At Rehmann, we have made people the priority. Ultimately, that is why we do the work we do – to help people. This is not the perception many have of the accounting profession. It is not all number crunching and long hours. For us, building relationships is just as important as building balance sheets.
We are proud to help showcase the more human side of the industry. Our associates are advisors and problem solvers who champion the goals of our clients as if they were their own. We enthusiastically support our associates’ passions, as well by maintaining a culture that supports work-life integration. Rehmann believes in empowering the purpose of our clients and associates whatever it may be.
Listening is crucial to our success, and just as important a skill in our profession as math. Understanding the needs of our clients starts with asking questions and taking in the answers. Those become the building blocks for the solutions we deliver. We do the same for our associates. We use our annual associate survey dynamically, analyzing the data thoroughly with our manager of retention and engagement working with leaders to respond to our associates’ needs. Advising, guiding, strategizing – this is a large part of what accounting is all about.
As the industry continues to evolve, we know outreach to younger generations is essential. If we want to shift views on the accounting profession, it needs to start when students are beginning to consider career options. At Rehmann, we are starting to work with high schools to share more about what accounting is really like including how new technology like AI has helped us become more efficient, allowing us to focus more on people. We hope this leads to more schools integrating additional analytical and consultative training into their curricula, preparing students to advise clients and solve complex problems rather than just compliance training.
Accounting can be a flexible and rewarding profession regardless of interest in numbers. It equips you with critical and analytical thinking skills and sharpens your business acumen. Several prominent individuals such as author John Grisham and Nike co-founder Phil Knight studied accounting. Being an accountant means every day is a chance to meet someone new, help someone achieve a goal, or tackle a challenge. It is not just about taxes or financial reporting – it’s about helping people.