CFO pay is rising steadily, but some finance chiefs are not happy with how their bonuses are determined. Median CFO compensation in 2012 increased 6% relative to 2010, according to the 2013 CFO Compensation Survey, which was released by the AICPA and Arizona State University on Monday. The largest compensation
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TOPICS / MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING
HR & talent management
Cultivating leadership
Most CPAs promoted to leadership positions get there because of their technical skills and professional prowess. In many cases, however, the same CPAs have not been prepared to act as leaders. The following steps show what employers can do to cultivate leadership skills. Emphasize business acumen, curiosity, and strategic sensibility
How can diversity be improved in the CPA profession?
Even as members of the recently created National Commission on Diversity & Inclusion work to improve opportunities for under-represented minorities in the CPA profession, they are reminded of just how much work needs to be done. During a panel discussion of commission members held Monday at the AICPA Council meeting,
CFOs most crave these 2 nonaccounting skills
General business knowledge and IT expertise are the nonaccounting skills CFOs in the United States are seeking most from finance and accounting job candidates, according to a new survey. One-third of 2,100 CFOs surveyed by specialized staffing service Accountemps said general business knowledge is the attribute or area of expertise
Time to recruit talent
Millions of Baby Boomers will leave their jobs in the next 10 to 12 years. This exodus of talent will place extraordinary pressure on every U.S. organization’s talent recruitment and retention efforts. Consider these strategies to help your organization compete in an unprecedented people cycle: Ensure your HR leadership
Economic optimism still neutral, but rising
Business executives are upbeat about their revenue and expansion plans in the next 12 months. But optimism about the U.S. economy remains lukewarm, according to the first-quarter AICPA Business & Industry Economic Outlook Survey. The CPA Outlook Index (CPAOI) rose seven points to 66—the second-highest CPAOI reading in the five
From CGMA Magazine: Boards are hungry for CFO talent
The appetite for CFOs to participate on corporate boards is increasing—a demand that, if met, could help not only companies, but also the financial professionals who end up in board roles. They stand to gain a new perspective on running an organization, plus general management experience and exposure to other
The talent drain: Good news for skilled workers, bad news for CFOs
CFOs are still concerned about talent, and that’s potentially good news for workers with specialized skills. Nearly 60% of U.S. CFOs consider it a challenge to find skilled financial professionals, according to a Robert Half International survey. Fifty-four percent said it was “somewhat challenging” to find skilled workers in finance,
The long-term effect of doing more with less: Doing less
Those who have worked for a company that struggled during the recent financial crisis know the scenario all too well: To cut costs, the business lays off workers. The survivors are grateful to keep their jobs and assume extra duties to keep things humming. Experts are now taking a closer
CPAs continue to forecast storms ahead for U.S. economy
Economic optimism, which started the year on an upswing, has fallen to a 12-month low, according to the latest AICPA Business & Industry U.S. Economic Outlook Survey, which was released Thursday. A big reason for the gloomier mood: Washington. “The overwhelming majority of comments this quarter focused on the fiscal
From CGMA Magazine: Developing the talent pipeline
During the past few years, as businesses have focused on surviving a rough economy, human capital development has largely been pushed to the back burner. Workers who survived rounds of layoffs have had more to do and less time to hone new skills or dream of that corner-office promotion. But
U.S. starting salaries in accounting and finance appear headed for an increase in 2013
U.S. accounting and finance starting salaries will rise in 2013 despite an uncertain economy, according to a recently published salary guide. Average starting salaries for corporate accounting employees in the United States are projected to increase between 2.7% and 4.5% compared with 2012, depending on the position and the size
Talent: A battle on two fronts
Finding the right talent—from knowledge industries such as pharmaceuticals to heavy industries such as industrial manufacturing—is a problem worldwide, despite a large, easily accessible pool of educated people. Forty-three percent of 1,200 global CEOs surveyed by PwC late last year said hiring workers had become more difficult. A quarter of
Sense of direction is critical to employee satisfaction
People like to know where they are going—and how they are going to get there. This sense of direction, path, and destination is just as important for employees in the workplace as it is for travelers on a journey, according to a new survey from temporary accounting, finance, and bookkeeping
From CGMA Magazine: New skills for an evolving profession
The corporate finance professionals who climb the value chain will be interpreters and collaborators, able to leverage data as a strategic asset while working across functions to solve problems and innovate. As the volume of information increases, they will play a critical role in determining the integrity of information and
Employers hiring managers from outside more often than promoting from within
Management job seekers in accounting and finance may need to get away from their current employers to get ahead in their careers. CFOs are filling management roles in their departments with candidates from outside the company far more often than they are promoting internal candidates, according to a new survey
Employers worry about top employees taking their talent elsewhere
Employers in some industries are having a hard time finding the right people to fill vacancies. Increasingly, they’re fretting about keeping the key talent they have. As the economy improves, organizations that are looking to grow or restock their ranks will compete aggressively for top-notch employees—and that could prove costly
What to expect from the Supreme Court ruling on health care reform
In the coming days, the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule on the constitutionality of portions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), P.L. 111-148. Whatever the justices conclude—whether they uphold the law, rule that Congress doesn’t have the power to require citizens and legal residents to
In pursuit of inclusion: New initiative will focus on racial diversity
Even as Ken Bouyer looks with pride at the progress Ernst & Young LLP has made in recruiting minority candidates over the past 20 years, he realizes that his profession’s work to promote ethnic and racial diversity is far from over. Bouyer, E&Y’s Americas director of Inclusiveness Recruiting, said that
Eight steps for implementing a technological overhaul
Author, venture partner, and consultant Geoffrey Moore made a pitch for a technological revolution Friday afternoon in the closing speech at the AICPA’s spring Council meeting. Consumer-facing business processes in professional services need to be re-engineered to accommodate the digital needs of clients and employees who already are using consumer
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