In the competitive and growing landscape of public practice, with an ongoing skills shortage and hiring crisis, the value of investing in your team is immense, both for retention and recruitment. Whilst you might already know that a skilled and motivated workforce is essential for success, do you know how to offer professional development opportunities that support all of your staff?
We all learn differently and there’s no difference when it comes to professional development. Whilst some excel at learning on the job, gaining hands-on exposure, others will prefer a more structured programme with formal training sessions. And don’t forget, some might perform best with a mixture of various learning methods.
Continuous professional development is vital within any role, not only to empower staff and strengthen skillsets but to also improve your service offering to clients with enhanced expertise and up-to-date technical knowledge. So, bearing in mind the significant benefits of providing professional development opportunities, let’s explore some of the different learning methods that could support your staff:
Types of learning methods
- Shadowing: This observational method of learning is where a member of staff shadows someone with more experience to learn the ropes. This approach is perhaps more useful for more junior staff who are not yet ready to embark on structured training, or for non-complex tasks that are easily learnt through knowledge sharing. This way of learning could also work well for an employee wanting to better understanding another department within the firm, where formal training isn’t required but shadowing would provide an overview of the roles, responsibilities, and processes. For example, a Semi Senior who typically supports the preparation of accounts could shadow a senior member within the tax team to understand how the departments work together to provide an all-encompassing service offering.
- Hands-on exposure: Perhaps a more trial and error approach to learning, gaining hands-on exposure is where staff are empowered to undertake a task with the guidance of a more experienced team member. This method of learning is a great option for those who learn best from doing it themselves, with support available as needed. This approach is perhaps best when a basis level of understanding has already been achieved, to avoid significant errors or confusion within the learning process.
- Formal training: A more structured approach to professional development could be with formal training, where a set programme is followed or a third party learning provider is introduced. This way of learning could be beneficial for technical subjects where a large volume of material needs to be covered. The formal design could help to provide organisation and clarity to intensive or complex learning.
- Coaching: Similar to shadowing but with more structure, coaching is a great way for someone to learn directly from a more experienced team member. This method works best when someone within a department is assigned as a ‘coach’ and is responsible for championing learning across the team. This person should be a natural leader, able to inspire those around them and communicate technical information in an easy-to-understand way. Whether the training is delivered one-to-one or on a team basis, this learning method should include a system where training in monitored and progress is reviewed. This can be achieved through goal setting and regular catch ups between the coach and learner.
- Recognised qualifications: Study support for junior team members is a fantastic benefit that is offered by the majority of firms, whether it’s fully funded financial support or guidance with studies. Encouraging team members to pursue professional qualifications is a great way to strengthen the technical knowledge of your team, as well as improving the credibility of your team with clients. With various options available depending on the desired discipline, such as AAT, ACCA, ACA, CA, ATT, CTA, you can nurture your staff throughout their studies and foster an educational and supportive working environment.
Here at Public Practice Recruitment Ltd, we work with firms who are real trailblazers when it comes to championing professional development opportunities, and we know how important this is for career-driven candidates. However, with more than half of accountants reporting feeling unsatisfied with in their current role, and 42% of those attributing it to a lack of opportunities for development, it’s crucial to review how you’re promoting learning within your team. Not only does a robust professional development plan help to improve staff retention, it also sets your firm up to be an employer of choice for potential new talent.
If you’re on the hunt for a standout candidate who is career-minded and driven by professional development, we’re here to help. To take a step towards strengthening your team, contact us today.
