Do Accountants Have to Work In the Office?

The logistics of providing accountancy services to anxious clients are considerable. Concerns about accessing and handling data securely need to be resolved. Getting the right software and processes in place can be trial and error.

But with tax becoming ever more digital, and online communications firmly established, does accounting still need to happen face-to-face? Let’s have a stroll through some of the key considerations of out-of-office accountancy.

An office address can be reassuring

Clients can be a nervous bunch. Which isn’t surprising, considering they’re trying to run a business and juggle confusing requests for tax reference numbers they’ve never heard of before. The realisation that their accountant is working out of a spare bedroom can be off-putting, especially if they want to come in for a meeting.

Working from home is one thing, but permanently operating from the dining table might give some clients the impression of a shaky startup, no matter how knowledgeable, experienced, or established it really is.

For some accountancy practices, this means finding the balance between the two. It’s possible to offer a service that doesn’t require clients to visit the premises, whilst still operating out of regular offices. It’s still office working, but less people-y.

Operating an online accounting service can mean lower costs

Accountants who focus on providing online services may quickly find they don’t need a central location at all. In some cases this can mean moving away from the traditional high-street accountancies, leaving the accompanying high-street costs behind in the process.

You can work from one place, whether at home or in an office, and build a huge client base across the country. Even if you decide against working from home, handling clients remotely can potentially give you access to more of the market.

What does Google think of where you work?

It may not be on your list of things to consider when weighing up office space versus working from home. It might not even be on your radar at all. But consider this; huge numbers of us use the internet to find just about everything, including looking for an accountant.

If your goal is to attract local customers then it helps to be conscious of the address associated with the practice. This is what Google (and other search engines) use to connect local searches with relevant local results listings.

Listing your accountancy services with an address

A physical office with an address you don’t mind sharing allows you to list your accountancy services on Google Maps – without worrying about clients rocking up when you’re in your pyjamas. You’ll also be able to use a map location on your website, and get a listing on Google My Business. These are simple steps to helping your business appear in Google search results for local accountancy firms.

Working from home (and with a residential address) can make it more difficult to target local search, especially if the Google Street View image puts off prospective clients. Double-bonus points if you had an old sofa waiting to be collected from your front garden on the day the camera truck came round.

Going back to those nervy clients; the idea of entrusting financial data and personal records to someone might also be less daunting if you know where they work!

Do accountants work better in an office?

It’s subjective. Working in a particular environment is as much due to your own preferences and tolerance as it is the habitat itself.

Working in an office can allow for a more structured day. Some people struggle to work at home and need the commute to get into a more productive mindset. Others might find human interaction helps them stay motivated, and stops work feeling stale.

Of course, there are other workarounds for this. Video calls, team chat, instant messenger; they all keep remote teams connected so the essential communication still takes place.

It can even give colleagues an opportunity to participate in conversations which might otherwise take place without them. It’s a potential gateway to kickstarting ideas and processes to the benefit of all.

Technology that could spell the end of physical offices

There are so many tools and apps designed to make collaboration easier – whether you work miles away from your collaborator or sit next to them – that singling any out for an example feels impossible. The last time we felt this overwhelmed by choice, we were staring at a restaurant menu in terror whilst more competent grown-ups gave their order.

That said, we will give an example because that’s our job. Project management software like Asana, Trello, and Monday.com help teams work together, even remotely.

They make it easier to create accessible (but still private) boards, calendars and assigned task lists so everyone has a record of what they’re meant to do and when. It can be more reliable than taking notes in the team briefing.

Most of us are familiar with video meetings too, so it’s not such a leap to have virtual meetings this way, rather than in-person face-to-face.

But what about the actual accounting side of being an accountant, if you’re not based in an office?

Online accounting software for remote-working heroes

Cloud-based everything is popping up these days, granting access to those who need it from wherever they are. It’s a shake up for most businesses, including the accountancy sector.

Rather than storing data on a local server accessed from the office, information is instead kept on highly secure remote servers. They can be accessed from anywhere, providing you have the correct sign-in credentials to get past the encryption security.

Likewise, online software can be used from any device which connects to the internet. It grants users access to their profile from multiple devices, rather than being tied to individual computers by restrictive licences. These advances in accessibility are good news for both the accountant and the business which needs to move around.

They’re also a way for clients and accountants to share records and transactions more efficiently.

Attracting talented accountants with remote working flexibility

Recruitment can be pretty challenging, and attracting the best possible talent doesn’t always mean offering the most amount of money (though it definitely helps).

Accountants who work from home can potentially hire anyone from anywhere in the world. If you have been struggling to recruit accountants, payroll, or admin staff, with the skills and experience you need, hiring remotely lets you tap into a much wider recruitment market.

The other side of this is having a regular office, but permitting employees to work from home. Flexible working arrangements are a big plus for job seekers, and enable employers to attract the best candidates, and to retain great employees. Though there are, of course, other considerations around data security.

Learn more about using Pandle bookkeeping software with your clients.