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FEATURE Pep Rallies and Healthy Snacks At Bufalo, NY-based Freed Maxick CPAs, the frm kicks of busy season w ith its annual State-of-the-Firm meeting the second week in January. Part pep rally, part update about the frm's year-to-date performance, and part social gathering, this event sets the tone for busy season by boosting employee mora le a nd prov id i ng context and focus for the efort that are expected from all staf from Jan- uary through April. Accord ing to Ch ief Ma rketing Ofcer Jennifer Hamberger, starting in December, pr ior to t he "trad i- tional" busy season, Freed Maxick 's HR Department begins to send out regular memos about busy season e x pec t at ion s rega rd i ng hou r s, attire, securit y, and so on. T he constant reinforcement ensures that employees are prepared to meet the company's expectations and a lso prov ides them w ith a m p l e o p p o r t u n i t y t o a s k questions or suggest ideas for improvement. Work i ng e x t r a hou r s i s a g iven so t he f i r m prov ides a variety of healthy snacks (fruit, yogurt, breakfast bars) as well as special busy season lunches and We d n e s d a y n i g h t d i n n e r s catered by local caterers. I n a d d i t i o n , t h e f i r m ' s ' Employee A ssista nce Prog ra m (EPA) is available as an employee resource. Tis service provides free, confdential support for any issues per ta in ing to work/l i fe ba la nce/ wel l ne s s – a s wel l a s add it ion a l counseling benefts. Physical Activity and Remote Working Robinson, I L -based Kemper CPA Group directs a lot of attention to employe e we l l ne s s du r i n g bu s y season. Te frm encourages short, group walk ing breaks, stretching , ftness events, and other exercises not just during busy season but year- round. In the spring, staf members keep the juices f low ing by tak ing turns bringing in dishes for group l u nc he s , a nd t he f i r m pr o v id e s breakfasts on Saturdays. Tonya Dale, director of communi- cations at Kemper CPA Group said the frm supports videoconferencing for meet i ngs, rat her t ha n t ravel, which allow time for efciency gains and helps prevent the need to make up t ravel t i me. A lso workers a re allowed to work remotely. Nurturing, Fitness, and Date Nights Leting the staf know the frm cares is important at Gross, Mendelsohn & Associates in Baltimore, MD. Linda Pietras, director of human resources, s a i d t h e f i r m m a k e s a p o i n t o f scheduling semi-annual performance reviews in January. Each staf person has an in-person meeting where goals and expectations for busy season are discussed. In addition, on the frst Saturday of tax season, the frm hosts a S i t u a t i o n a l A w a r e n e s s a n d A ssailant Force Evasion Training (SA AFE-T) program to ensure that people who a re work i ng late a re equipped with knowledge of avoiding and surviving unsafe situations. A l l k itc hen s a re stoc ked w it h he a lt hy s n a c k s a nd f r u it , a nd a healthy option is included with lunch which the firm provides on Satur- days. Up to t wo Saturdays can be ta ken of f du r i ng bus y season. I n addition, Gross Mendelsohn ofers a ftness challenge which encourages everyone to stay active by walking a nd eat ing r ight. Pedometers a re provided and teams challenge each other for the most steps. Also the frm has an agreement with Brick Bodies ftness centers which ofer discounted club rates to staf members. Morale stays high with an in-house happy hour on the frst Friday of each month, and professional staf mem- bers receive Fandango gif certifcates and are encouraged to schedule date nights with spouses and signifcant others to make up for some of the long hours. Everyone celebrates at an end of tax season party. Accounting Firms Keep Morale and Productivity High During Busy Season By Gail Perry, CPA - Editor-in-Chief J ust like at the Kentucky Derby, the gates have sprung open and accountants are in the sprint for busy season. Alas, our busy time lasts much longer than two minutes. We've got a quarter of a year to wear ourselves out before we hit the fnish line. CPA Practice Advisor checked in with some of your brethren to see how they're planning on maintaining productivity, wellness and ofce morale during the long, dark months ahead. 20 Janua ry/February 2014 • www. CPAPracticeAdvisor.com cpa_20_MoraleFeature.indd 20 2/5/14 11:44 AM