Technology
How to Reduce the Last-Minute Tax Season Crunch
Tax season has begun, and you have a lot on your plate. You're undoubtedly already stressed, and there's still a long way to go until April 15th. This time of year, you're undoubtedly anxious and fatigued. What are you going to do to prevent tumbling ...
Feb. 20, 2022
Tax season may be draining. Year after year, tax professionals suffer from burnout as they trudge through tax return after tax return. You know when it’s going to happen, and the conditions are always the same — customers wait until the last minute to turn in their documents, there’s never enough employees, and it feels like you’re working around the clock.
Tax season has begun, and you have a lot on your plate. You’re undoubtedly already stressed, and there’s still a long way to go until April 15th. This time of year, you’re undoubtedly anxious and fatigued. What are you going to do to prevent tumbling against a brick wall!?
Minimize disruption: Work interruptions are never fun, but interruptions during tax season may be especially unpleasant and stressful. Tax season is an excellent opportunity to assign tasks that take you away from your principal business. Set aside a set period each day to deal with distractions. Turn off or disable notifications on your phone, don’t check emails, and hang a “Do Not Disturb” sign on your door.
Outsource staff: While you may not be able to locate full-time help for tax season, you may complement your team by partnering with an offshore staffing partner. Hiring full- or part-time employees can assist in minimizing workload across your organization, easing the stress on everyone. Now is the time to obtain that extra help, provided you’ve recognized your needs and have a sound hiring strategy in place. One option is offshore staffing, which enables you to create capacity so that your offshore workforce can handle compliance, data entry, and even review-level tasks. Then, your onshore core staff is in charge of devoting time to their clients and their business.
Reduce unnecessary delays: Many firms have needless delays in sending and receiving signed documents. If you can arrange requests, surveys, engagement letters, and payments into a logical method, you will be able to significantly increase your output. The more data collecting and deliverable generation you can automate, the faster you can service clients.
Optimize new technology: While tax season may appear to be the worst moment to consider investing in a new software package, having the best technology on your side can undoubtedly increase your productivity. As the need for accounting software develops, a new accounting technology will emerge to meet that demand. Accounting software solutions are now used by more than half of all accounting practices.
Technological advancements have made it simpler for businesses to function in a multi-office setting. Technology facilitates productivity, and with cutting-edge business tools, you can ‘wow’ your clients! Technology has the ability to help you work quicker and with fewer errors, reducing stress. If your technology is obsolete, it is most certainly causing stress for your staff, and an upgrade would be a long-overdue relief.
Relax: Look for signs of burnout in yourself and your team before it’s too late. If necessary, take a vacation or completely detach. Taking a long trip this time of year may seem out of the question, but it will undoubtedly help you refresh, allowing you to make up for lost time in the days that follow. Overtime is awful for everyone, regardless of the season or the importance of the work. Make an effort to leave the office at a decent hour so that you can unwind and recuperate before going to bed.
Prepare for big concerns: Identify clients who may have more challenging tax returns and make sure you have someone on staff with the specialized knowledge needed for such activities. Make the most of the time you have this year to address any problems you feel will develop.
Positive work culture: A grateful attitude is a natural stress reducer. Tell your staff how grateful you are for their efforts. Words of gratitude and appreciation may go a long way toward reducing stress. The tiniest thing you do or say to someone will have a far greater influence than you realize! In summary, burnout is an issue, but it’s also a desirable problem to have.
Use these ideas to help you minimize stress, avoid burnout, and become more profitable this tax season. Communicating, delegating, and utilizing technology with improved workflow procedures may assist you in overcoming this challenging phase. Take care of yourself and your business, and April 15 will pass you by before you realize it!
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Mike Goosen is VP of Entigrity Offshore Staffing. Information security information is available at https://www.entigrity.com/about.information-security.