4 tips to increase productivity in your accounting office

The quest to optimize resources , reduce costs , and increase productivity is a reality for companies seeking to grow and stand out in the market.

For accounting firms, this scenario is even more contrasting, since, in the midst of a fiercely competitive environment, the search for productivity and differentiation is heightened .

But how can you effectively improve employee productivity in an accounting office? Are there strategies , tools , training programs ? These are questions that may seem complex to answer, but yes, there is a somewhat "definitive" answer.

In this material you will find some ways to improve processes in an accounting environment, considering the use of people and technologies in daily operations.

Tip 1: Automate manual processes

It seems obvious, but finding the right tool that automates processes smoothly and doesn't create more problems isn't that simple.

It is very common for accounting professionals to face an excess of manual processes due to the inherent nature of their work. Finding tools and systems that streamline these processes can be a life-changing experience for an accounting professional.

Taking the time to research services that can automate processes is a guaranteed return on investment .

For accounting firms, there are several tools available. Below we list some that you may be familiar with, but haven't thoroughly explored the possibility of using:

• Zendesk : a helpdesk system for managing customer requests;
• Movidesk : Brazilian customer service software that centralizes communication;
• ContaAzul : integration and management of unified accounting systems;
• Nibo : a complete platform for customer relationship management, accounting compliance control, and task management.

Tip 2: Manage and control internet access

In accounting offices, the vast majority of staff use computers for their tasks and remain connected to the internet for most of their working time. Recent research shows that, on average, 30% of working time is spent accessing social networks , WhatsApp , TikTok , and various other applications that you are certainly already familiar with.

Considering this "unproductive" scenario, it's possible that your team will waste a significant amount of time on activities outside their scope of work .

Even with administrative measures, such as a good policy for the proper use of the internet at work , managers and business owners are at the mercy of the employees' willingness to perform their tasks instead of wasting time on the internet .

Internet access blocking and management tools can completely eliminate distractions and improve employee performance in accounting firms.

Furthermore, uncontrolled internet use can cause internet security problems ransomware attacks , malware, and virus infections, disrupting processes and, in some cases, rendering systems inoperable indefinitely .

It's worth remembering that sanctions under the LGPD (Brazilian General Data Protection Law) are already being applied in cases of data breaches, where fines can range from thousands of reais to millions, depending on the incident.

For controlling internet access, we suggest the following tools:

• pFSense : a robust and complete solution with numerous features. It is a free solution, but requires considerable technical knowledge and hardware for installation.
• Lumiun Box : a Brazilian solution with support in Portuguese, an intuitive and user-friendly interface. It features internet access control, a firewall, and VPN. All on a single platform and in the cloud.
• DNS Filter : a foreign tool, but with various internet control and security features.
  

Tip 3: Use some kind of task management methodology

There are numerous methodologies and systems that can contribute to organizing tasks in your accounting office.

By using standardized methods and processes, it is possible to organize tasks by team, define the workflow between tasks and collaborators, know what each collaborator is doing and the time spent on each task, among many other benefits.

For this purpose, two good options are:

• Runrun.it : track your projects and work as a team in a simple and powerful way.
• Trello : brings together all your tasks, teammates, and tools.

Tip 4: Avoid overtime and excessive working hours

One of the most significant factors contributing to low productivity is excessive workload and activities .

This means that the more you work, the lower your output . It may seem confusing, but we cannot confuse the meaning of productivity: contrary to what one might think, productivity is about generating more results and better quality with less effort , that is, producing more (with quality) in less time.

Another relevant factor is that an excess of activities leads to a lack of organization and low quality in the results of tasks.

Therefore, if your team needs to improve productivity, perhaps the best thing to do is to balance time and workload by organizing processes and priorities and optimizing workflow.

Where to begin?

Mapping out the main difficulties and pain points related to productivity can be the first step. From there, define the initial actions to optimize processes and which ones will generate the most satisfactory results in the shortest possible time.

Often, changing all of a company's processes can make day-to-day operations a bit chaotic, but during periods of high demand for the accounting sector , such as the end of the year, it can completely change the scenario.

Imagine the entire month of December, with your team producing up to 20% more , delivering tasks in less time, and making celebrations and days off much more "lightweight".

This is the goal of this text: to help you have less turbulent days, making your accounting office more productive and healthy.

Finally, here is a list of what we discussed above in the text:

• Reduce the number of manual tasks and systematize the processes.
• Block websites and applications outside the scope of your work.
• Use methodologies and systems for managing tasks and processes.
• Avoid overworking and balance tasks within the team, prioritizing the most important ones.

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I hope I've helped, and see you later!