Struggling to recruit? This could be the reason...

So one of the big challenges that I hear from accounting firm owners is that it's really hard to find the right people.

I hear the same from clients of my accounting firm that recruiting the right people is so difficult. Well, my question back to that would be, are we the right leaders? Have we created the right environment and culture in our businesses that attract the best talent, retains our high performers, and maximizes everyone's potential?

You see us as human beings, we crave belonging, we crave safety, physiological safety is one of the base levels in Abraham Maslow's pyramid of needs, right at the bottom with food and drink, physiological safety. As human beings, we've always craved that. Have we created that culture in our businesses and our accounting firms that allow for that safe environment, or are people fearful of making a mistake because of the repercussions and ramifications of what would happen? Or do we create a safe space for people to be brave, to make mistakes but learn from them? Are we allowing our people to flourish, to be independent, to have that sense of autonomy, to give them motivation, or are we micromanaging them at every step? Do we get them to, run everything past us so we have to review every email and every letter that goes out in correspondence and has to be signed off by the principal? Or do we allow them to engage freely with clients and build up their own relationships and have that sense of fulfillment and purpose that's so important?

You see, the environment is critical. Thriving workplace culture and environment don't happen overnight. It takes a series of small steps along the way that then gets you to a position where employees feel safe, where they feel connected with each other, then they feel attached to your higher purpose. You know we as leaders, we need to support our team. We need to care for our team, and in turn, they will then support those who we serve ie clients and customers. Overall that then helps with achieving everybody's objectives. You see, you can have a bad apple that joins a culture that respects everybody, which allows for autonomy, which provides a safe space and they can turn into something completely different and thrive and achieve their potential with whatever they were destined to achieve.

Conversely, you can have someone with a right good attitude and they come into toxic workplace culture and it can change them from what they were to the lowest common denominator that you have. So creating a thriving workplace culture will not only benefit you as the leader, but will benefit your entire team, and ultimately those that you serve, to make a contribution to this world.