During the fourth quarter, Accountants Inc. compiled the results from their 12th annual Salary, Benefits and Workplace Trends Survey. Over 4,700 accounting and finance professionals participated and in doing so Accountants Inc. has been able to gather valuable information concerning recruiting, retention and accounting and finance that are the pressing topics amongst hiring professionals today. The new Accountants Inc. 2007 Compensation, Benefits and Workplace Trends Guide, which will be available soon, will discuss the latest trends. Here is a preview of what is to come.

The demand for accounting and finance talent is still a growing issue for hiring professionals in companies large and small, and across all lines of industry. According to the results from the Accountants Inc. Salary, Benefits and Workplace Trends Survey, 59% of professionals are concerned about retaining their current staff, while 60% have also stated that it has gotten more difficult to hire quality accounting and finance professionals since last year.

According to the CFO article, A Perfect Fit, with the shortage of talent has come a workforce that is willing to hold out for an opportunity that matches their every need instead of just settling for just any position offered to them. In order to compete, companies are now finding that just offering higher compensation packages won’t bring in the top talent. According to the article, accounting and finance professionals are looking more for a company culture that fits with their personalities as well as a work/life balance that suits their lifestyles. Accountants Inc.’s Survey results parallel this by showing that 72% of participants promote their company culture in order to attract and retain talent, while many also promote a work/life balance. To take it a step further, company culture was the number one reason professionals stated as to why they have stayed with their current company.

These are just a sample of the issues this year’s Guide will tackle, in addition to our traditional compensation portion that supplies salary ranges from the support to executive positions throughout the nation. This year we again partnered with our sister company, Acsys, Inc., to meet in person with over 4,700 hiring managers nationwide. The Guide will be a direct result of those conversations. It will explore pivotal areas of concern for business leaders everywhere.

As accounting and finance recruiting specialists, Accountants Inc. works with an extensive network of skilled professionals who have a wide range of experience to meet the needs of companies across all lines of industry. Our team of staffing experts works to provide clients with the latest trends in accounting, finance, recruiting and retention. For more information on staffing related trends contact your local Accountants Inc. representative today.