How to Attract—and Keep—Great Talent in Your Accounting Firm

Staffing shortages in the accounting profession aren’t new—but they’ve never felt more urgent. If you’re struggling to hire or finding it harder to retain key team members, you’re not alone. Firms across Canada are feeling the pressure. But here’s the truth: this challenge is also an opportunity—to build a practice that today’s professionals actually want to be part of. 

The firms that thrive in this environment are the ones rethinking how they operate. They’re offering what modern talent is really looking for: flexibility, balance, and meaningful compensation. 

Remote work is here to stay. Your firm is no longer just competing with others in your city or region—you’re competing with national and even international opportunities that offer remote-first roles, six weeks of vacation, and better pay. 

Offering flexible work arrangements doesn’t mean sacrificing productivity or control. In fact, with the right systems in place, you can create a culture of accountability, trust, and autonomy that actually improves morale. Whether hybrid or fully remote, flexibility helps your team work in ways that suit their lifestyle—without compromising client service. 

We’ve heard it before: “We pay well, and we only work 60+ hour weeks during tax season.” But for today’s professionals, that’s a deal-breaker—not a selling point. 

The reality? Other industries—like tech, finance, and consulting—offer higher compensation with fewer hours. It’s no surprise that early-career accountants are leaving the profession, or never entering it at all. 

Respecting personal time is no longer a nice-to-have—it’s essential. That starts with making the 40-hour work week the rule, not the exception. Your firm’s long-term health depends on protecting your team’s energy, not draining it. 

Let’s talk compensation. You may be ready to pay more, but unsure how to make it work when capacity is already stretched. The solution isn’t just hiring more bodies—it’s reshaping your business model. 

That includes letting go of clients who create stress but don’t support your firm’s future. Raising fees to reflect your expertise and the quality of service you deliver. Reducing unprofitable T1 work or bundling it with advisory services. Delegating better, so your CPAs focus on strategic, high-value tasks. 

By taking steps to create space within your firm, you position yourself to pay competitively, reduce burnout, and become the kind of workplace people talk about—for all the right reasons. 

This isn’t about patching a hole. It’s about redesigning your firm for long-term sustainability and growth. 

When your team is engaged, supported, and fairly compensated, you don’t just retain talent—you build a culture that attracts it. 

This is what the future of accounting looks like: flexible, human, and built to last. Let’s help you get there.