As you build your team you’ll also focus on how to structure it, and that’s no light decision. It dictates how your team will collaborate, the vibe, how you’ll deliver your service or product and how your clients will be served.
We’ve been through this ourselves, and whittled through the various structures but decided we didn’t want to work like every other accountancy firm and have isolated departments. We don’t do the norm. So just like a lot of our service clients we opted for the pod structure. That means our employees are split into teams (called pods) and we have our clients are the centre.
Benefits of a pod structure for our clients
We’ve spent the past 11 years growing, and continue to do that and this structure offers us flexibility to adjust how the pods operate, and build new pods when needed.
Everyone within each pod works collaboratively, focusing on a set number of clients – serving only them. This gives clients a range of skills and expertise, from a team that will all know the clients’ needs – rather than be completely new to the project. We also have a range of role levels within there from FDs to Support Accountants: then set responsibilities for each person to work on and come together as a team.
The Blu Sky structure
Our team members are split into two teams (pods), and outside of the pod sit our two Co –Founders, Chief Operating Officer and Marketing Manager.
Here’s how the roles within each pod work.
Financial Director: Your FD will help with the strategic planning of your business, driving you towards that end journey and maximising opportunities along your journey. If you need insight into investment options, R&D schemes or EMI schemes just ask.
Financial Controller: Your FC will look after all aspects of your cash, from forecasting to getting money into your bank quicker.
Lead Accountant: Your lead accountant will be a specialist in certain areas, have a wealth of experience and have completed all their official qualifications. They’ll make sure everything is under control.
Accountant: Your day to day contact! Covering a wide range of things including your payroll, management accounts, tax return and year end accounts. Our accountants are still working towards their qualification so some of their time will be spent at college.
Support Accountant: As the name says your support accountants will help your accountant: specialists with daily bookkeeping and Receipt Bank!
The people within the pods will stay the same, but we strongly believe in promoting the team when they are ready so you may find that someone who’s your accountant will be a lead accountant in the future.
Who do you communicate with if you’ve got a whole team?
For a general enquiry, quick advice or if you need to send us information your day to day contact is your Accountant. If you’re thinking about scaling-up, have some business plans for R&D or need investment then speak to your Financial Director.
Thinking of using the pod structure? Here’s some tips:
Feel free to ask us more, happy to share best practice! But here’s a starter…
Set your goal: What’s the pods purpose, what will they deliver?
Look for a Pod leader: This employee needs to totally understand the goal, and your business: then have the skills to take decisions and direct the pod members.
Decide on number of pods: Typically a pod will have between 4-6 members depending what you’re delivering. From there you may need to build multiple pods.
Build the pod: So you’ve got the basics sorted now you need to add the team to the pod by job role and responsibility to make sure they can deliver the goal.
Cement each members deliverables: Be clear on what each person needs to do to make sure the full picture is covered for your clients, or customers.
Put it into action: Set your deadlines, checkpoints and processes: then off you go!
As with everything it won’t be perfect, and for some businesses isn’t always the best option: but if you’re service based it’s a fantastic option for delivery.
