity is to leverage the specialized skills and expertise of the temporary accountants. By assigning them to tasks that align with their strengths and experience, you can ensure that they are able to work effectively and deliver high-quality results.

Another important aspect of maximizing productivity is establishing clear goals and deadlines for the temporary accountants. This can help them understand the expectations and timelines they are working within and provide a framework for prioritizing their tasks and managing their workload.

Consider implementing project management tools and workflows that can help streamline the work of the temporary accountants. This may include the use of cloud-based collaboration platforms, task management software, and real-time reporting and analytics.

Finally, be sure to regularly monitor the performance and progress of the temporary accountants and provide them with constructive feedback and coaching as needed. This can help identify any areas where they may be struggling and allow you to make adjustments to their workload or responsibilities as necessary.

Leveraging temporary accountants for a successful busy season

By now you might be open to the possibility of utilizing temporary accountants to get through your busy season. Temporary accountants can provide additional support and specialized expertise needed to handle the surge in workload, allowing permanent staff to focus on their core responsibilities and maintain a healthy work-life balance.

By proactively implementing effective strategies for finding, hiring, onboarding, and managing temporary accountants, teams can temporarily ramp up their operations and maximize productivity. Also, for best results you should remember that when working with temp accountants it is important to build a relationship. Take the time to build a relationship with the temporary accountant and the staffing organization. This will help to create a more positive and productive working environment.

Ultimately, the strategic use of temporary accountants can be a key competitive advantage for accounting teams, helping them to stay ahead of the curve, maintain a strong reputation, and position themselves for long-term success.

Contact Accountants One today if you’re interested in learning more about how we can help you staff up for a smooth, successful busy season.