Making Tax Enjoyable: 5 Ways You Can Gamify Deadlines and Have Fun

The Self Assessment tax season has traditionally been the most despised period of the year by accountants. Drowned in last-minute returns, rushing to find a tax outsourcing partner weeks before the deadline doesn’t quite sound pleasant, after all! But, dear accountants, what if you could change the narrative this year?

Tax season doesn’t have to be the dreaded annual grind that leaves you drowning in spreadsheets and caffeine. If you’re an accountant running a growing practice in the UK, we have some fantastic news for you. You can make tax deadlines fun!

That’s right, we’re talking about turning the seemingly mundane task of meeting those tax deadlines into an enjoyable experience through gamification. Let’s tell you how.

CHAOS TO FUN: HOW DO YOU GET THERE?

Let’s face it: taxes are never going to be the life of the party, but why not turn the struggle into something that at least resembles a good time? We’re about to share three ingenious ways you can gamify those deadlines and actually have a bit of fun while getting your work done. And if you want to supercharge your tax season enjoyment, don’t forget to explore the magic of tax outsourcing services and take some workload off your team.

1. Leaderboards and Prizes: Turning Tax Compliance into a Competition

Who doesn’t love a little friendly competition? Imagine turning your office into a virtual arena for tax excellence. Create a leaderboard to track the progress of your team and set up different categories to compete in. For example, you can have categories for the fastest tax return submission, the most accurate calculations, or the most creative tax-saving ideas.

To gamify this further, offer exciting prizes for the winners. It doesn’t have to be extravagant; a simple reward like a gift card to a favourite restaurant or a day off can do wonders. The element of surprise can add to the excitement – announce the winners at the end of tax season and watch the competitive spirit skyrocket.

Now, here’s how outsourcing tax can make this even more enjoyable. You can outsource routine, time-consuming tasks like data entry or reconciliations to a trusted partner. This frees up your in-house team to focus on winning the gamified competition and delivering quality advice to clients. Plus, it’s a win-win, as you get the work done efficiently and cost-effectively.

2. Tax Bingo: A Creative Twist to the Deadline Dash

We all love a good game of bingo, right? Now, you can bring the bingo fun to your tax firm! Create your own “Tax Bingo” cards, each with a grid of tasks related to tax season. These tasks can be deadlines, forms, or even quirky tax facts. Encourage your team to complete tasks and mark them off their bingo cards.

The catch is that you can’t yell “bingo” until you’ve completed a full row, column, or diagonal line on your card. To make it more interesting, assign different point values to each task. For example, simple tax form submissions could be worth one point, while tackling a complex tax audit might be worth ten points.

Tax outsourcing can come into play in a big way here. Consider outsourcing some of the repetitive but necessary tax-related tasks to a skilled team outside your firm. This allows your in-house team to focus on high-value tasks while enjoying the excitement of the Tax Bingo game. Meanwhile, your outsourced partners can efficiently handle tasks like data entry or basic calculations, making your internal team’s job much easier.

OUTSOURCE TAX PREP SUPPORT

3. The Tax Season Escape Room: A Team-Building Challenge

If you’re seeking a truly immersive gamification experience, why not turn your office into a tax-themed escape room? This isn’t about escaping from taxes but rather from a hypothetical tax crisis. Create a story around a fictional client’s financial predicament and challenge your team to solve it within a set timeframe. Provide clues and riddles related to tax laws, deadlines, and financial strategies.

To add an extra layer of excitement, you can divide your team into smaller groups and have them compete to “escape” first. The team that successfully helps the client navigate the tax maze and meets the deadline wins the game.

Outsourcing tax can be a lifesaver when you’re running an escape room scenario. You can delegate tasks that require extensive research or data analysis to a reliable outsourcing partner. This ensures your team has the information they need to solve the puzzle without getting bogged down in tedious work.

HOW CAN OUTSOURCING HELP?

So, why should you consider outsourcing in these gamification strategies? The answer is simple – it allows your in-house team to focus on what they do best: providing top-notch tax advisory services to your clients. Outsourcing can take care of routine, time-consuming tasks, leaving your internal experts free to participate fully in the gamification fun.

Remember, the key to making these gamification strategies work is to create a balance between the fun and the work. Tax deadlines are no joke, but injecting a sense of competition and adventure can make the process more enjoyable and less stressful for your team.

Not sure if outsourcing would be right for your firm? Assess our tax outsourcing service with a FREE TRIAL. Call us at +44 208 146 0808 to get started.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF OUTSOURCING TAX PREPARATION SERVICES?

Outsourcing tax preparation services offers cost savings, expertise, and scalability. It allows firms to focus on core activities while experienced professionals handle tax tasks efficiently, reducing errors and improving compliance. Additionally, outsourcing provides flexibility during peak seasons and reduces the burden of in-house staff management.

FINAL THOUGHTS

In conclusion, tax season doesn’t have to be synonymous with drudgery. By introducing gamification into your firm’s culture, you can turn the dreaded deadlines into an enjoyable experience that your team looks forward to every year. Remember to use outsourcing strategically to free up your team’s time for the fun part of tax season – the games, the challenges, and the celebrations.

So, unleash your inner tax enthusiast, get creative, and transform the way you and your team tackle tax deadlines. Before you know it, you’ll be eagerly awaiting the next tax season, not just for the financial rewards but for the sheer joy of the game. Happy tax-gaming!