Optimizing your firm for hybrid and remote work

The landscape of professional services has permanently shifted, with hybrid and remote work models now a standard expectation many employees have from their employers. Firms must adapt to this new reality, ensuring their operations support a flexible workforce, while maintaining robust security. The key to success lies in prioritizing remote accessibility and implementing comprehensive security measures across all environments.

Meeting the needs of hybrid teams

Today’s professionals expect the flexibility to work from anywhere, leveraging technology to connect and collaborate. This demands a rethinking of traditional 9-to-5 workdays and face-to-face meetings. Hybrid models, where some employees are in-person and others are remote, require careful consideration to keep everyone connected and engaged.

In today’s cloud workplace, staff can be next door or they can be across the world. In fact, many firms find that outsourcing compliance and other tasks not only improves a firm’s efficiency, but also enables a much faster response time to serve the client. Intuit® Select Pro Staffing, for example, does the leg work for firms by finding qualified, vetted outsourced staff.

How to ensure seamless collaboration:

• Inclusive meeting formats and 100% participation: Design meetings that equally accommodate in-person and virtual attendees. Use conference rooms with large screens and high-quality audio to bridge the physical gap. Foster an environment where virtual attendees keep their video and audio on. In-person attendees should avoid distractions such as side conversations, texting, or checking emails, promoting a natural flow of dialogue.
• Technology for engagement: Encourage all participants to join from devices that allow for clear video and audio, ideally laptops or desktops rather than mobile phones. Virtual participants should be as “life-sized” as possible on screens. In addition, invest in reliable webcams, speakers, hosting platforms, and computer equipment. Thoroughly test all technology before meetings to prevent disruptions.
• Facilitated discussions: Appoint a facilitator to manage the meeting, ensuring all participants, especially those joining remotely, have opportunities to speak and contribute. This prevents a few individuals from dominating the conversation and keeps everyone engaged.

Ultimately, a successful hybrid model is custom-designed to fit your firm’s unique needs. First, define your operational goals, then select technology that supports those objectives. Soliciting feedback from employees on their remote work experiences is crucial for continuous improvement.

Security in a hybrid environment is non-negotiable

As firms embrace remote work, the threat of cyberattacks expands significantly. Even if a firm believes it’s 100% protected, chances are there are vulnerabilities that must be addressed.

Protecting sensitive client data and internal systems becomes even more critical. Security is not merely a technical concern, but a fundamental aspect of practice management in a distributed work setting.

Core security strategies include the following:

• Continuous security training: Mandate regular security awareness training for all employees, educating them about evolving threats such as phishing, smishing (SMS phishing), and social engineering attacks.
• Advanced identity management: Implement multi-factor authentication across all systems and applications. This adds a crucial layer of security beyond just passwords.
• Strong password policies: Enforce strict password rules, requiring at least 12 characters, prohibiting reuse, and encouraging the use of secure password managers to store unique credentials. Some of the more popular managers include LastPass, Keeper, 1Password, and Dashlane.
• Cloud-first infrastructure: For firms that manage their own servers, assess whether IT resources are sufficient for robust security. Many firms find it more secure and efficient to outsource to a professional managed security services provider or even better, migrate their infrastructure to the cloud, where enterprise-level security measures are inherently in place. Hosting providers also ensure data backup and disaster recovery; this includes Hosting for Lacerte and ProSeries.
• Create a digital-first environment: Prioritize digital collaboration tools that allow all staff and clients to interact effectively and securely, regardless of location. Provide standardized equipment to simplify troubleshooting and enhance security management. All firm data should be digital. Relying on physical documents or outdated communication methods introduces significant security vulnerabilities and risks of data loss.
• Consistent production processes: Establish clear workflows that all employees follow. This not only boosts productivity, but also ensures consistent security practices, whether staff are in the office or working remotely.
• Safe internet practices: Educate employees on the dangers of public Wi-Fi networks. Encourage the use of personal phone hotspots for secure connections when working outside of a secure home or office network (VPN). Ensure home internet connections have adequate bandwidth to support remote work efficiently.

By strategically addressing remote accessibility and making security a paramount concern, tax and accounting firms can thrive in the hybrid work era, providing seamless service to clients and a flexible, secure environment for their teams.