Accounting talent offshoring is a cost-effective solution that many businesses are leveraging to remain competitive in today's global marketplace. However, this process requires careful planning and execution to ensure a successful collaboration between onshore and offshore teams.
In this blog post, we will discuss the best practices for accounting talent offshoring that can help you achieve seamless collaboration and optimize your operations.
#1 Establishing a Successful Conversation Framework
It's important to understand that effective communication is the foundation of successful offshoring. When communication is lacking, misunderstandings can arise, tasks can be delayed, and the overall quality of work suffers.
One of the key elements of a successful conversation framework is regular meetings and Check-ins. Remote workers that don’t talk on a daily basis to their teammates or leaders can easily feel left out and alienated. Also, some communication platforms and tools can make new people anxious, especially as they get more and more crowded.
Establish where and when the team is meeting
That is why meetings are so important. They should be scheduled at a frequency that works for all parties and should involve all team members, including offshore staff. Make sure to schedule them to let everybody know when and where they can meet. Using the scrum framework with a daily-demo-retro structure can be a good idea.
Check-ins, on the other hand, can be informal conversations between team members to discuss progress, ask questions, or raise concerns. These check-ins can help identify issues early on and prevent them from escalating into larger problems.
Be clear with your guidelines
To ensure that the conversation framework is practical, it's important to establish clear communication guidelines. These guidelines should include expectations around response times, language, and tone. Additionally, it's important to establish a culture of open communication, where all team members feel comfortable asking questions, providing feedback, and raising concerns.
#2 Adequate Training
To ensure that your offshore team members are equipped with the necessary skills to perform their roles effectively, it's important to provide adequate training. Thinking that new employees, especially the ones with long experience, are ready to jump into the machine is a bad habit. Even the most experienced professionals need to understand what the company's pace is and what is their role.
This is even more important when offshoring as employees can come from various backgrounds and cultures. Make sure to train them in your company’s ways. This includes both technical and soft skills training to ensure that they are familiar with your processes, systems, and culture.
Obviously, ongoing training is key to keeping them up-to-date with any changes in your business or industry.
#3 Outline your Policies
It's essential to establish clear policies and guidelines for your team members to ensure that they are aware of your expectations and understand their rights and responsibilities. This includes policies on performance evaluation, employee benefits, and leave policies. By clearly outlining these policies, you can avoid misunderstandings and conflicts, which can lead to a breakdown in collaboration.
Offshoring can present unique challenges, such as cultural differences, language barriers, and time zone differences. To overcome these challenges, it's important to make an effort to accommodate your offshore team's local context whenever possible. For example, you could adjust meeting times to accommodate different time zones or respect their local holidays.
If accommodating the local context is not an option, you may want to consider hiring team members who are closer to your culture and time zone. This can help reduce communication barriers and increase collaboration between your onshore and offshore teams.
#4 Find Support for Hiring Processes and Payments
When setting up an offshore team, it's essential to have a clear understanding of the local labor laws and regulations, as well as the hiring and payment processes in the country where your team is located. Depending on the location, hiring processes and payment procedures can vary significantly, and navigating them can be challenging, particularly if you're not familiar with the local regulations.
One way to solve this is to engage a local consulting firm or an outsourced staffing agency. These organizations specialize in providing support services to companies seeking to expand their operations by hiring high-quality talent from a different country. They can help you navigate the local laws and regulations, assist with hiring and onboarding, and manage payroll and benefits.
#5 Invest in Management and Automation Systems
To ensure that your offshore team members can perform their roles efficiently, you need to provide them with access to the right systems and tools. This includes accounting software, communication tools, and project management systems. By identifying these system requirements upfront, you can ensure that your offshore team members are set up for success from day one.
Build a Strategy for Successful Collaboration
Accounting talent offshoring can be a game-changer for your business, but it requires careful planning and execution to be successful. By following these best practices, you can optimize your offshoring operations, achieve seamless collaboration, and realize the full benefits of offshoring. Remember that building a successful offshore team takes time, effort, and ongoing investment, but the rewards can be significant.
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Kevin Mitchell, CPA
Senior Manager and CPA with over 20 years of experience in accounting and financial services, specializing in risk management and regulatory compliance. Skilled in managing audits and leading teams to deliver exceptional services. Proud father of two.
