Companies readying themselves for the dynamic future of work are buying into remote work worldwide, according to the 2023 Remote Workforce Report. Decision makers across the globe are confident about this workforce model. Check out these stats:
The report makes it clear, however, that remote work comes with challenges. And while the model continues to grow, employees do begin to show preference for predictability during times of increased economic uncertainty.
Find the full Remote.com report at remote.com/remote-workforce-report.
New data released from Miami University reveals that students often set their perceptions of the accounting profession before college. Large barriers include perceptions of the field as uninteresting or boring, and that an accounting career requires longer hours than other business careers. Some also believe an accounting degree is harder to earn than other business majors. On the positive side, students generally agree accounting has ample employment opportunities, is intellectually challenging, and the career leads to a high lifetime earning potential.
Additionally, the Center for Audit Quality’s July 2023 report, Increasing Diversity in the Professional Pipeline, says: “Interest in accounting is most likely sparked before a student enters high school and peaks by the end of high school. Increasing opportunities for diverse groups of students to gain exposure to accounting prior to college will help not only in increasing diversity across the accounting talent pipeline but also in increasing the number of accounting majors overall.”
Understanding student views and opinions can inform the profession on where to focus initiatives encouraging accounting careers. To reach high schoolers before they make college decisions, CPAs can speak at high schools through our CPAs in the Classroom program (vscpa.com/CPAsintheClassroom). Employers can implement high school internships or learning programs (see page XX for how). High school accounting teachers can guide students to accounting careers, and college accounting faculty must actively engage students during early career selection.
A quarter of LGBTQ+ young adults go back into the closet after starting work, according to Positive Futures, a report from charity Just Like Us. Sponsored by Deloitte, the report reveals the reality many LGBTQ+ people face in their careers: 49% ‘rarely or never’ feel close to other people and 48% are not confident they’ll have a career they enjoy.
There are ways CPAs can help LGBTQ+ employees feel welcomed and supported at work. Here are a few:
The report is full of more data and suggestions for employers. Find it at tinyurl.com/LGBTQPositiveFutures.
Today, eight out of 10 accounting firms are offering nontraditional services, according to the 2023–2024 Marketing Budget Benchmark Study from the Association for Accounting Marketing and Hinge Research Institute. High-growth firms report an annual growth rate of 29% — up to five times that of their slower growing peers.
What are the keys to growth amidst uncertain business environments? Digital maturity, digital marketing, and workplace culture. “Firms across the board are offering nontraditional services like ‘business consulting’ and ‘advisory’, which can be delivered by non-CPA talent. High-growth firms, in particular, plan to bump up their budget for product development in a bid to diversify those offerings even further — a strategy to address the talent shortage and leverage existing talent,” said Hinge managing partner Lee Frederiksen, Ph.D.
Check out other revealing data at https://tinyurl.com/23-24AMBStudy.
