The prominent disrupters that are acting as catalysts for this change are dominated by innovation and technology but are also influenced by the makeup of the incoming workforce. By itself, the universal presence of technology and inordinate volume of data exchanged is creating a tsunami of change. For example, 90 percent of the world’s data was created in the last two years alone. The addition of artificial intelligence, cognitive computing, robotics, and other automation tools are further transforming the workplace and the workforce by changing jobs that these technologies can automate.

This automation and robotics technology is disrupting the workforce by focusing the human workforce on more value-add activities, leaving the robots to complete manual and repetitive tasks. However, the generational and diversity differences in new talent, along with an explosion of contingent workers due to a virtual ecosystem and gig economy, have also started to change the status quo of the finance and accounting industry.

It is clear that the work being done is changing and it is likely that everyone in the future will be working alongside and in conjunction with smart machines and technologies. Just as artificial intelligence and robotics are integral to this evolving workforce, the intersection and alliance between people and machines are fundamental components for the future of work.

Talent is no longer just full and part-time employees. With the manifestation of the gig-economy, available talent has evolved to include contractors, gig workers, freelancers, and group efforts. Familiar roles such as full-time and part-time employees function alongside more open source talent, contractors, freelancers, and have shifted to outside problem-solving with crowd-sourcing and joint ventures.

It is estimated that 40 percent of the US workforce will be contingent by 2020 and organizations that can change to conform to that statistic will likely benefit from these new accounting talent options and see the value a contingent workforce brings to the organization.

Another player to enter the talent pool isn’t part of the human workforce—it is machines, and machines will eventually be just as much a part of the workforce as people. It is likely that everyone in the future will be working alongside and in conjunction with smart machines, many of which don’t yet exist.

Redesign work models, the organization structure, and the specifics of roles to transition to the future of work

Build a unique and positive work environment, a focus on engagement, a defined workplace culture, and competitive benefits to compete in the marketplace

Implement digital technology into the controllership function and form a digital team within the organization now

Leadership assessments and development, continuous career learning, and talent enrichment are contributing factors toward performance stability

The right combination of employees and contingent workers can enhance the value output within a team, contribute to an agile adoption of digital controllership, and enhance the performance of new technology

• Enable customized career paths focused on specific skill sets in the technology and accounting profession
• Develop capability-driven career management frameworks
• Determine curriculum gaps for crucial skills, per role and function and organize finance-specific education to support capabilities for different roles
• Provide transparent and flexible career paths and deliberate formal and informal development for talent

• Facilitate expansive professional development and growth opportunities
• Establish rotational programs across finance and throughout the organization to provide broad exposure to areas of finance and the overall business
• Support self-directed development and career planning with on-the-job activities and guidelines aligned to business priorities