Forward-thinking London accountancy firm, Grunberg & Co, has announced that it is investing in new soft skills training in anticipation of changes to the profession in the future.
It is about to begin rolling out a new personal development training plan for all staff to help prepare them for progression through the company.
Having recognised that the team already possess the required technical skills necessary to conduct their work, including more than 50 per cent of its teams holding specialist Xero training in online accounting, they intend to focus on developing the soft skills needed to be effective in the changing roles of accountants.
The new scheme, which is accredited by the Chartered Management Institute, will also act as an incubator, developing managerial and leadership capabilities across the whole firm as it looks to expand its team further and explore new areas of service provision.
The core of the training will address areas such as communication, principles of management and leadership, client management, ethics, amongst other topics.
Robert Bean, Managing Partner at Grunberg & Co, said: “Our roles as accountants are changing with the advancement of technology and the expectations of our clients and we can no longer see ourselves or perpetuate myths that we are just number crunchers.
“This training reflects our commitment to grow our staff and retain excellence in house. The training delivers core training modules for all staff regardless of seniority.”
The training is delivered through blended learning which includes traditional face-to-face classroom training combined with distance learning via a learning management system, which can be accessed at a time that suits the learner. This distance learning can also be developed to provide more bespoke training to individual learners based on their specialisms.
“The key to the success of the training is the combination of activities; rather than one topic being delivered and then moving on to the next, the programme encourages reflection on past topics to ensure key principles become a way of being rather than just knowing,” added Robert.
Robert is keen to see results from this new form of training, which he believes will soon need to be commonplace in the profession if it is to move with the times.
He said: “While the courses provided by the ACCA, ICAEW, AAT and all of the other accountancy bodies provide the necessary technical knowledge to be accountants and advisers, they do not necessarily focus on the more interpersonal skills that we use on a day-to-day basis.
“If AI and other technology will one day remove or reduce compliance work, as so many industry experts have predicted, then we need to think about where we are heading next and how we can continue to add value to our clients lives and businesses. This training is the first step to achieving this goal and future-proofing Grunberg & Co.”
The training across the firm is starting in May and is being led by the Partners who are the driving force behind staff development.
To find out more about career opportunities at Grunberg & Co, please visit www.grunberg.je-hosting.co.uk/recruitment/