By Carey Swan

Check your letterbox or head online to read the October/November issue of Acuity magazine, out now.

Our cover story features an interview with International Accounting Standards Board chair Andreas Barckow. Acknowledging that financial reporting standards are the backbone of financial systems, he discusses the post-implementation reviews underway for IFRS 9 (measuring financial assets), IFRS 15 (revenue and cash flow) and IFRS 16 (recognising assets and liabilities for leases) – and how the new standards have been received worldwide.

For our New Zealand members: the External Reporting Board (EXB) is hosting Barckow in New Zealand from 23–29 November and will be holding a number of virtual and in-person events. Keep an eye out on the EXB events page for details.

In this issue, we also consider where we’ll find the next generation of accountants. Although remuneration can be generous, accounting has a reputation for dull work and long hours. Has this had an impact on young people enrolling in university degrees that lead to a career in accounting? And what can be done to make the profession more attractive?

On the topic of long hours, the incidence of burnout in the accounting profession is well documented, and the need to meet client deadlines can lead to overtime that may affect employee wellbeing. Should accountants still expect to work a certain amount of overtime? How can you tell if the extra hours are really a case of a mismatch between the work and your capabilities? In this tight labour market, are there ways we can work more efficiently?

As an individual, significant changes in life can be the impetus to reflect and take stock, and that’s also true in business. The pandemic was the stimulus for many firms and companies to truly embrace digital and upgrade their technology accordingly. However, as many of us know, software implementation rarely goes to plan… We quiz the experts on how to make your next software implementation project a success.

And talking about progress, in this issue Acuity magazine interviews five chartered accountants about their experiences of parental leave – good and bad. It’s an inspiring story of what has gone before and just how far we have come.

Read these stories and many more in the current issue of Acuity.