How CPAs Can Build Resilient and Adaptable Teams
Build a Resilient, Adaptable Team: A Guide for CPA Firm Leaders
If you are leading a tax or accounting firm today, you are already operating under pressure. Compressed deadlines, staffing challenges, evolving regulations, and constant client demands are daily realities. Your team feels it too.
The firms that are thriving in this environment are not the ones working the longest hours. They are the ones with teams that adapt quickly and stay effective through change.
Resilience is no longer just a soft skill. It is a business advantage.
Why This Matters Now
66% of accountants say stress and burnout are worse now than five years ago.¹
43% of firms cite staff retention as a major concern.²
78% of CPAs say they struggle to keep up with technology and regulatory changes.³
You cannot slow down the pace of change, but you can build a team that responds to it with clarity and control instead of fatigue.
What Resilience Looks Like in Practice
Resilient professionals:
Remain calm and focused under pressure
Recover quickly from setbacks
Embrace change instead of resisting it
Are less likely to burn out or disengage
When resilience shows up in one team member, it often spreads. The way one person responds to stress and uncertainty influences the entire group.
What Gets in the Way
Here is what firm leaders commonly report:
“We do not have time to train people on soft skills.”
“We are constantly reacting. There is no space to think ahead.”
“We tried wellness initiatives, but they did not move the needle.”
These concerns are real. But building resilience does not require a total overhaul. It requires repeatable, practical shifts that help people work through change without wearing down.
Five Small Shifts That Build Team Resilience
These actions are simple, sustainable, and can be implemented across your team with minimal disruption.
1. Normalize conversations about change
Build a habit of discussing what is changing. Use brief standups, check-ins, or post-project reviews to ask one simple question:
What has changed recently that is affecting how we work?
Getting this into the open prevents small issues from becoming big ones.
2. Simplify one internal process
Choose one workflow that creates friction. It could be billing, onboarding clients, or reviewing workpapers. Find one thing to improve.
Even a small fix, such as a template or delegation step, can reduce frustration and build momentum for future improvements.
3. Encourage a “control audit” mindset
Train your team to distinguish what is within their control and what is not.
Use a quick three-part prompt during meetings:
What can we control? What can we not control? What should we do next?
This habit reduces wasted energy and clarifies priorities.
4. Create space for strategic reflection
Set aside 15 to 30 minutes once a month for the team to reflect on what is working and what is not.
This is not reflection for its own sake. It is a practical way to improve performance and decision-making over time.
5. Support peer-to-peer connection
Isolation adds to stress. A regular 15-minute conversation between team members across roles or departments can create relief, spark ideas, and prevent burnout.
Encourage these check-ins once a month as a way to share what is working and what is not.
Resilience Scales
Resilience and adaptability are not fixed traits. They are skills that can be developed over time.
Teams that learn how to reset, reframe, and respond under pressure will:
Handle change with less friction
Make clearer decisions, faster
Reduce errors and miscommunication
Improve retention because the work becomes more sustainable
If your firm is struggling with fatigue, resistance to change, or uneven performance during busy periods, this is where you should focus.
Final Word
The profession is not going to slow down. Tax rules will continue to change, client expectations will keep evolving, and new technologies will keep coming.
The difference between firms that fall behind and those that lead is not just who knows the most. It is who can adapt the fastest without burning out their team.
Resilience is not a wellness perk. It is a performance strategy.
¹ Source: Accounting Today, 2023 CPA Wellness Survey
² Source: AICPA 2024 State of the Profession Report
³ Source: Journal of Accountancy, "Tech Readiness in the Profession" Survey
Let me know if you would like support embedding these habits into your firm’s culture or training your team to manage change more effectively.