ONE ENERGY FEED

What’s the difference between an economist and an accountant? The economist didn’t have enough personality to be an accountant.

Of course, this joke is funny because everyone knows that accounting is boring and thus, accountants are, too…right? Therefore, economists must be even worse!

Really, I just think the accounting industry has a branding issue. Why not call ourselves Scorekeepers? It would certainly make us sound more interesting. And in the end, keeping score is really what we’re doing. Capturing lots of data, nearly all in dollars, and spitting it out in some form of useful information that tells you something about your business. How much does it cost us to add a truck to our fleet of vehicles? How much should we charge for this new product? If we hire five new employees, what will that cost us “all in” (including all the benefits and taxes)? And the ever popular, “Did we make any money?”

The “art” of accounting, however, isn’t about answering those questions. It’s about presenting information in a way that is understandable, meaningful, useful, and valuable. Doing that requires a genuine understanding of your audience and a real appreciation for the fact that different audiences need different information presented in different ways. Different people in different positions will find different sets of information useful. The art of accounting is meeting the needs of your different audiences so that they, in turn, can make critical decisions that propel your organization forward. It’s the difference between reading the black and white box score in the sports section of the newspaper (boring!) and listening to a talented announcer describe the last play of the game as one team comes from behind to score in the last few seconds, pulling out an unbelievable win!

Accounting isn’t sexy. Well, not to most people. (Okay, honestly, not even to me.) But try thinking about any professional sporting event without the questions, “what’s the score?” or “who won?” crossing your mind. It’s like touching your nose with your elbow – you just can’t do it! (You can put your elbow down now.)

If you try thinking about financial statements or reports like a scorecard, perhaps they will be more interesting and maybe even less daunting! And if you think you need different information, more understandable information, or you don’t know how the information you’re getting applies to your job, then it’s probably time to have a conversation with your accountant. A good accountant will want to get you what you need, and a great accountant will find a way to make it interesting for you! I mean, we’re not economists, after all.

Anne Bain is the Head of Accounting at One Energy.

Learn more about Anne and the One Energy team.

Wind turbine construction jobs are not for the weak of heart. The long working hours and ever-changing whereabouts can trigger discord with work-life balance. Construction is also a risky business. Not only can these jobs take a toll on one’s home life, but they require physical activity beyond a typical desk job, as well as presence of mind each and every day. If you have an off day, the consequences can be fatal.

It’s common for construction companies to incentivize projects, to try to increase employee engagement and performance. With promotions, bonuses, and additional time off, there is encouragement to perform work ahead of schedule and under budget. While incentives may seem like a great answer, they can quickly create a perilous work environment of cutting corners and making decisions without logic. 

The pressure or longing to complete tasks quickly can often outweigh the necessity of completing tasks safely and correctly. The easy answer to combat this incentivized risk is to add checks and balances through third parties and/or in-house teams. While that is prudent and necessary, it doesn’t solve the entire problem. These checks and balances don’t always have the necessary authority, silos can develop, toxic work environments can fester, and all kinds of problems can arise.

So how do you combat mistakes and ensure safety, while enabling innovation? 

One Energy is the largest installer of on-site wind in the U.S. After several years of performing traditional construction management services, we strategically moved to self-perform all aspects of the construction process. (Meaning, we use in-house labor to install all civil, foundation, electrical, and erection work.) Over the last decade, we’ve learned that it is possible to innovate – to become faster, leaner, and more efficient – without incentivizing risk or sacrificing safety and/or quality.

Chelsea Bumb is the Head of Construction at One Energy.

Learn more about Chelsea and the One Energy team

 

In this series, One Energy employees share their stories of how they got here, and give career advice to others in their field. 

 

Throughout the series, we’ll introduce you to different team members spanning all types of roles in Wind for Industry – including project planning, engineering, construction, marketing, permitting, regulatory affairs, administration, accounting, and more.

 

Think you have what it takes to climb to the top? Learn more about careers at One Energy.

 

In this installment, you’ll hear from Carly Holter, a Senior Analyst at One Energy. Learn about Carly’s background, her role in planning Wind for Industry Projects, and why she chose this field.