Leadership
The Human Side of Transformation: Managing Change in Accounting Teams
Transformation is a necessity that is hitting accounting teams worldwide. Accounting as a whole is going through:
- Department modernization
- Regulatory changes
- Evolving financial challenges
- Talent shortages
Normally, the focus on transformation centers around the technical side of things, which I covered in the Accounting Department Transformation: A 2025 Blueprint. But through all my research over the past year, it became abundantly clear that when it comes to talking about transformation, there’s often a side of the discussion we need to talk about more.
What is that? The human side of transformation.
Transformation is not just about new technology and processes. It’s about the people, too. Often, team members have to change the way they work, take on more work for a period of time, and shift their mindsets to successfully embrace transformation.
Teams need guidance and support through these transformative periods. With 99% of accountants already experiencing some level of burnout —and the talent shortage only intensifying that pressure— adding more stress without support can quickly push them to their breaking point. To provide them with the necessary support and guidance, we must first understand common challenges that come with transformation.
Common Challenges When Integrating Change and Transformation
Resistance to change is normal, but how you handle it determines whether your team embraces transformation or disengages. Instead, prepare for:
Resistance to Change
Accounting teams like to do things by the book. You have laws and regulations to follow, and you do your best to adhere to them throughout your career. But this can also lead to the status quo “SALY” mindset.
The SALY mindset is the “same as last year” mindset of:
- What we’ve always done is good enough.
- Why change something that works?
Accountants need time to slow down and learn new things, which can often be a complex problem because they already have a lot of work.
One way to break through this resistance to change is to prepare your team with the right training and communication of each tool’s benefits. Allot training time for your team, explain the benefits of the change and you’ll see the SALY mindset turn into enthusiasm.
Cultural Misalignment
What is the company culture? If you don’t know, it’s time to take a pulse of the room and really learn where the culture is right now. You might deal with a situation where adaptability and learning are not prioritized, which will only create barriers.
Changing from this mindset to one that prioritizes learning and adaptability is a necessity.
How do you realign your company’s culture?
- Evaluate your existing culture.
- Define new values and communicate them to your team.
- Take a “follow me approach.” Lead by example.
- Build trust and add company culture into your onboarding process.
Showing teams that you want them to focus on learning and adaptability is one step forward in helping them through the human side of transformation.
3 Best Practices for Engaging Teams
You know what you have to do, but how can you do it is the question? Small, integral changes can make a huge difference in the long term. Here’s how to get started:
- Get your team involved early on. Teams buy in faster and you’ll face much less resistance when you co-create solutions together. Your team, those who are often doing the tasks that you’re trying to refine, have ideas on what’s working and not working that you might not even realize.
- Transparent communication. Why is change happening? What is going to happen? And how will the transformation transpire? Be upfront and honest with your team so that they know what to expect and why the change is important for the business.
- Training and support. Team member confidence in their ability to use new tools and follow processes is also important. Offer continuous training to help teams learn the skills they need to succeed during and after the transformation.
If you follow the practices above, you’ll be well on your way to engaging with your team and having them buy-in on the changes ahead. Your next step is to lead with empathy and support.
Lead with Empathy and Support
Navigating changes can be challenging for everyone involved. Leading with empathy, support, and grace can help ensure that your team feels valued and heard as you move through this process together.
As you begin to implement changes, it’s not uncommon that your team will have concerns, especially when it comes to new technologies like AI in accounting. Anxiety around these tools often stems from uncertainty about how they will impact workflows and job security. This is where leadership plays a crucial role. Managers should actively listen to concerns and clearly communicate how these tools are designed to enhance, not replace, their team’s work. Maybe there’s an issue with the new tool, or ayour team member is struggling to complete tasks at their usual pace because e they’re adapting to a new system. By framing AI and other innovations as resources that help accountants become more efficient, strategic, and valuable, leaders can ease apprehension and empower their teams to embrace change.
Whatever the concern, listen with an open mind. Be as flexible as possible and provide your team with the support they need to navigate this change. If a team member needs more time to complete tasks, allow them more time.
Otherwise, you risk burning out your team and potentially losing talent because they feel overwhelmed and undervalued.
I’ve seen firsthand how a lack of empathy during change can create frustration. Just recently, I spoke with a controller friend of mine who works at a family office. They’re in the midst of some major tech changes in their accounting department, and the entire process has left her feeling overwhelmed. Having to balance her regular workload in addition to the work associated with the new tool’s implementation is taking its toll on her. Her team’s lack of empathy and support is only making it even more challenging. She feels burned out and unsupported.
Unfortunately, her story isn’t unique. But that doesn’t mean that your team members have to suffer the same fate. Taking a supportive and empathetic approach to leadership can prevent burnout and make the implementation of new technology as stress-free as possible.
As you move through the changes ahead, make sure that you’re also recognizing team members for their achievements. Celebrate wins and acknowledge efforts to ensure that your team feels valued.
Fostering a Culture of Improvement
Cultivating a culture of improvement creates an environment where team members want to become better every day. When that desire for improvement is ingrained in your company culture, team members are more likely to embrace changes and adopt new solutions with a positive mindset.
The question is: how do you foster a culture of improvement?
First and foremost, leaders must be committed and ready to set the tone for change. Effective change must be led from the top down. If team members see that leaders aren’t committed to the initiative, they will be less inclined to follow it.
But when leaders set the tone and lead by example, team members will be more likely to follow in their footsteps.
Of course, leaders are just one piece of the puzzle. Cultivating a culture of improvement also means:
- Helping your team develop a continuous improvement mindset. Encourage them to experiment, learn, and grow. If your team is continually looking for ways to improve and is open to experimenting with new solutions, it will be much easier to implement changes.
- Implementing feedback loops. Check in regularly with your team to keep a pulse on the progress, address issues proactively, and refine strategies as needed.
Putting People at the Center of Transformation
Whenever we talk about change in the accounting field, there tends to be a heavy focus on the processes involved, but you can’t forget the humans involved. Change often isn’t easy, but with the right mindset, approach, and strategy, you can keep your team engaged and even excited to adopt new technologies.
As part of the process, great care must be taken to ensure that team members leading the change aren’t overworked or overburdened. Leaders must also play an active role in championing the cause, addressing concerns, and gathering feedback to make adjustments as needed.
Taking a strategic approach and considering the human element of change can help make the process as smooth and seamless as possible.
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