CAREER & DEVELOPMENT
ACCOUNTING 2.0? YES, PLEASE!
Progressive computerization of accounting is not able to change three phenomena: the beauty of the accounting profession, the importance of a personal signature under a document, and the need for a human perspective on data, from which only a person is able to deduce potential business opportunities and threats. Robotisation and automation, artifi cial intelligence, big data, crypto-cur rencies, blockchain, behavioural accounting – these, increasingly often, are concepts related to the reality of account ants, and not the subject of scientific research or futurist dilemmas. These phenomena are permanently changing the reality of work of accounting depart ments all over the world, both in-house teams of individual companies and compa nies providing financial and accounting services. Behind these changes are the global trends of the digital transition we are witnessing. The effect of progres sive computerisation of social and economic life is, among other things, legis lative changes that are trying to keep up with reality (a clear manifestation of which is the recently growing production of legal acts of the highest rank, as shown by our “Legal Barometer” at Grant Thornton). We all feel the changes, for example in the form of solutions such as e-returns or – in other sectors – e-prescriptions. The fact that more and more activities take place automatically or remotely is not changing the fact that we still need a human being in all of this.
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THE PROFESSION OF AN ACCOUNTANT? EXCITING AND ONLY FOR THE BEST! What I find most exciting about accounting right now is its interdisci plinarity and dynamics. So different from the stereotypical perception of the accounting profession. In order to perform their tasks well, an accountant must know not only about finance, but also know how to interpret economic phenomena, individual documents and data accurately, and then draw conclu sions, create visions and see the conse quences. No machine can do that. Here you need both experience and a kind of intuition, apart from thorough knowl edge of course. In the background, it turns out that knowledge in the area of computer science, data analysis and presentation also becomes critical. The work of Accountant 2.0 is not a profession for everyone – only for outstanding individuals. It requires constant development and broadening of knowledge in various fields, together with the constantly changing legal and economic environment. It requires
resistance to stress and assertiveness to resist various pressures. Finally, it requires knowledge of modern tech nologies and work tools. But that is not all. Soft skills are also needed to commu nicate effectively with internal and external clients. This really is work for the best only. And it is well rewarded! So far away from being a bookkeeper, but getting closer and closer to establishing fundamental support for management boards and owners of companies, often operating on global markets. Advanced technology cannot take jobs away from accountants. Naturally, more and more standard and simple operations can be automated, turned into algorithms. Certainly, over time, as artificial intelligence develops, auto mation will continue. However, it is still a human being who has to design these systems, regularly update their settings, check the requirements and control their correct operation. And it is a human being who must ultimately make decisions and take responsibility for them by signing documents with their own signature.
Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020
