You’re wrong, Elon! Home working isn’t morally wrong – especially for accountants 

Do accountants really need to be back in the office?

Not with flexible arrangements more conducive for mental health, and the sheer volume of time being saved without long and tiresome commutes.

How did this come about? The pandemic of course, and its impact on accountancy has been particularly seismic.

According to (MineralTree), only 31% of accounting and finance professionals have returned to the office full-time since the pandemic first started.

However, despite several glowing ticks for staying home, big chiefs are starting to raise concerns, namely, a certain Elon Musk, who recently claimed remote working to be ‘morally wrong’.

Is he right? The core of his argument was the unfairness against people who can’t do their work from home – why should you be enjoying such arrangements if they can’t?

The fact is, accountancy is tailor-made for the remote world, because let’s be honest, so long as you have access to the internet and accountancy software, you’re all set!

Let’s further explore some of the amazing benefits from working away from the rigmarole of a conventional office.

Access to a wider range of opportunities

Financial management is a global endeavour, stretching well beyond local businesses who simply require someone to keep their books ticking along.

If you really want to grow in this industry, you need to keep your options wide and diverse, and that’s simply not possible if you’re locked within the logistical confines of your own town.

As we’re focusing on accountancy, lets crunch the numbers.

There are over 1,099,751 accountants in USA alone, and with certain publications advocating a change in role every 1-3 years, there will frequently be accountancy jobs up for grabs across the pond.

Also consider the disparity in wages depending on the country your work is based.

In Switzerland, accountants can fetch up to $103,970, whereas Canadian businesses pay on average $40,600.

And think about how this also benefits the employer.

Why hire someone because it’s easy for them to commute into work? – first and foremost, hiring should be made to enhance your business, regardless of where people are based.

It’s simply better for well-being

Sorry, Elon! Accountants aren’t working from home because it’s the ‘easy option’.

Working from home can unlock productivity levels previously considered unthinkable, what with numerous distractions eliminated, the general well-being boost you get without lengthy commutes, and far longer periods spent with loved ones.

Is it such a crime to forge a career whilst also maintaining a strong and prosperous home life? – we’re all human after all.

Autonomy and control also spring to mind, it soon becomes easier to develop a system for work that fits your style best.

Navigating tax returns and audits can be an arduous journey, accompanied by looming deadlines that lead to late nights and weekend commitments at the office, coupled with a substantial dose of stress. However, envision a different scenario – the comfort of your own home, a serene environment where you have the power to curtail the staggering statistic that reveals 55% of accountants who suffer with stress and burnout.

Again, let’s again flip this around for the employer – happier accountants mean less turnover.

Only last year, it was reported that staff attrition in accountancy rose to 17.89% compared to 14.69% in 2021.

Leveraging cloud technology 

Working remotely means switching to cloud technology is a must, rather than a ‘nice to have’

This is a good thing.

For starters, software will be regularly updated for you, keeping accountants working with the very latest technology in what’s an ever-changing legal landscape.

It can also present limitless opportunity.

So long as your software has unlimited usage, accountants are permanently equipped to scale alongside your business.

Such capabilities could prove essential when co-editing Excel spreadsheets, as cloud products can offer secure portals to edit and exchange documents multiple times internally and with clients – if everyone else hops onto the digital train, they too can access this anywhere, providing widespread, instantaneous visibility.

Don’t be too late to the party! Right now, 54.4% of finance and accounting records are being stored in the cloud.

This keeps accountants happy and helps you scale – what’s not to like?

Take your accountancy into the cloud with Workiro 

Workiro is a next-gen cloud content management app, developed for the fast-paced, diverse, and ultimately, remote working culture so widely prevalent around the world.

To learn more, drop an email to our president, David Owen – [email protected]

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