What do you do if your top accounting talent is disengaged?

When your top accounting talent shows signs of disengagement, it can be a serious concern. Accountants play a crucial role in managing financial records, ensuring compliance with regulations, and providing strategic insights based on financial data. Their disengagement not only impacts the quality of their work but can also affect the morale of the entire team. If you notice a lack of enthusiasm or a drop in performance from your star accountants, it's essential to act swiftly and thoughtfully to address the issue and re-engage these key team members.

1 Recognize Signs

The first step in addressing disengagement is to recognize the signs. Your top accounting talent might start missing deadlines, producing error-prone work, or showing a lack of interest in tasks they previously enjoyed. They may also withdraw from team activities or display a change in attitude towards their work. These behaviors can indicate that they are not feeling challenged, appreciated, or aligned with the company's goals. By staying alert to these changes, you can intervene early and open a dialogue to understand their concerns.

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Baldemar Fonseca, CGFO

Public Finance Executive 🏛️👨💼 | Certified Government Finance Officer 💰 🏦📊 | Master of Public Dollars 💸 | Strategizing Budgets for a Stronger City 🌆 | Turning Numbers into Community Impact 📊🚀
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Stay vigilant to recognize signs as early as possible, since addressing disengagement early can help retain valuable talent and maintain a positive, productive work environment.

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2 Open Dialogue

Once you've identified disengagement, initiate an open and honest dialogue. Approach your accountant in a private setting and express your observations without sounding accusatory. Ask open-ended questions to understand their perspective and listen actively to their responses. This conversation can uncover underlying issues such as workload imbalance, lack of recognition, or career stagnation. It's an opportunity to show that you value their well-being and are committed to supporting their career development.

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Baldemar Fonseca, CGFO

Public Finance Executive 🏛️👨💼 | Certified Government Finance Officer 💰 🏦📊 | Master of Public Dollars 💸 | Strategizing Budgets for a Stronger City 🌆 | Turning Numbers into Community Impact 📊🚀
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In my experience, I start by having a one-on-one conversation to understand their concerns, challenges, and motivations. Sometimes, disengagement can stem from feeling underutilized, lack of growth opportunities, or personal issues.

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3 Offer Support

Support can take many forms, from providing additional training to offering flexible work arrangements. If your accounting talent feels overwhelmed by their workload, consider redistributing tasks or bringing in additional help. If they're seeking growth opportunities, discuss potential career paths or additional responsibilities that align with their interests and skills. By offering support, you demonstrate a commitment to their professional development and job satisfaction.

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Baldemar Fonseca, CGFO

Public Finance Executive 🏛️👨💼 | Certified Government Finance Officer 💰 🏦📊 | Master of Public Dollars 💸 | Strategizing Budgets for a Stronger City 🌆 | Turning Numbers into Community Impact 📊🚀
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In my experience, an accountant felt overwhelmed by their excessive workload, feeling unfairly burdened as a reward for their capability. Upon reviewing workloads, it was clear some accountants were overutilized. I appreciated the accountant's willingness to highlight this issue, recognizing it as an unintentional oversight on my part that required correction for a more equitable workload distribution.

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4 Revisit Goals

Re-evaluating and setting new professional goals can reignite an accountant's passion for their work. Work together to set achievable, yet challenging goals that contribute to the company's success and their personal growth. Ensure these objectives are measurable and time-bound, and provide regular feedback on their progress. Aligning their goals with the strategic direction of the company can help them see the value of their work and how it fits into the bigger picture.

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5 Enhance Engagement

Enhancing engagement often involves more than just addressing professional concerns; it's about fostering a positive work environment. Recognize and celebrate achievements, facilitate team-building activities, and encourage a culture of continuous learning. These actions can help rebuild a sense of community and belonging, which is crucial for long-term engagement. Remember, a motivated accountant is more likely to be proactive, innovative, and committed to excellence.

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6 Monitor Progress

Finally, it's important to monitor progress after implementing changes to address disengagement. Regular check-ins will help you gauge whether the interventions are effective and if your accounting talent's engagement levels are improving. Be prepared to make additional adjustments as needed. Continuous monitoring ensures that you remain responsive to their needs and committed to maintaining a motivated and engaged accounting team.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Baldemar Fonseca, CGFO

Public Finance Executive 🏛️👨💼 | Certified Government Finance Officer 💰 🏦📊 | Master of Public Dollars 💸 | Strategizing Budgets for a Stronger City 🌆 | Turning Numbers into Community Impact 📊🚀
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Ensure their compensation and benefits are competitive and fair. Financial dissatisfaction can also lead to disengagement, prompting employees to leave. It's crucial to weigh the cost of turnover against retention. Specifically, calculate the expenses associated with advertising for the position, conducting interviews, selecting a candidate, and then onboarding and training them. Additionally, consider the potential negative impact on team morale and the work environment as existing employees manage the increased workload during the vacancy. Compare this to the cost of increasing an incumbent employee's salary to retain them, thus preserving your investment in their training and avoiding any downturn in team morale and workplace atmosphere.

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What do you do if your top accounting talent is disengaged?

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1 Recognize Signs

2 Open Dialogue

3 Offer Support

4 Revisit Goals

5 Enhance Engagement

6 Monitor Progress

7 Here’s what else to consider

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