Balancing life with the books CPA firms work hard to develop cutting-edge employees.

Byline: Martin Daks

CPA firms have established themselves as trusted advisers, helping clients to run more efficiently by counseling them on matters ranging from taxes to retirement planning. But how do these accounting and management gatekeepers run their own operations, ensuring their staff is motivated, on-track and up-to-date on the latest educational and other information?CPA firms have established themselves as trusted advisers, helping clients to run more efficiently by counseling them on matters ranging from taxes to retirement planning. But how do these accounting and management gatekeepers run their own operations, ensuring their staff is motivated, on-track and up-to-date on the latest educational and other information?

To answer a question that was first asked in early Rome, Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? (Who will guard the guards themselves?), NJBIZ asked some accounting leaders to open up their own ledgers and spill their secrets. Compensation is always important of course, but it turns out that less-tangible methods also matter."The foundation of a great employee relationship is trust," according to Edward Guttenplan, managing shareholder and co-founder of WilkinGuttenplan, a 120-person CPA and advisory firm. "We work hard to establish trust with employees and to demonstrate that we'll be fair, honest and transparent with them. This leads to candor and honesty."There's more, he added. "We have a formal experiential learning program called NexGen that helps to develop and enrich staff members through exposure to the business side of the firm. Periodically, partners and managers will bring staff members along to client meetings and sales meetings so they can see another side of the process. From staff to partner level, we support an atmosphere of cooperation, not competition, so everyone in the firm supports the success of one another."

To help attract and retain top talent, WilkinGuttenplan adds fun to the business mix. "We have a culture committee that's responsible for enjoyable activities like in-office events and outings," Guttenplan noted. "When possible, we schedule them in a central location so people from all of our offices can get together."

To reinforce connections, Guttenplan and another partner have a sit-down with each employee during their first four years with the firm a few times a year to explore their career path, letting the employee set the agenda. "We also ask them how they would function as a firm owner...