The booming number of accounting and financial service firms that offer hybrid and remote work enable women in accounting careers to take greater charge of their working and personal lives. With the old concept of 9-to-5 being replaced by flexible working, women can juggle office and personal responsibilities more effectively.
As accountancy firm, Accounts and Legal, state, “The traditional view of accountants tied to their desks, wading through endless spreadsheets and impenetrable accounting software apps is rapidly fading. That view is replaced with specialists in forecasting, compliance, management accounting and other roles, all adding high value to their business.”
As the old ways of working fade, so do the old boys’ networks as the glass ceiling continues to crack, with women proving their worth and value in the upper echelons of business. And they do so more on their own terms, able to work from home, the gym or coffee shop or on business travel trips, just as much as those in more creative professions and executive roles can.
As this operational landscape changes, firms are making greater use of accounting expertise of any gender across wider parts of their business.
The changing accounting landscape for women
Post-COVID and with the rise of cloud-based business applications, the fast-changing work environment is one where professionals can wrangle the children, medical appointments, pets and the joys of puppy care, pressing personal engagements, and other events as part of the working day.
Flexing and stretching their hours as needed, women accountants are now shaking off some old and bad habits, like refusing to take their holiday allowance, Instead, they can collaborate on intranets and through project management tools to remain in touch and on schedule wherever they are, while delivering key figures and analysis in virtual meetings.
This flexibility also enables women leaders to mentor and train their staff, remain in touch across tricky projects, or work synchronously or asynchronously with global teams, all while focused on their main role, and delivering excellence.
Reporting is also moving on from static reports to business dashboards that show their financial progress and situation, live or day-by-day. Women are better positioned to query, challenge and suggest improvements in the meetings that discuss them in more gender-equal organizations.
Through flexible working, women accountants with growing confidence can challenge the office status quo, and have their voices, analysis and opinions heard better in meetings. Through cloud working, there are fewer places for old-fashioned or misogynist male colleagues to hide, and goals, successes and opportunities are all more visible to women.
A brighter future for women accountants
With a more equitable and balanced working life, women accountants are now in a better position to demonstrate their success, and win a greater share of the chief financial office (CFO) and chief information office (CIO) roles in a business, then rising to CEO.
Take Francesca Lagerberg, for example, a tax specialist who became the first female global CEO of advisory firm, Baker Tilly in 2022. Many accountants might just use hybrid working for an easier and better-balanced life, but for those with the drive, it means they can excel in business without sacrificing a home, family or personal life.
Some accounting industry predictions for 2025 include a greater focus on digital-first skills, advisory and value-added work, plus the rise of AI.
All of which will further help even the playing field for women accountants, and those who can extract business-boosting insights will be the best placed for greater responsibility, merit increases and senior roles.
Whatever the role, women accountants (and other genders) no longer have to fit in with the men, or meet a certain type of definition to fit in with a business. Hybrid and flexible working empower everyone to deliver their best work, whether they are early risers or night owls, and get recognized through their contributions in the open court of digital reporting.
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio via Pexels.