Onboarding tax hires from other business domains

Hard-pressed tax departments are seeing a much-needed influx of talent from other parts of the enterprise, including internal audit, operations and marketing. These new team members are arriving at a time when tax organizations are navigating a wave of digital transformation. Many leaders are on the lookout for ways to help these brand-new tax professionals learn how the tax group operates and how tax transformation plays into their new role.

A PwC report offers a timely look at the human side of digital transformation and the changes these efforts create. Encouragingly, employees are generally positive about the changes they’re experiencing in the workplace, according to the survey: 77% say they feel ready to adapt to new ways of working, and 72% say they’re excited about opportunities to learn and grow in their role. At the same time, about half of respondents indicate too much change is occurring, and many are unsure why they’re being asked to adjust the way they work.

The article offers three insights for leaders looking to help employees thrive in environments that are undergoing transformation; these suggestions also apply to tax managers onboarding new hires from other business groups:

1. Double down on transparency: Help your new team members understand the external forces, especially digital innovations, that are driving change throughout the workplace. The article suggests that leaders could be doing a better of job of explaining the impact of technologies like generative AI – how it’s being deployed, where the data is coming from and the opportunities and challenges that GenAI presents. That’s certainly true when it comes to tax transformation; tax leaders will want to introduce new team members to the principles and processes involved as well as the technologies themselves.
2. Keep the communication channels open: Ensure comprehensive “top-down” information flows and establish channels for employees to share feedback. Promote what PwC calls “citizen-led innovation” by giving your teams the opportunity to experiment with new systems and new ways of working. In addition, communicating in ways that engage people on the emotional and intellectual levels can help you spur productivity and creativity.
3. Adopt a skills-first approach: More than one-third of PwC’s survey respondents report that they have hidden skills that don’t show up in resumes or job titles. Breaking down skill silos in the workplace enables companies to tap into talent that’s hiding in plain sight. The article offers an example: An organization facing a shortage of analysts found that 40 percent of the skills it needed could be found in other roles in the company.

Helping new hires manage the transition and adapt comfortably can power up your tax transformation.  As the article notes, “when you meaningfully engage your people, they become an accelerant for successful transformation and not a drag on it.”