Outsourced accounting services can make firms more diverse, and the firms that do it right reap dramatic benefits from it.
What unleashes diversity? “Diversity comes from recognising that we are unique and each of us is valuable.”
That’s one of the insights that former Philippine National Youth Commissioner Perci Cendaña shared in “Allyship 101”, a webinar last 28 June that TOA Global held as part of Pride Month.
TOA Global’s Director of Projects Bam Terol advised attendees to avoid making assumptions about another’s gender identity, as well as invasive questions. “You are not required to come out. Are you ready to let them in? That’s the real question.”
This year’s Pride March in Metro Manila attracted about 70,000 people before organizers ended it early because of heavy rain, the news outlet Rappler reported.
Groups from TOA Global attended that March on 22 June, as well as similar events in Clark, Pampanga on 8 June and in Mandaue City in Cebu on 15 June.
Spotlighting LGBTQIA+ speakers, whether in workplaces or classrooms, is one way to make accounting more diverse.
Telling the stories of LGBTQIA+ business leaders and writing case studies about the ventures they lead will also help, Chris Sheedy wrote in April 2024 in the Journal of the Institute of Public Accountants in Australia.
Diversity in accounting: The Dad Connection
Another learning session that the TOA Global team enjoyed in June focused on fatherhood. Our People Experience Team invited Dr. James Edward Sison, an expert on occupational health, to talk about a little-known phenomenon: anxiety or depression among new fathers.
In our webinar “The Dad Connection”, Dr. Sison cited a University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center study in 2021, which found that 1 in 10 dads experienced postpartum depression and anxiety.
Fathers who are struggling with postpartum anxiety may exhibit anger, sudden outbursts, or an increase in risk-taking behaviour, which includes turning to prescription drugs or alcohol “to try to suppress what they are feeling,” Dr. Sison also said.
As joyful as it is, parenthood can also increase stress.
“When our lives change, our sleep patterns may be affected, our work patterns may be affected – and men like to follow a pattern,” the doctor pointed out. “We’re not as flexible as women are in changing patterns. We are very time-managey.”
He advised new parents to talk to a doctor about managing postpartum anxiety.
Firms that depend on TOA Global for outsourced accounting services can rest easy knowing that their accountants, bookkeepers, auditors, and other offshore team members are also covered by a private medical insurance plan and Employment Assistance Program.
That includes free counselling sessions with trained professionals who can help them cope more effectively if they’re feeling stressed or going through a major life change.
Since 2013, TOA Global has created workplaces that support our team’s overall wellbeing, encourage them to keep a healthy work-life balance, and provide clear learning and career growth pathways.
We’ve hired more than 3,800 accountants, bookkeepers, and other professionals who continue to help 1,100+ international firms grow their capacity, while empowering their teams to build thriving, meaningful careers.
Ask us about outsourced accounting services today.
