© 2012 Robert Half Management Resources. An Equal Opportunity Employer.

Benchmarking the Finance Function 2012:

How Does Your Company Measure Up?

What We’ll Cover Today

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• Summary of survey findings

• How data can help benchmarking and target areas for improvement

• Staffing challenges

• Get full report at http://www.roberthalf.us/benchmarking

Background

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• 50-question survey of 262 financial executives

• U.S. respondents: 64%; Canada: 25%; France: 11%

• 65% private; 22% public; 10% nonprofit;3% government

• 76% of respondents have annual revenue under $500 million

If benchmarks suggest you’re out of line with other companies, you may need to improve …

• Technology

• Business processes

• Staffing approach

What Does It Mean?

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Number of Internal Staff

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Number of Internal Finance Staff

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Cost of Internal Finance Staff

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Cost of Internal Finance Staff as a Percentage of Revenue

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Allocation of Staff

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Allocation of Finance & Accounting Staff

Replace w/Fig. C

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Number of Hours Worked

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Use of Temporary Staff

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Flexible Staffing

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Changes in Number of Temporary, Interim or Contract ProfessionalsBased on Workload

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Accounting Standard

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Accounting Standard

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Financial Statement Preparation

Number of Business Days to Produce Draft Financial Statementsby Company Size & Location

Number of Business Days to File Financial StatementsWith Regulatory Agency by Company Size & Location

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Outsourced Functions

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Outsourced Functions by Company Size & Location

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Shared Services Functions

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Functions Within Shared Services Centers by Company Size & Location

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Shared Services Locations

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Locations of Internal Shared Services Centers

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Internal Controls

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Ownership of Internal Controls

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Cost of Compliance

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Cost of Compliance

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Compliance Influences

Rising costs?• Additional regulations

• Audit fees and requirements

• Increased business complexity

• Labor costs

• Globalization

Decreasing costs?• Increased competition among CPA firms

• Standardization of practices

• Use of technology

• Systems and process improvements

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Compliance Influences

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Factors That Might Ease Compliance Burden

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Challenges

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United States• Controlling costs/doing more with less• Regulatory requirements and compliance• Staffing

Canada• Accounting standards and regulations• System efficiencies• Staffing

• Two job markets

• Challenging to hire: 67%*

• Build in recruiting time

• Multiple offers, counteroffers more common

• Quick hiring required

* Robert Half survey ofmore than 4,000 executives

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Staffing: Not That Easy

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• Think of everyone as a recruiter

• Encourage employees as ambassadors

• Network online

• Use referral programs

Recruiting the Best:Enlist Employees

• Keep compensation on par or higher

• Consider bonuses, if needed

• Top candidates need a reason to change jobs

• Make them an offer they can’t refuse

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Recruiting the Best: Offer Competitive Compensation

Recruiting the Best: Work with a Specialized Recruiter• Specific experience

• Expansive networks

• Access to the most skilled professionals, including passive candidates

• Industry alliances

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Other Benefits of Flexible Staffing

• Protect jobs

• Reduce burnout

• Complete projects on time

• Cost-effectiveness

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Finding the Right Mix

The best approach is a blend

Full-time staff

Interim professionals

Increase your staffing flexibility

© 2012 Robert Half Management Resources. An Equal Opportunity Employer.

Benchmarking the Finance Function 2012:

How Does Your Company Measure Up?

rhmr.com

http://www.roberthalf.us/benchmarking

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