By Maureen Renzi, vice president - communications

It has always intrigued me that many CPAs in public accounting do not support work-from-home policies. Why would that be? After all, auditors are frequently out at clients’ offices. I would assume that if a model existed that supported the mobile workforce trend, it would be the accounting profession. Much of the work is built on a model that doesn’t always have staff in the office. I decided to do some research. I found that what often concerns CPAs is probably not something they need to worry about, and that two things CPAs should address regarding working from home are ignored by most.

At PICPA’s Annual Convention this year, I made a presentation on trust. To prepare, I polled convention registrants to find out what they thought about a mobile workforce. By far, the top concern expressed was data security (nearly 70 percent), followed by work environment (66 percent). Data security was surprising to me. According to a recent PCPS Management of an Accounting Practice (MAP) Survey, 74 percent of firms use cloud-based remote backup and 65 percent provide remote access to the firm’s network/server. If the firm is already providing remote access, how would working from home affect data security? During the session, some said the concern was related to loss of laptops. The discussion provided some insight into what can be done to protect data in this event, including encryption and dual authentication.

The second biggest concern of participants was work environment. I get it. There can be distractions at home, but there are plenty of distractions in the office too. We had some fun talking about office distractions! I’m sure each office has its unique challenges. I suggest that you don’t get too hung up on the potential for distractions, but rather focus on the technology to stay connected throughout the day. In addition to e-mail, there’s instant messaging apps and Skype. Of course, there’s always the phone. Here’s a fun fact! According to the MAP survey referenced above, 39 percent of Pennsylvania firms already use Skype or a similar service. I can assure you that it works great. Last winter we had a multiteam meeting scheduled, but it snowed that day. The weather made it difficult for many to get into the office. We Skyped from multiple locations, shared a working document to set up responsibilities, and accomplished our goals for that meeting. Everyone was focused and engaged, and we had a productive meeting. You can find other tips on how to stay connected by accessing the PowerPoint presentation on SlideShare.

What I found to be most disconcerting among the surveyed CPAs is the lack of policies and training for those who do offer work-from-home options. Only 12 percent of attendees at the convention had a written telecommuting policy, and another 25 percent were unsure. I’d venture to say that if they are unsure about the policy, it either doesn’t exist or isn’t executed. There are many samples of telecommuting policies online, but what you should start with is the philosophy. The work philosophy should be the same regardless of whether you are working in an office or outside the office. Set your standards and expectation, and keep them consistent. Once that is complete, it is much easier to fill in the mechanics such as eligibility, work hours, supplies, and other logistics.

Another important thing that firms lacked was training for supervising mobile employees. This is not surprising since it’s a fairly common complaint that firms do not provide their managers with appropriate training, but I think it’s something firms should address. My presentation gives tips on how to provide appropriate feedback to individuals you supervise, regardless of whether it is delivered inside an office setting or not.

While researching, I came across EY’s global study, Could Trust Cost You a Generation of Talent? That question is the crux of the discussion. As you compete for the best and brightest, can you keep the people who will help you succeed? A definite theme of the report is that people trust people, not companies. Without trust, the good people lack commitment to the success of the company. This report provides tips on how to build this valuable commodity of trust, and flexibility and work/life balance play a key role in trust building.

While a mobile workforce definitely provides some challenges, there are advantages that cannot be ignored. When there is flexibility, there are no geographic constraints to limit your talent search. Plus, if one spouse gets a new job that requires a move, that doesn’t have to mean that you lose a valued employee. Many companies have already introduced the concept of “hoteling” to respond to reduced need for office space. Remote employees simply make an office space “reservation” when they need to come to the office. This can provide significant savings on overhead costs.

Like most other things in life, when you make a change there may be ripples along the way. With planning, training, and policies in place, the transition will go smoothly. Don’t allow an old policy to hinder the success of your business or employees.