September 13, 2024
"Empower Company, Empower You" - this is our company's mission, which I have cherished since its founding. Several years ago, when we established the TOPC Axis (Code of Conduct), I considered rewriting the mission itself, but decided to keep it to remember the young ambition I had in my 30s.
As an accounting firm, our main focus is on accounting and tax-related services, with the accounting department being the primary point of communication with our clients. In many companies, the accounting department is seen as a unit that performs simple accounting tasks and closes the books, with an emphasis on minimizing costs. Additionally, many in the accounting department are perceived as diligent and methodical workers who rarely deviate from their monthly routines. Perhaps because of that, I feel that some lack confidence or pride in their work.
What I want to convey to such individuals is that work of accounting department shouldn’t be just bookkeeping, but rather, it can play a central role in corporate strategy. Many in the accounting department may not fully understand the significance of the numbers and data they handle daily or the potential of their roles.
For the accounting department, managerial accounting involves analyzing the company's current status based on financial information, then discuss it with sales, manufacturing and other departments, and devising effective strategies for the future. For example, while sales personnel may be aware of sales figures that directly impact their performance, they may not be aware of the margin of each product or which products contribute most to the company's overall profit. Similarly, in the manufacturing department, while they may know the final production numbers, they may not objectively understand the inefficiencies occurring at each stage of production.
The accounting department receives information from all departments. However, having information without knowing how to use it is meaningless. The accounting department can contribute by determining which information is needed for efficient operations, analyzing data correlations, processing information into understandable and usable formats for each department, and participating in discussions from an objective standpoint. Companies where the accounting department effectively understands the overall situation and engages with other departments can achieve significant growth, and the accounting department's evaluation naturally improves.
At the core of my thinking is the desire for the accounting and other back-office departments to become more indispensable to the company and to excel. I believe the accounting department needs the ability to think freely about how they can contribute more and strengthen the company, without being constrained by conventional wisdom in their department or company.
Breaking through conventional barriers is extremely challenging. Moreover, conveying new methods to others and gaining sufficient understanding is even more difficult. When I personally took on the challenge of designing and implementing our company's IT system, I faced criticism and lacked understanding from those around me. However, through initiatives like Beer Bash and daily interactions with employees, listening to them, and successfully implementing the initial system, I gradually built trust with the employees. It took about two years to achieve initial success. This was a challenge I had to overcome not just as an accountant, but as a manager of this company.
Although my journey is still ongoing, I am continuously striving to develop employees who can contribute to your accounting and management, both technically and philosophically. I am confident that as our employees grow, they will be able to provide you with even better services. providing the right environment and employees putting forth their best efforts that leads to the greatest growth for both the company and its employees.
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