CPA Practice Advisor

APR 2015

Today's Technology for Tomorrow's Firm.

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April 2015 • www.CPAPracticeAdvisor.com 15 T he f irst step is to evaluate the current state of your frm. W hat are the demographics of your staf – age, k nowledge, educat ion level, etc .? H o w w e l l d o e s t h i s m a t c h t h e demographics of your clients' busi- nesses? A ssess your f irm's current t ra i n i ng prog ra m . A re you r sta f f members knowledgeable about the latest payroll laws and technologies? If not, determine the knowledge gap, so you can choose the best course of action. Is the solution new employees or more training? Look at your hiring strategy and see if it matches your current employ- ment needs. Is your firm pursuing recent g raduates or e x per ienced professionals? It's also important to assess how you are reaching out to them. Are you reaching them where t he y 'r e l o o k i n g f or job s? I f t he methods of recruitment you use are inefective, your hiring strategy is also inefective and needs reevaluating. Study your prospects to determine their job seek ing habits, goals and ideals. A re you of fering them the benefts and work environment that they desire and need to thrive? As part of your hiring strategy, map out the process you will use to quickly pre-screen applicants. With today's t e c h n o l o g y, t h e r e a r e m u l t i p l e options. Consider using a third-party agency to pre-select candidates for your frm to review. Phone and video interviews are another popular choice to screen candidates before bringing them in for interviews. Many busi- nesses are starting to recruit via social media more, as well. According to SurePayroll, approximately 25 per- cent of small businesses are now using LinkedIn to identify job candidates. LinkedIn uses an algorithm to match job positions with potential candi- dates. Its Recruiter Mobile app allows recruiters to search the net work 's members using their job criteria to find candidates who they can then contact for screening interviews. W hile it's important to bring in fresh talent – at all professional levels – it's also equally important to invest in the talent you already have. Create a training guide and a plan for rolling it out w ithin your f irm. Consider training for any new payroll solutions or updates to existing solutions that your clients are using. Make plans to implement yearly training to stay up-to-date on current laws and any changes that will afect your clients. As part of your training plan, locate events in the payroll industry that will a l low you a nd you r employees to r e c e i v e C P E . M a k e a t r a i n i n g s c h e d u l e a n d c o m m u n i c a t e t o employees which training sessions are mandatory and which are optional. A decision needs to be made for funding mandatory training. If the frm will cover the costs of these training ses- sions, then these items will need to be carefully budgeted for. Employing the right people is one of the best investments you can make for your payroll practice. Investing in your people through the right recruit - ment and training techniques will breathe a new life into your frm. A Year in the Life of a PAYROLL Accountant is sponsored by SurePayroll and ADP Connect to ADP ® At ADP, we're all about connections — connecting accounting professionals like you to the right resources and opportunities to support your frm's objectives: • Give your clients access to big-business payroll and HR solutions by referring them to ADP • Generate more revenue and simplify payroll processing with our customized platform for accountants • Discover other segments to invest in or retire sooner by selling your client payroll base to ADP When you partner with ADP, you also connect to integrated HR products, retirement and more — everything your clients need to help protect and grow their business. For more information, visit adp.com/accountant or call 1-855-408-3751. The ADP logo and ADP are registered trademarks of ADP, LLC. Copyright © 2014 ADP, LLC. HR. Payroll. Benefts. Payroll Accountant's Checklist for April ✓ File Form 941 for the frst quarter with the IRS by April 30 (or the next business day, if April 30 is a nonbusiness day) ✓ Have clients remind employees to assess withholdings and adjust accordingly ✓ Evaluate existing hiring strategy and update as necessary ✓ Create a training guide and mandate employee training Replenish Your Payroll Firm With Recruiting and Training By Taija Jenkins A great payroll firm employs great payroll staf. In order to keep your staff, and your firm, operating in tip-top shape, you must perform regular maintenance on your frm – in the form of recruiting and training.

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