Originally featured in AIT.
Achieving optimal resource management is a fundamental challenge for accountancy firms.
Many have realised the value of centralising and strategically investing in this key business function. The aim is to unify people, processes, and software across service lines and/or locations to drive efficiency and maximise overall firm performance. However, there are some common myths and misconceptions around centralised resource management which could be holding others back.
“We will have no say on which jobs our people are allocated to.”
False! Resource managers design their processes around the strategic priorities of the organisation and its leadership team. This typically involves connection points between the resource managers and trusted representatives from each part of the organisation, to ensure feedback from multiple angles is considered. A centralised model pulls all resource data into one system to provide a single source of truth. This provides greater insight for resource managers to make (and evidence) data-based decisions in line with the strategic objectives of the firm.
“Team members will be forced to work on things they don’t want to do.”
False! Solid resource management hinges on understanding the career aspirations of team members. That means resource managers make it their priority to know work preferences and ensure this information is considered when making staffing alignments. Resource managers have access to certifications, experience, skills, and preference data in one central system. This enables skills-based scheduling across the firm and allows resource managers to connect people with career-focused opportunities.
“A singular focus on utilisation means staff burnout will be through the roof.”
False! Centralised resource management can improve workforce utilisation, however, that is just one of many data points considered when making staffing decisions. It is never the intention of resource managers to overburden their people. An optimal resource management strategy strives to improve staff engagement and retention by putting people at the heart of resourcing decisions. Ensuring utilisation is managed appropriately so that burnout doesn’t occur is a key part of this. Centralised resource management provides firm-wide visibility of overall resource utilisation, allowing resource managers to visualise capacity, prevent burnout, and improve the employee experience.
“Resource managers will become obsolete.”
False! A centralised resource management strategy requires the right technology to succeed. However, this technology is designed to elevate the role of resource managers, not replace or devalue their expertise. By embracing automation, processes can be unified and streamlined across the firm. This means replacing hours of manual scheduling with more efficient and strategic planning. Used in the right way, automation has the power to enhance invaluable resource management capabilities.
“Clients won’t have access to the experience and skills they need.”
False! A centralised strategy is designed to ensure clients have access to the right skills and experience at the right time. A centralised skills database is integral to matching the most suitable skills, qualifications, and experience to deliver the highest quality of work for clients. While proactively matchmaking, resource managers focus on educating themselves on requirements for roles and other client requests, such as continuity. Resource managers also leverage their knowledge of proficiency level to make strong matches and assemble the most qualified team for the project. Instead of ad hoc allocations based on local needs, short-term gains, or a first-come-first-served basis, resource centralisation prioritises projects across your full portfolio to deliver the best client results.
Adopting centralised resource management is a significant project for any firm, but a necessary step towards building a strategic and future-fit resourcing model. Exploring how modern technology can support and unify your processes while empowering your people is also vital to this. To better understand how people, process, and software come together under centralised resource management see Stage 4 in our resource management maturity model.