Our latest forum finds ‘pockets’ of both optimism and challenge for accounting practices looking to navigate the recruitment market.
Can practices traverse the shifting, varied, dynamics of the recruitment market?
The Foulger Underwood monthly Managing Partner Forum, consisting of UK senior/managing partners, welcomed Scott Lavery of recruiter Austin Rose to speak at our March session.
Scott flagged that candidates are coming into the market from consolidated firms, while practices are also being more circumspect about recruiting. However, economic slowdown also sees people stay in roles longer.
Potential appointments are increasingly looking at the ‘overall package’ offered by employers, particularly on benefits and career progression.
Foulger Underwood sees that the market is fluid, dynamic, and different parts are moving at different speeds. It would be easy for practice leaders to just keep focused on the ‘day job’.
But, when people can work anywhere; require training and development; could be replaced by automation; or roles outsourced/offshored; and work remotely, then resource management is critical.
Without wishing to sound glib, the starting point for this is setting a strategy and then a coherent plan of action. The endgame may be that external funding or even M&A are required to create a sustainable and profitable practice. There are also many points in between the ‘start’ and ‘finish’ – which we and our partners discuss in the forum.
Keith Underwood is MD of Foulger Underwood. If you’d like to chat to us about your practice, or join the forum, please get in touch by clicking here