Building a strong regional business

Regional businesses often find it hard to attract experienced workers. From auto-electricians, to panel beaters, doctors, solicitors and accountants, we hear time and time again how good solid businesses in Dalby, with good solid client bases, just can’t get skilled staff to make the trip over the range and settle in our town.

There is no simple answer. Here’s some ideas that have helped BMO meet our human resourcing needs.

Offering earn while you learn: We offer one of the best traineeship programs in the region where school leavers can work full-time at BMO while being supported to undertake their tertiary studies externally. Employees learn and develop faster as they are apply their studies on a practical level every day and train in our systems and procedures right from the word go. Some of our best senior accountants have risen up through the ranks via our traineeship program.

Building an attractive culture. We take extra care to treat our team well with mentoring, flexible work, uniforms, training, social club, sport, morning teas, values and even a pool competition. Our team have told us that the opportunities at BMO to grow professionally, be involved in the community, and experience work diversity are ten times what you are able to access in many big metro firms.

Boosting our technology. Our secure paperless system allows team members, wishing to balance employment with family commitments, based in Dalby, Miles, Bongeen, Irvingdale, Westmar, Taroom and Brisbane to log in and seamlessly work from home.

Think outside the square. Unfortunately, our most recent advertising for experienced accountants has not led us to any recruits. We know other accounting firms are outsourcing work offshore (to places like India). However, we have decided against this as we are committed to keeping jobs in Australia.

So, instead, we have decided to set up a small satellite office in Brisbane. This will allow us to attract experienced accountants who don’t want to leave the city. We already have one senior accountant based in her home office in Brisbane. This move will allow her to be based in a professional office and mentor other Brisbane-based team members. Our first preference will always be to attract new experienced accountants in Dalby. Dalby is our BMO home and our commitment to our local region will not be diluted in any way. However, like many other regional businesses, we have to be innovative and adapt to stay ahead.

If your business is facing worker shortages, we’d be interested to hear how you have addressed this challenge. Join the conversation at www.linkedin.com/company/bmo-accountants

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