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Clarity Recruitment, connecting exceptional people with remarkable companies.

by Clarity Recruitment

5 Ways Finance Professionals Can Reconnect with the World Outside of Work

When was the last time you had a date night with your significant other? Have you missed a few of your kid’s recitals/games/tournaments in a row? Are you constantly stuck at the office or running to business meetings and having to miss… well, anything other than work? If your answer was yes to more than one of these questions, it might be time to take a look at your work-life balance.

A survey conducted by Duke University and Grenoble École de Management found that among the 800 CFOs who participated in the study, working around 70 hours a week was “normal”. The survey also found (not surprisingly) that these CFOs would like to be working fewer hours.

Constantly working without enough downtime can cause some serious damage! But how can working more be a bad thing, you may ask? Overworking has been shown to lead to burnout, stress-related health problems, and potential breakdowns in personal relationships.

Physically, heightened stress levels for prolonged periods can increase levels of stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol in the body, which can elevate your blood pressure and affect your immune function. Stress can also contribute to poor sleep. Mentally, stress can cause problems with memory and concentration, as well as affect your mood (if you’ve been crankier than usual lately, that might be why). This can lead to serious fatigue.

You know that little thing in your pocket/purse that is constantly going off? Smartphones, tablets, apps, and other tech-related advances have made work communications much more efficient, which is amazing, except if it starts to interfere with your downtime. Technology, which allows people to be connected to the office and their work 24/7, has become a major factor in decreased work-life balance.

With the notion of ‘happy workers work harder’ in mind, some companies are looking at ways to encourage taking personal time to combat the lack of work-life balance that many senior finance professionals often face. These include on-site fitness facilities, on-site childcare, mandatory vacations, and options like telecommuting or having flexible work schedules.

These efforts end up paying off in terms of recruiting and retaining talented employees, having lower absenteeism, gaining better productivity, and encouraging more buy-in and commitment to corporate goals.

Having an employer provide opportunities for work-life balance is fantastic, but there are also ways for senior finance professionals to take some control over their time and manage that work-life balance themselves. As you work toward your personal work-life balance goals, why not help your colleagues out in the office by promoting the importance of finding balance and offering them some inspiration? Feel free to use and pass along these helpful tips:

Tip #1: Ask yourself, “What does work-life balance mean to me?” Each person will have a different idea of what work-life balance is and how it will work for them. Take time to examine your goals and lifestyle, and decide ideally how much time you really want to spend working, and how much time you’d like for yourself.
Tip #2: Communicate your needs/Ask for help. If you’re headed for burnout, let your boss know about it. If you need to take some time off, be sure to request it. It’s important to be clear about what you need to make you the most productive employee possible. It’s okay to ask for help!
Tip #3: Make balance a priority/Schedule time. You schedule time for meetings and mark deadlines in your calendar for work, so why not block off your personal time? “2:00pm - Take a nice walk in the park, smell the flowers!” You might find you’ll be more inclined to actually take that time off if you’ve scheduled it!
Tip #4: Unplug/Set boundaries. If you are away from work, that’s your personal time. Respect that time by turning off email notifications, putting your phone away, and focusing on something other than work.
Tip #5: Plan consistently. Keep track of your responsibilities and plan ahead of time to do your due diligence when it comes to avoiding your work creeping into your personal time. The more organized and efficient you are at work, the more you can get done, and the less you have to worry about it affecting your personal life.

Work-life balance doesn’t always come easy, but if you start making small changes and advocating in your workplace for how important that balance can be, you’ll find yourself reconnecting once again with your loved ones and the world outside of the office.

Your Next Step

No one should walk the job search or hiring road alone. At Clarity Recruitment we help others realize their success through a process that marries proprietary technology with unwavering commitment. Contact us today to take control of your career, or to partner with us to hire well.

Clarity Recruitment, connecting exceptional people with remarkable companies.

by Clarity Recruitment

How to Be a Successful Remote Employee

When you tell people you work remotely, it’s not hard to see on their faces what they think that means. They envision you in pyjamas, plopped in front of the television, only partially paying attention to the work you’re supposed to be doing on your laptop. Or getting distracted by housework and then frantically pulling an all-nighter to get the work done that you’d promised would meet the deadline.

Anyone who works from home and does it successfully knows the sacrifices and benefits that come from such an arrangement. Yes, working remotely allows some flexibility and a chance to spend time in a more comfortable environment. But it also often requires an employee to be more disciplined and, at times, there is the expectation that the employee should be available “whenever”, making a work-life balance even more difficult.

There are a number of key factors that help remote employees remain successful in staying on track and making the boss (or client) happy.

A Good Office Setup

Your workspace might be a kitchen table, a sofa, a bed, or a designated room with a desk. No matter where you choose to work in your home, it’s important that it be organized, clean, and have everything you need to do your work efficiently. If you need your cell phone nearby at all times, make sure it’s there. Keep pens and paper, a calendar, a bottle of water, whatever you need close by to ensure you’re not going to have to get up twenty times a day and reduce your productivity.

Comfort is also important. If you’re going to be sitting most of the day, invest in a good chair that offers great back support and is adjustable multiple ways. Look at getting an ergonomic mouse and keyboard, and ensure your monitor or laptop is positioned properly so that you aren’t straining your eyes and neck.

Limited Distractions

You likely have a TV in your home that could become a temptation, or if you’re working at a coffee shop, the chance to people-watch can be an easy distraction. Choose a space where you know you will be uninterrupted for long periods and where tempting distractions are nowhere to be found. If you have to, use software that blocks social media and certain websites while you’re in work mode. If you have a pet that wants constant attention, keep them in a separate space while you’re working. Limiting distractions throughout the day can result in you being your best productive self.

Effective Communication

This one is essential. Communication is a completely different beast when you’re working remotely. It’s not possible for co-workers to pop in and discuss a project with you, and your boss might forget to pass on important information since he or she isn’t seeing you face-to-face. Providing regular updates, asking plenty of questions, confirming details, and ensuring everyone involved is on the same page means that the work should get done correctly and within the set timeframes.

Asking for and providing examples is also a great help in the communication department. Sometimes it’s easier to understand what someone means if they can provide visual examples as a reference. If you are waiting on someone for an answer to a question or for them to provide you with information, sometimes it’s faster to just give them a quick call than expect them to get to your email right away. Being thorough and consistent in your communication with others should make working remotely no more challenging than being in the office.

Helpful Tech

Employees who work remotely will need to be fairly tech-savvy or willing to learn how to use various programs, apps, and devices. Technology is what makes working remotely possible, so it’s important to embrace it despite its sometimes frustrating habit of not working when you need it to. Taking advantage of communication tools like Skype, collaboration tools like Slack, and office tools like Google Docs and Google Sheets can keep you connected and make working with others who aren’t physically present that much easier. It’s a good idea to be constantly on the lookout for new tech that can make your work life at home more efficient.

Routine, Routine, Routine

When you don’t have a boss physically checking in on you and you’re working in an unconventional space, getting off track is a real danger. Creating set routines and holding yourself to them is crucial to your success as a remote employee. Find ways to manage your time effectively; create daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly schedules for your tasks; and try to make a habit of using consistent processes (and documenting them for yourself electronically or otherwise) to make each day more productive and less stressful. There are numerous websites, apps, and physical agendas that can help with your routine creation, so it’s worth doing some research on which would be best for you.

Key Takeaways

Working from home or another space outside the traditional office environment can be just as, if not more, productive as being in the office, as long you keep yourself motivated and on task, and hold yourself accountable. Finding the right space that offers a combination of comfort and utility will keep you at your computer longer and allow you to stay focused. Eliminating distractions should also be part of your workspace selection. Sharpening your communication skills and being on the ball at all times to get the information you need from others will ensure that you working remotely doesn’t affect your deadlines. Using technology to help with your communication and being your own IT problem solver can also be a huge help. And, finally, creating and sticking to routines and using consistent processes will serve you well in the long run.

by Clarity Recruitment

Finding Motivation to Complete the Tasks You Hate

You’re feeling like a champ, crossing off those to-do list items, making real progress, and knowing that you could totally conquer the world if you wanted to. But as you get further down your list, a feeling of dread starts to creep up as your eyes lock onto the tasks you’ve been putting off for far too long. Suddenly, you’re feeling less like a superhero and more like a zero.

So, how can you power through those moments of “I really would rather be doing anything else right now”? Here are some ways to find the motivation you need to get your least-favourite tasks completed so that you can move on to what you really enjoy.

Consider the Benefits

OK, so all you can think about is how much you don’t want to do this particular thing. Maybe it’s boring, maybe it’s tedious, maybe it forces you to deal with people you don’t particularly enjoy talking to, or maybe it’s complicated and is going to drain you of all of your energy. Chances are, though, the task is on your list because it needs to get done, and some actual benefit will come from completing it.

So, what are the benefits involved in completing the task? Does it mean you can get working on something you love doing? Will it solve a problem that’s been holding you back? Will it result in you collecting or receiving money? Does it have something to do with helping others? Focus on what’s truly important about completing the task so that you’ll feel a bigger push in the right direction.

Read: 10 Traits of the Best Finance Candidates.

Get it Out of the Way First

This is kind of like how your parents used to make you do your chores before you could watch TV, play video games, or visit your friends. If you put off the not-so-fun task to get started on things you enjoy doing first, you’ll probably never really get around to the other work. Crossing off your least-favourite tasks before diving into anything else can provide a feeling of freedom. You know you’ve gotten the worst over with and can move on to better things.

Read: Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time to discover tricks to deal with procrastination.

Take One Step at a Time

Can the task be broken up into smaller steps? If so, this strategy could help you feel like you’re accomplishing more and make the task seem far less daunting. Look for ways to complete the task in short bursts of work, maybe half an hour here, half an hour there, until you’ve reached the finish line and can pat yourself on the back for a job well done. If the task is more in-depth, you can also break it down so that it spans a few days, leaving you feeling less rushed and frantic.

Only Do What You Need to Do

If this is something you really don’t care to spend a whole lot of time on, just do what you need to do to get it done. Don’t get caught up in making everything perfect, don’t get too bogged down by details, and don’t psych yourself out. Be effective, put in effort, but keep things in perspective in terms of how much energy you really need to spend on something you’d rather not be doing. Save that energy for what you’re most passionate about.

Bribe Yourself

That’s right. Come up with a way to treat yourself once the task is completed. It sounds way too simple, but it does work. If there’s something you do to indulge yourself (fancy coffee beverages, spa treatments, a night out, and so on), save it for after you’ve accomplished your least-favourite tasks. It’ll give a new meaning to your indulgence and will motivate you to get that work done so you can enjoy yourself.

Look for Ways to Automate

Is there an app for that? Smaller tasks that you’d rather not deal with could potentially be taken care of by technology. Maybe you could set your email account up to sort your incoming mail for you, or perhaps you could tap into the power of scheduling social media posts so you don’t have to remember to post something manually each time. There are so many apps and technological helpers out there, you’re sure to find something to lessen the burden.

Give it to Someone Else

If you really, really can’t bring yourself to tackle the tasks you hate, find out if there’s someone else who can take it off of your plate. Is there a co-worker who loves doing what you don’t? Is there someone in your company who might be better qualified to take on the task? Can you hire a freelancer or contract employee to take care of the work you’d rather not deal with? Even just farming out parts of the tasks you don’t enjoy can help to get the work done faster.

You could also try a work swap, where you and a co-worker exchange tasks you don’t enjoy to help the other person out. Even if you don’t complete each other’s tasks entirely, you could get a head start and possibly even inspire each other to find new ways to get things done.

Key Takeaways

We all have tasks we’d rather not deal with, and procrastination is sometimes inevitable. But unless these tasks are not essential to moving your work forward, you’re going to have to face them at some point. There are numerous ways to push yourself to finish what you don’t want to even start. Looking at how the task fits into the big picture, taking care of it before moving on to something more inspiring, breaking it down into smaller steps, and bribing yourself to get it done are just a few methods. Or, if you’re really not feeling it, you could always hand it off to someone else.

by Clarity Recruitment

Dealing with Competition in the Workplace

If you’ve ever held a medal, trophy, or ribbon in your hand after a hard-fought win, you know the feeling of accomplishment it can bring, as well as that boost in self-confidence. We face competition in many aspects of our lives, but outside of athletic pursuits, it tends to be most noticeable in the workplace, where promotions, awards, and approval from higher-ups are considered things we should strive for. Some competition can be healthy, but too much or the wrong kinds of competition can result in toxic work environments where no one wins.

Beneficial Competition
There is such a thing as positive workplace competition. This exists mostly when the competition involves teamwork, collaboration, and problem solving in a group format. Teams can be competing against one another in the same department, against teams from other areas of the company, or against employees from competing businesses.

Another key to positive workplace competition is an even playing field. When employees are being compared to others who don’t do the same type of work as they do, or who have more experience or a higher skill level than they do, it results in a less-than-ideal situation where certain competitors have a leg up on the other players in the game. Grouping employees into tiers based on skill level, position, seniority, and performance can help to eliminate any unfair advantages anyone might have, which should ensure that no one feels cheated or left out.

The type of reward at stake can also play a huge role in whether or not the workplace competition is going to be beneficial to employees. Often, rewards like cash or ‘things’ result in short-term increases in productivity and work quality, but these usually taper off after a while. Long-term benefits from workplace competition are more likely to be seen when the rewards involve recognition and appreciation from leaders in a public way (announced in meetings or published on the company website, for example).

Read Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us to learn more about the connection between motivation and reward.

Overall, however, the most significant positive competition at work happens when an employee competes against themself, striving to do bigger and better things over time. Monitoring this through regular reviews and having goals that are easy to track can keep employees engaged and focused on doing their absolute best.

Problematic Competition
Competition at work can also lead to unwanted situations or cultures. As mentioned above, pitting people against each other when there are clear advantages and disadvantages for certain competitors can result in bitterness or employees simply checking out. Considering the differences between feeling challenged and feeling threatened can go a long way in preventing negative competitive environments.

Employees who feel challenged will likely rise to the occasion to take part in some healthy competition, improving their work and more frequently interacting with their co-workers in a positive manner. Once they feel threatened, however, employees might start to react in ways that could hurt the company rather than take it to the next level.

Not every employee will deal with competition the same way. Some will experience anxiety about having to perform their roles based on doing better than everyone else, while some will take the competition too far and do whatever they can to win, possibly knocking others down in the process. Other employees will simply be indifferent and not change much about the way they work at all.

The Lone Competitor
Sometimes workplace competition isn’t initiated by the company, but rather, there is one hyper-competitive person looking to take centre stage. These employees can play dirty, looking for ways to undermine their co-workers, such as withholding information, snooping through others’ work or belongings, placing blame on co-workers when something goes wrong, and generally spending their energy on negative competitive behaviour. This can be distracting and detrimental for other employees, and usually indicates an employee who is dealing with low self-esteem or other issues.

Healthy workplaces will often end up exposing these types of employees over time and will either work with them to ensure positive changes are made, or show them the door. This can sometimes take a while, however, so employees affected by this negative behaviour can look to a few strategies for dealing with an overly competitive co-worker.

The most important step is to focus on yourself and resist becoming distracted by the person. Doing your best each day and looking for opportunities for personal and professional development can keep you grounded and moving toward your desired career path. This can also involve looking to a mentor, within or outside of your company, to steer you in the right direction.

In interactions with the overly competitive co-worker, staying positive, complimenting them on their accomplishments, and presenting yourself as someone non-threatening can sometimes help curb their competitive behaviour. Sometimes, more strategy is needed to protect yourself, such as keeping your conversations to the point, not revealing too much information about yourself or your work, and being assertive when necessary to show that you aren’t afraid to stand up for yourself.

If things really take a turn for the worst, password protecting your computer and files and locking up your belongings might be necessary. At that point, you should approach your boss about the situation and be clear with him or her about what’s been going on. Document your ideas, contributions, and work, keep notes on incidents involving the competitive co-worker, and present to your boss the ways in which you’ve tried to resolve the situation yourself.

Key Takeaways
There are good and bad types of competition in the workplace, and employees will be either encouraged by the competition or it will bring out some of their less-desirable qualities. Keeping the competition fair, relevant, and fun is important, and healthy workplaces will be able to do so, reaping the rewards. Employees dealing with a single hyper-competitive co-worker have a few strategies they can implement before turning to their boss for help.

by Clarity Recruitment

How to Survive Busy Season

How to Survive Busy Season

The holidays are distant memory and you’ve forgotten what it feels like to have daylight greet you at the beginning and end of your workday. While you’re non-accounting and tax friends are planning winter getaways, you’re trying to find any last remaining clean shirts.

Just remember, you’re not alone, and there are ways to regain your sanity.

Take Care of Yourself
This seems obvious, but self-care is often one of the first things people neglect when work gets crazy (hence the clean shirts). Stick to a routine to ensure you’re getting enough sleep, set aside time to create meal plans that will help you eat better, and sneak exercise in wherever you can – take the stairs, walk to the store, or stretch while you watch TV. Being smack in the middle of cold and flu season means you should probably stock up on vitamins, too.

Stay Organized
Do what you need to do to stay on track. Calendars and to-do lists, whether on paper or on your computer or phone, can be life-savers when you find yourself with too much to do. Prioritizing techniques like colour-coding and flagging items on calendars and lists, or in your email inbox, will keep you even more organized, and setting up automatic notifications will remind you of your deadlines. A 10 minute prioritization and scheduling exercise once a day can significantly decrease stress levels.

Don’t know where to start? Read “How to Organize Your Life: 10 Habits of Really Organized People” for easy ways to get back on track.

Look for Inspiration
If you’re a fan of inspirational quotes, follow a spiritual guru or life coach on social media for a little morale boost each day. For something a little more in-depth, reach for a self-help or inspirational book that will help you stay grounded and encourage you to move forward. There might even be someone in your office who can offer some sage advice on getting through the next couple of months.

Remove Distractions
Checking your phone every few minutes won’t help you accomplish much in the task-completing department, so turning the volume off, or even the phone off completely, and putting the device somewhere out of view is a good way to find focus. Distractions can also come in the form of colleagues who want to chat, so you might need to make it clear to them when the conversation has to end (politely, of course).

Just Say No
Learn to speak up for yourself when you’re feeling overwhelmed. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, since delegating or splitting the workload can ease feelings of anxiety, as well as can often get the job done faster. This also applies to your personal life, where too many obligations can prevent you from focusing on what you need and want. It’s OK to decline an event invitation or drop a hobby that you’re no longer enjoying.

Find Reasons to Smile
Outside of work, do what makes you happy, whether it’s working out, baking or cooking, spending time with family and friends, being creative, or volunteering. Taking time to unwind and let your hair down is important for your mental and emotional wellbeing. Looking to the future can also help, whether that means planning a trip, or organizing a fun event. At work, try to stay focused on the positive and look for small things each day that you appreciate.

Key Takeaways
You can’t do much about how cold it is outside, or even how much work is about to come across your desk, but you can control how you’re going to deal with all of it. Making your physical and mental health a priority will help ensure that you are ready to take on new challenges and stay ahead of your peers. Doing things to keep yourself organized and motivated, at home and work, will pay off with increased productivity, giving you more downtime. Finally, focusing on what’s great in your life will help balance out stress and a lack of energy.

by Clarity Recruitment

What to Do When an Employee Resigns

Let’s face it, every manager must deal with an employee resignation at some point. Whether the news is welcome or not, there are a number of things you can do to ensure that your organization and team are left in the best possible position. Here are some strategies to keep in mind to professionally manage an employee resignation.

The Resignation Letter
If the employee has simply told you in person about their intention to leave, ask for a formal resignation letter. Make sure that the letter contains their final date of employment.

Don’t Take It Personally
Maybe the employee doesn’t like working for you as a manager, or they’re leaving at a critical time in a project or initiative. Regardless, be as professional as possible. Remind yourself that employees come and go. How you handle the next steps of the process can impact your team and organization.

Pro Tip: Here’s an interesting article from The Harvard Business Review that discusses what to do when an employee quits and you didn’t see it coming.

Identify Next Steps
If you decide to let them work their final 2 weeks, start planning a transition strategy. Ideally, this is a collaborative process. Identify what needs to be wrapped up. Your employee’s idea of loose ends may be different from yours, but it’s important to listen carefully to what they think needs to be done. Build a list of duties, projects, and clients (if applicable). From this list, determine the priorities that your departing employee needs to complete, and get his or her assurance that they’ll be done. Decide how to proactively inform the departing employee’s clients and colleagues if there is no formal company process in place.

On your own, determine which employees will temporarily pick up the slack created by the resignation. Create a list of goals and responsibilities for the position.

Tips and Tricks
The worst thing about an employee leaving is often the specialized knowledge they take with them. Is the employee willing to do a knowledge transfer? If so, have them thoroughly explain, or better document that knowledge. This leaves you and your team in the best possible position when the employee leaves.

Letting People Know
Perhaps HR or the organization has a process for informing people about a resignation. Discuss this process with the departing employee. If there is no process to follow, then collaboratively decide how the team and company will be informed about the departure. Consider calling a quick team meeting. This will allow you to set the tone and keep things as positive as possible. After this is finished, send a formal email to let people know about the transition.

Start the Hiring Process
Once you’ve evaluated the need for a replacement, start the hiring process as soon as possible. Your team will want to know how long they’ll need to carry the additional workload. Do you need to hire a contract employee to temporarily ease the pressure, or is there time to hire a permanent resource? Fundamentally, you don’t want to burn out your remaining team and create more resignations.

Here are some resources to help you hire well:

Keep it Positive
If at all possible, stay positive. Wish your employee well and if they were a great employee, offer to be a reference in the future. There’s no need to burn a bridge. Who knows if your paths will cross again down the road?

Key Takeaways
Even if their resignation is welcome, losing an employee can be challenging for a manager. Determine what the employee’s final 2 weeks will look like. Make a comprehensive list of duties, projects and clients. Facilitate a knowledge transfer if possible. Decide which team members will temporarily take on the departing employee’s duties. Follow your company’s policy regarding employee resignation, or decide collaboratively how people will be informed (if there is no organizational process in place). Evaluate the need for a replacement and start the hiring process as soon as possible. Ultimately, the more prepared you are with a plan of action, the better it will be for your team, organization and you.

Your Next Step
No one should walk the job search or hiring road alone. At Clarity Recruitment we help others realize their success through a process that marries proprietary technology with unwavering commitment. Contact us today to take control of your career, or to partner with us to hire well.

Clarity Recruitment, connecting exceptional people with remarkable companies.

by Clarity Recruitment

Accounting Trends 2017

How to stay on trend - and we’re not talking about terms like “easy elegance” or “bold prints.” Instead, we’re looking at how 5 key accounting trends are shaping 2017.

Here are 5 trends that are turning into game changers.

by Clarity Recruitment

How to Give Back as Accountants in Toronto

As accountants in Toronto it can be fulfilling to give back to our community through some act of social responsibility. You may choose to work for an organization whose mandate focuses on making a difference, or you may volunteer with a cause that speaks to you. Regardless of the avenue that you choose, giving back as an accountant can greatly increase your personal and professional satisfaction. Here are some tips on how to make a difference in your community.

by Clarity Recruitment

How to Land International Accounting Jobs

Ben Irwin said, “Most of us spend our lives as if we have another life in the bank.” Mark Twain echoed that in a way that makes sense for this blog. He said, “Throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Explore. Dream. Discover.” If either of those two quotes speak to you and you've contemplated living in a different country and sampling a new culture, here are some tips for landing an international accounting job.

by Clarity Recruitment