An article in the latest issue of the FEI Canada´s F.A.R., sponsored by global recruiting firm Robert Walter, says that, according to the firm’s latest research, 77% of professionals are not looking for a new role because of concerns around job security in a new firm, and 80% put job security over pay, when considering a new role. Two thirds (64%) stated that job security is a concern (on varying scale) when considering a new role, while 13% admit that fears around new job security has stopped them from applying for a new role in its entirety.

A new report from Deloitte says that “sustainability performance can make or break deal making across regions, with more corporate leaders hesitant to pursue acquisitions with entities that have a poor environmental, social and governance (ESG) profile.”

The report, 2024 ESG in M&A Trends Survey: Rising Influence of ESG, found that more corporate leaders would pay a premium for a target with a strong ESG profile and seek a discount on a target with a weaker profile.

In January 2024, Deloitte surveyed 500 leaders at corporations with revenue of at least $500 million or PE funds of at least $1 billion in assets under management. Not-for-profit and public-sector organizations were excluded, and respondents were balanced between C-suite executives and senior- and mid-level managers. Ninety percent of respondents came from a corporate background, whereas PE leaders constituted 10%. Company size (in terms of annual revenue) was balanced while geographical representation centered on North America (34%), Europe and the Middle East (33%), and APAC (33%).

An article on the webpage of the Canadian Audit and Accountability Foundation points out that the adoption of artificial intelligence, blockchain and other technologies in government auditing presents certain challenges. “Obstacles include training auditors in new technologies, balancing automation and human judgment, and managing citizen and stakeholder expectations,” the article says. “There is reason to question how these challenges can influence public policy, while underlining the need for a cautious and thoughtful approach to integrating these powerful tools into public sector auditing practices.”

An article on the INSEAD Knowledge webpage, written by Luis Perera-Aldama, points out that, “in today’s business environment, where the insatiable desire to grow profits overshadows environmental and social interests, it is easy to overlook how the actions of economic actors can shape corporate – and environmental – outcomes.”   

He believes that “accounting reports could well be the means to achieve social balance by influencing the distribution of income, wealth and power – if we dare challenge their current architecture.”

With growing interest in the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, ESG (environment, social and governance) investing and impact investing, more companies are developing sustainability reports due to stakeholder pressure or to fulfil corporate social responsibilities (CSR). In practice, this typically involves including additional content on sustainability on top of conventional financial reports. But this is not enough, Perera-Aldama says. 

A recent article in WorkLife says that productivity anxiety is a growing drag on workplaces — and employees — as it is being experienced by more than 8 in 10 workers, nearly one-third of them plagued by such feelings multiple times a week. The article’s author, Tony Case, says “the problem is so pervasive it demands immediate attention from organizations aiming to foster a healthier, more productive work environment, according to the latest Global Human Workplace Index survey from Workhuman, a provider of human capital management (HCM) software solutions. “

As the cost of living continues to rise, Canadians are turning to artificial intelligence (AI) and digital platforms to help make more informed purchasing decisions by identifying cheaper alternatives to costly products and services, according to the latest EY Future Consumer Index.

"We’re seeing a shift towards independent consumerism, where people are actively seeking out information, making decisions and taking actions autonomously,” says Elliot Morris, EY Canada Grocery and Consumer Packaged Goods Leader. “With that, consumers are becoming more self-directed and tech-savvy in their shopping journeys – leveraging AI to discover savings and create convenience.”

An article in worklife, written by Hailey Mensik, notes that, “with several different generations in the current workforce, it can be tricky for workers find common ground across them, especially considering the range of each group’s lived experiences. And, while each generation certainly has different ideas about what they think is funny, using humor in the workplace can actually help bridge generational gaps and foster greater connection and belonging between seemingly non-like-minded people.”

In actuality, says Mensik, “laughter really is a great medicine — it stimulates organs like the heart and lungs and increases endorphins in the brain, which helps to relieve stress responses and soothe tension while lightening one’s mental load, according to the Mayo Clinic.”

A new article in FM Financial Management says that organizations are concerned about AI’s impact on the threat landscape, but less than half are conducting regular audits to secure their defenses, driving a cycle of burnout among employees. Author Steph Brown points out that, according to new research she is reporting on, emerging technologies continue to outpace organizations' tools to defend against new, complex cyberthreats.

The evolving landscape has increased the responsibilities of employees tasked to mitigate the risks, fueling burnout in overburdened teams, according to the Cybersecurity Assessment Report 2024, produced by Romanian software company Bitdefender.

A recent article in the Journal of Accountancy, written by Brian Strickland, says that five of the top 25 public accounting firms in the United States have struck deals with private equity over the past two-plus years, but the trend isn't limited to large firms.

Small firm owner Amber Goering, CPA, CGMA, teamed up with David Wurtzbacher, the founder and CEO of a private-equity-backed strategic partner for regional firms, and Gary Thomson, CPA, managing partner at Thomson Consulting, for a panel discussion, "The Journey to M&A: How Private Equity Is Impacting the Profession," earlier this month.

Thomson said he's busier than ever helping clients of all sizes assess whether private equity is right for them.

Is adopting an “antifragile” approach to risk the key to thriving through disruption and volatility? Does your organization have an ‘antifragile’ mindset? BDO’s 2024 Global Risk Landscape shows that almost half of global business leaders believe their organizations have an antifragile approach to risk. But only 7% said their organizations were “risk welcoming” and only 19% said they were very proactive when dealing with risk. Is there a gap between the antifragile aspiration and reality? 

According to the survey, “the more things change, the more they stay the same, as the old French saying goes. But not when it comes to risk. The more change takes place, the more risk that organizations face. And change is now happening at a faster and more frequent tempo than ever.”

The survey found that, “having mostly put COVID-19 in the rear-view mirror, businesses are experiencing déjà-vu, with supply chain risk back on the agenda amid rising global tensions. Attacks by Yemeni rebels mean cargo from Asia bound for Europe is being diverted around South Africa instead, adding weeks to journey times. Economic conditions also remain choppy, with organizations having to contend with inflationary pressures impacting production costs and their customers’ buying power.”

It adds that a wave of global elections is further adding to the uncertainty, particularly when it comes to regulation. “The pace of regulatory change has already quickened: organizations are often forced to comply with rules imposed not only by domestic regulators, but foreign ones too.”

For organizations to navigate this environment they must now be alive to the risks they face but agile enough to respond in a way that keeps their business moving forward. According to the survey. “Historically, most businesses have looked at risk in a negative way, as a threat to be minimized. But, in a time of constant change, they need to embrace risk to seek advantage if they want to avoid standing still. In other words, they need to view risk not as a threat, but as an opportunity.”

There can be opportunities for businesses to use risk to gain advantage and do social good, even in the most catastrophic of scenarios, the survey notes. “Consider the case of Hurricane Katrina. As it made landfall, government agencies couldn’t deploy resources and deliver supplies to stranded people, but companies like Walmart and Home Depot realized ahead of time that they could.

“Marshalling their people and stocking up on emergency supplies, these companies could see the opportunity within the risk to support local communities in their time of need. To adopt this mindset, businesses need to become more like downhill Olympic skiers. They need to be able to flow and adapt at speed and anticipate the challenges in their path to gain an advantage over their competitors. Those that don’t take this approach will come off worse for wear because they are too slow on their feet and can’t react fast enough.”

The survey also found that “the percentage of business leaders who see artificial intelligence as an opportunity for their organization dropped to 59% from 83% in 2023, possibly because of organizations trying to separate the hype from the reality and what it really means for their business.

"At first, everybody thought there was tons of opportunity with AI, but then people started getting into it and realized it's not as easy to implement because it's very overwhelming — there's just so much to do and so much to figure out," Kirstie Tiernan, data analytics practice leader,” said in the report.

Some organizations shelved their immediate AI plans once they began exploring its potential because they discovered they were not capable of using it.