Analysts noted an increase in non-job responsibilities among accountants

The accounting profession has undergone drastic changes: from a specialist in accounting and reporting, he has turned into an integrator of business processes, forced to constantly explore new related areas. These conclusions were reached by analysts of the Finlid service from Tochka Bank, who studied the needs and challenges faced by modern specialists.

According to a study by analysts, the vast majority of accountants (9 out of 10) regularly perform tasks that go far beyond their traditional responsibilities. The area of responsibility now includes personnel issues, legal support, implementation of IT services, financial planning and communication with inspection authorities. 80% of respondents confirm that the role of an accountant has changed significantly in recent years.

"There is clearly a demand in the profession to improve working conditions and develop communication skills. And the lack of such skills is directly related to a large number of non—core tasks and chronic stress," said Anton Sizov, director of the Finlid service.

The main reasons for the transformation were digitalization and stricter regulatory requirements. The threshold for entry into digital tools has decreased, and their configuration is often entrusted to accountants as the best experts in business processes. At the same time, mistakes became more expensive, which naturally increased the stress level. 75% of professionals report chronic stress, and 38% experience signs of professional burnout.

"Accountants are increasingly looking for new communication formats. Today, they are involved in strategic planning, process control, and even set the rules of the game in negotiations with clients. And more and more specialists are trying to get out of the role of a "quiet" performer — to confidently conduct a dialogue in negotiations, defend borders, and not be afraid to talk about raising prices for their services or salaries," Sizov said.

There was a whiff of gray: a third more illegally employed workers were identified in the Russian Federation

Why is their number growing and what risks does it carry?

Accountants cite high workload and irregular schedule (66%), high cost of error (62%), as well as frequent changes in legislation (53%) as key stress factors. At the same time, 83% feel undervalued by management and customers.

Despite the increased workload and stress, 67% of professionals still enjoy their work. To succeed in the profession, accountants of the future, in their opinion, must first of all have flexibility, stress tolerance and analytical thinking. The possession of IT tools and artificial intelligence has moved from the category of advantages to a basic necessity.

In addition, almost half of the respondents (46%) periodically think about changing their career path. The most attractive alternatives for them are their own business, data analytics, and financial consulting.

"AI will definitely change the way accounting works today. There were similar changes after the advent of computers in the 1990s and the Internet in the noughties. Now government agencies are moving to a more technological approach, using AI for online inspections of companies. This means that there will be no fewer accountants — on the contrary, accounting will only become more complicated with the development of technology," Sizov summed up.

Earlier, on August 15, Anna Saigina, an expert at the Professions of the Future Center, named six serious mistakes in an interview with Izvestia that could destroy the chances of job offers. She told us what mistakes applicants make most often during an interview. So, among the main mistakes, she named lateness and ignoring calls.