The pandemic came and it has drastically changed the way we live our professional lives. Before 2019, work from home was often seen as a perk by many companies. Now, only 2 years later, hybrid working model, a combination between on-site and off-site, has become the norm for most Australian firms. According to a survey by Deloitte, two thirds of staff prefer flexibility work arrangements over a 5% pay rise.
Not only due to health concerns, employees have yet to return to the office fully because they are still enjoying the perks of working from home. By ditching the long commutes, employees find that they save more money and time and it allows better work-life balance.
Working from home is no longer a trend; it has evolved into a way of life. In fact, some have predicted that by 2025, employees will only come to the office once a week. This has and will continue to affect the way businesses operate. For instance, public transport operators have found that fewer people take public transportations during peak hours since they are now working from home. As a result, these operators have to change their schedules and lower the number of public vehicles during the busy hours for at least another 2-3 years until traffic levels return to normal.
What does this mean for Australian accounting firms?
When accounting staff are no longer required to come to the office, they can be situated anywhere: home, another state, or even another continent. As a result, having a robust digital strategy in place, which includes integrating cloud computing for the digital office, is critical.
Nevertheless, when distance is no longer a concern, accounting firm owners might as well explore outsourcing as an alternate to hiring staff. When firms engage with an experienced outsourcing provider, like Odyssey, they may save a good amount of time and money from hiring and retaining staff, especially during times of skill scarcity like this. Outsourcing also benefits firms by relieving the work burden from the shoulders of firm owners, allowing them to focus on more vital tasks and expand their business footprint.
If you’d like to talk more about how Odyssey can assist your firm in this challenging time, drop us a line.
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