The accounting firm, Accru Hobart didn’t start offshoring with us because they wanted to build a large global team. There was a bigger problem. The firm was struggling to find mid-level accountants in its local area.
The first step was to place one accountant in Manila. That team has since grown to four, with three accountants and one admin team member.
For Sarah Burn, Practice Manager and Partner at Accru Hobart, the real value goes beyond filling roles. The Manila team has become an extension of the Hobart team, just from a different office.
A gap they could not fill
For Accru Hobart, the challenge was finding the right people at the right level.
Sarah explains:
“The reason we decided to offshore was due to a lack of talent in the mid-tier accountancy space – so not graduate level, not senior level – the mid-range within our state.”
The idea of offshoring came up while Sarah and her team were taking part in a coaching program with a company on the Australian mainland. Much of that company’s team was offshore, which gave Accru Hobart a chance to see how the model worked.
That led them to explore it for themselves. They started small with one accountant in Manila. From there, the team grew to four people.
One person became a team
What began as a way to solve a hiring gap became a bigger part of how Accru Hobart works.
Today, the Manila team has three accountants and one admin team member. Sarah says:
“We started our team in Manila with just one accountant, and then from there, we’ve grown to four team members. We have three accountants and one administration team member, and that’s working really well.”
That growth matters because the team was not built as a one-off fix.
It gave Accru Hobart a way to add people at the level it needed and grow that support over time.
But headcount alone does not make an offshore team work. The next challenge is making those people feel like part of the business.
For Accru Hobart, that became a key part of the partnership.
More than people in another office
When Sarah recently visited, one of the things that stood out to her, was how well the team was looked after.
“TGT is great with the culture side of the team members. My time here so far has been a huge eye-opener as to how well our team is looked after.”
That changed how Sarah viewed the setup.
The Manila team was not treated as a group that sat outside the main business. Accru Hobart made a point of bringing them into the wider team.
Sarah puts it simply:
“We do consider our team in Manila to be our team in Hobart essentially, but just working from a different office.”
That mindset can make a big difference.
When an offshore team is kept at arm’s length, it can feel like an outside service. When people are brought into the day-to-day life of the business, it is easier to build trust and a shared sense of purpose.
For Accru Hobart, that means involving the Manila team wherever possible.
Sarah’s advice: Get involved
Her advice to other businesses is clear.
“If you are going to offshore, get involved. Don’t just have them offshore and not be involved with the team.”
Her point is not to treat an offshore setup as a way to hand work over and forget about it. The team still needs to be part of the business.
“You need to involve them, have them part of your team like you would if they were in your office.”
For business leaders, that is a useful lesson. Building an offshore team is not just about finding people who can do the work. The way those people are brought into the business can shape how well the team works over time.
Why they stay with TGT
The original need was clear. Accru Hobart needed to fill a gap in its mid-level accountancy team.
But that is not the only reason Sarah would recommend TGT Global today.
She says:
“We’ve had a very positive experience hiring our staff through TGT. You’re very easy to deal with!”
She also points to the TGT Global operations team and the support they provide as the Accru Hobart team grows.
“The operations team is fabulous. They are very accommodating to our demands and needs for our team.”
That support matters because an offshore team still needs day-to-day care, support, and performance management.
Sarah says Accru Hobart has also had a positive experience with that side of the partnership:
“Regarding performance management and things like that, absolutely, no doubt I would recommend TGT.”
For Accru Hobart, the partnership has grown beyond the need that started it.
Build an offshore team that works as part of your business with TGT Global.
