Pros
- IN SPITE OF ANY underlying work or public / social conditions (eg a pandemic, theft, loss, burglary, office threat or hold-up) Tax Pros show up! and they deliver! They know their stuff and deliver high quality returns and solid work - Most office locations will have at least 50+ yrs combined tax-consulting experience AND someone genuinely willing and invested made available to the clients - Mostly accurate calculation of pay - Generally on-time pay disbursements - Option to avail of company's tax filing services at a marginal discount - All staff encountered so far genuinely have the interest of the company as a priority - Apart from the manipulative injection of competitiveness spurred on by the seasonal "bonus" and apart from certain staff personality anomalies at certain branch locations, staff are actually generally engaging with one another and are able to support one another's training progress and form genuine working relationships - With a few exceptions, managers generally engaged and supportive of staff, owing to the fact that staff's performance reflects their leadership. Managers also want staff to succeed so everyone can have a chance at "winning" at the season's performance record. So thet will generally advocate for the staff to have the resources they require to do the work, but nothing elaborate or extravagant - Generally tolerable interaction between managers and staff and staff and HR and managers and HR
Kontras
Increasingly long hours. Increasing list of responsibilities. Very minimal pay = a general sense of being exploited and recognizing you are "just a number". Felt like the definition of the "slavery" experience or an abusive relationship. The company very clearly values their revenue and not their human resources. Which is unsettling. Limited range of job roles. Tax Pros do not have any type of "output insurace" or "effort-investment security". Too often, they will invest the time to sit with and genuinely consult with and advise a client on his / her best courses of action, oy to see that client grab up their papers and say "Great, thanks, Good to know". After they have just basically guides the client through the entire tax return - at no cost and with no deposit. "Bonus" is a word that is a dangled carrot to induce hyper-performance and competition, .When in reality, depending on the assigned manager that "bonus" may or may not be given out. Even after it was earned. May keep it for himself, instead and have HR put a plaster and a gag on the multiple complaints of those whose earnings were greedily snatched up. To "save money" staff are used in as many ways possible to try to cover jobs in areas and tasks that are not even part of their assigned role. Causing them to quickly become drained of energy, morale and confidence in the integrity of the company. Too many Tax Pros doing their own thing and not adhering to te rules regarding things that should and should not be done,. While at the same time other Tax Pros would consistently perform at top level and maintain regard for the rules at all times, which would often lead to clashes for those doing wrong resenting "looking bad", but not curbing their indiscretions". For example, taking on way more clients in one season than could realistically be managed by one Tax Pro and refusing to "share" or redirect the cases or accounts to other les booked Tax Pros.. Which, naturally, created. a backlog of delivering completed returns on time by said Tax Pro, then having a chain reaction of increase in client complaints and loss of business or publicity and compromise to the company's reputation. Mostly, it just makes the company look bad and the clients lose trust and either go elsewhere, or try to be self-sufficient, with alternate tax-filing methods, including self-submission online. This dangled carrot also often translated into eventual clashes, micro and overt agression among certain staff, with other staff excusing it or looking the other way. Have witnessed one staff member repeatedly condescending to and specifically and very strategically abusing another staff member (unprovoked; and venting personal issues on the other), as well as said staff member also being generally abrasive, arrogant, dismissive and nasty towards clients and staff alike, if said staff member came in in a bad mood. Evidently used looks and berating to push people around, however said staff member needed to manoeuvre the circumstances for a certain outcome. Have also witnessed long-serving (female) staff try to sabotage the work and the job of seasonal newcomers, just so their position (money-earning) is never threatened