Finance Innovation Survey 2021 - How Swiss Finance Executives are Building Resilience Through Innovation in Finance - Deloitte
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Finance Innovation Survey 2021 How Swiss Finance Executives are Building Resilience Through Innovation in Finance
Foreword 01 Over summer/autumn 2020, 41 Finance executives across all industries helped us shed light on the enablers for Finance to build 02 resilience. We aimed to delve into the effectiveness of digital Finance, the new skill sets required to make use of advancing technologies and how organisations have adapted their talent 03 sourcing as well as overall organisational setup. Markus Zorn, Roderik Olde Kalter, Partner Senior Manager 04 While our previous studies from 2017 and 2019 revealed that Finance Finance & Performance Finance Strategy recognised the need to further enhance its strategic role to drive Lead Switzerland Switzerland decision-making, this year’s results confirm that in unprecedented times 05 Finance is even more essential to help steer businesses. We see shifts not only in Finance’s portfolio of activities towards 06 profitability and environmental analyses but also in a big appetite to automate repetitive processes and deploy advanced technologies in order 07 to dedicate the focus where it is most needed: providing business insights. Thus, organisations are in the process of acquiring technological skills, both through providing training to the workforce and hiring data scientists. We hope that this report will provide you with valuable reflections on the evolution of Finance and we look forward to continuing the dialogue with you. 2
Contents 01 02 01 Executive summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 05 Finance Organisation Resilience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 03 02 Changing Role of Finance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 06 Survey demographics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 04 03 Digital Finance and Enabling Technology . . . . . . 10 07 Contacts and Authors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 05 06 04 Finance Talent Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 07 3
01 Executive summary 01 Finance is experiencing two key driving forces: firstly, the increasing expectation that it should generate insights that help the business navigate 02 turbulent times. Secondly, cost pressure, which is creating a big appetite for further standardisation and digitisation. 03 How have Finance organisations been provide trainings in digital capabilities. The adapting to the external turmoil? comparison of required skills versus currently Finance executives aim to digitalise processes available skills shows a clear gap though. Therefore 04 effectively, thereby freeing up time to produce it can be questioned whether self-study (which accurate business insights to steer the business. 70% of respondents rely on), will suffice to build Hence, particularly technologies, such as data new capabilities? We believe that holistic Finance 05 visualisation, Robotic Process Automation (RPA), training programmes, covering both technical and Cloud computing and AI have gained further behavioural skills, will gain further popularity in traction. Advanced analytics turns out to be order to truly upskill people. the most trending technology though, as 81% 06 of respondents indicate that they will be using While most Finance organisations benefit from it in 2022. Automation remains a key priority some degree of centralisation, there still is for Finance organisations, which reflects in the considerable room to improve both efficiency 07 ambition of executives to automate at least 50% of and operational resilience: more than 20% of all repetitive activities in two years’ time. organisations do not yet have Shared Services in place. Only 15% of organisations benefit from Along with these changes, today’s talent needs centralisation of higher-skilled activities in a Center to be tech-savvy, which is why nearly 50% of of Excellence: we believe this offers significant executives have started recruiting data science opportunities specifically for Business Controlling graduates. At the same time, Finance organisations and FP&A. 4
02. Changing Role of Finance 01 Finance executives Summary face even more The survey results found that: 02 pressure to improve efficiency, while in • 90% of respondents see Finance as the key provider of information for managerial • While cyclical Finance processes remain focus activities in the Finance portfolio, profitability and environmental analyses 03 parallel new specialist decision-making, another are gaining importance, which can 04 capabilities need to 76% even see Finance as the be explained by this year’s economic main provider for operational turbulence that may have made be developed to cope decision making organisations rethink their focus areas 05 with recent business turbulence • 47% to 32% Finance spent on Operational Finance to decrease significantly in just two 06 years time 07 • 34% to 47% This will allow Finance to increase their Business Finance capacity 5
Changing Role of Finance The trend to drive efficiencies in operational Finance to better support strategy execution is strengthened by recent market turbulence 01 Continuation of shifting from Operational to Business Finance 02 100% 47% of Finance function capacity will be spent on Business Finance while 80% Trend towards Business Finance continues 03 capacity in Operational Finance is decreased. 60% In line with last year’s results, in which 87% of 47% 47% Finance executives predicted a strategic focus shift 04 from Operational to Business Finance, respondents 40% 34% 32% indicate an intended capacity shift. The same capacity that is spent on Operational Finance 20% 19% 21% today will be spent on Business Finance in the 05 near future. 0% Business Operational Specialised This trend has been visible over the last decade. 06 Finance Finance Finance What is striking today is the speed at which Finance Today In two years executives are planning to shift: an anticipated capacity increase from 34% to 47% in Business 07 Figure 1. W hat percentage of capacity is dedicated to the Finance in just two years’ time is something that following activities? clearly stands out from previous years’ outlooks. Single choice It is clear that unprecedented circumstances are forcing Finance executives to speed up their transformational agendas. 6
Changing Role of Finance The changing role of Finance from an operator to a business advisor is reflected in a shifting activity focus 01 Finance activity portfolio has been experiencing shifts 02 27% Pricing optimisation 68% 59% 12% Environmental analysis 42% of survey respondents highlight 03 Activities with greater focus in two years 44% Customer profitability analysis that they aim to have customer 68% Non-cyclical, calendar-based activities have 29% Supply chain optimisation profitability analysis in their 51% become increasingly important 46% Channel profitability analysis 61% Finance activity portfolio. 54% Project management 66% 63% Finance executives continue to assign the highest 04 Risk management 76% priority to cyclical activities, such as forecasting 59% Operations optimisation 68% and demand planning and budgeting. However, 76% Capital allocation/investment it is striking that compared to our study from 05 85% 63% Product profitability analysis 71% 2019, increasing attention is being paid to M&A 27% Real estate management 32% advisory, project management and supply chain 39% Supplier/contract management 44% optimisation. Comparing the current with the Workforce planning/compensation 29% 32% portfolio in two years’ time, the respondents 06 Working capital mmgt 73% 76% indicate that profit and environmental analyses M&A advise 73% 73% are activities they expect to focus more on in the same/less focus 07 Activities with 73% years ahead. in two years SG&A cost optimisation 71% Forecasting and demand planning 88% 78% Budgeting and planning 83% 98% This shift is in line with the economic stress Standard performance reporting 73% 90% that emerged from COVID-19: organisations are 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% required to strongly re-focus on profitability, Today In two years requiring more advanced customer and pricing strategies and/or cost efficiency measures. Figure 2. Indicate which of the following services your Finance organisation currently provides and how you expect it will look in 2 years’ time? Multiple choice 7
Changing Role of Finance Finance recognises its role as key information provider for managerial decision- making, and increasingly also for operational decision-making 01 Finance drives decision-making more than ever before Finance as key driver for operational decision-making 02 90% 75% of Finance executives assert It is becoming common of Finance executives assert Supporting role for that Finance is perceived that Finance is perceived 03 to see Finance as the operational decision- as the primary source for enabler of decision- as the primary source making management decision- making for operational decision- making. making. Three quarters of Finance 04 While in our previous executives state that 100% 100% study, 73% of respondents Finance drives operational 80% confirmed that Finance is 80% decision-making. This score is 05 68% perceived as the primary surprisingly high considering 60% 60% source for decision-making, 60% that not all functions 40% the increased percentage 40% generally have access 06 in this year’s study shows to Finance data besides 22% that Finance executives are 15% standard reports. It shows 20% 20% 15% 8% of the opinion that they 10% that Finance executives place 2% have further strengthened the bar quite high in terms 07 0% 0% Strongly agree Agree Neither agree Disagree Strongly Strongly agree Agree Neither agree Disagree Strongly nor disagree disagree their position. nor disagree disagree of the value they intend to provide to the organisation. Figure 3. P lease indicate to what extent you agree with the Figure 4. P lease indicate to what extent you agree with the It also places demands on following statement: “Business relies on Finance following statement: “Business relies on Finance their capabilities in terms of as its primary source of insight for management as its primary source of insight for operational state-of-the-art reporting decision-making”? decision-making”? Single choice Single choice solutions, data quality and people skills. 8
02 Case study: Vision for Future Finance 01 Setting the strategic direction for a future Finance organisation that delivers increased value to the business, while operating at a structurally lower cost level 02 Challenges Key features Outcomes • Cost of Finance was significantly • Insight in cost performance 03 higher than peer group of and demonstrated the urgency similar size/in similar industry to improve 04 • Lack of a strategic direction for Finance benchmark Finance vision Strategic roadmap • Agreement on a vision for Finance, causing misalignment • Client’s Finance cost and • Defined a clear vision • 3-year strategic Finance, setting the strategic of improvement initiatives direction for improvements FTE levels relative to statement for Finance roadmap on which the 05 and suboptimal outcomes of revenues were compared that framed the strategic improvement initiatives projects • A roadmap to steer the against peers of same direction for the next have been prioritised improvement programme, while size and in same industry 3 years and sequenced • Lack of standardisation in ensuring rapid realisation of 06 processes and reporting caused • Data from Deloitte’s • A high-level assessment • Prioritised quick wins benefits duplication of work, carried out proprietary of current pain points, in year 1 to ensure across various locations in high- benchmarking leveraging Deloitte’s early demonstration of 07 cost countries database was used, standard Finance success and self-fund the containing thousands of taxonomy improvement programme organisations globally • A list of specific improvement initiatives to move towards the vision for Finance 9
03. Digital Finance and Enabling Technology 01 Innovating to Summary The responses show that: 02 shape new • Enhanced insights and cost efficiencies are the main triggers to implement • Planning & forecasting is not yet leveraging the full potential of currently 03 finance technology available technologies, which provides companies with an opportunity to • AI/machine learning, advanced structurally improve planning & 04 analytics and data visualisation are seen as the technologies with the forecasting accuracy and planning & forecasting process efficiency biggest potential 05 • 64% of executives surveyed state that more than half of their processes will be automated 06 by 2022, either through ERP or Robotic Process Automation 07 10
Digital Finance and Enabling Technology Better insights and cost reduction are the main drivers for implementing new technology; a large majority succeeds in achieving these goals 01 Anticipated benefits achieved by investing in new technology A large majority of respondents indicate that their investments in technology have delivered the anticipated benefits 02 82% 76% of survey respondents rank Better business insights of respondents say that Three quarters of executives 03 the enhancement of the implementation of and cost reduction are the claim that their investments insights as the main driver technologies has delivered major reasons for investing in technology have delivered for implementing technology. in new technology. The first the anticipated benefits. the anticipated benefits. 04 enables Finance to provide While this is a convincing 4 .8 enhanced strategic support score, it is still striking that 5 to the Business, whereas Delivered even 3% a quarter of respondents 05 further benefits 4 the latter links back to did not realise a favourable 3 .5 increasing automation efforts ROI. This goes to show that (see subsequent pages investing in technology 3 2 .5 Delivered the 73% 06 2 .2 2 .0 for details). anticipated benefits alone will not always bring 2 the anticipated benefits. It needs to be a thoughtfully 1 0 .2 Did not deliver the 24% planned exercise that is 07 anticipated benefits 0 supporting a clear set of Better Cost Customer Regulatory Employee Because insight reducation satisfaction requirements satisfaction others do 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% business objectives. Figure 5. W hat are the reasons for implementing Figure 6. D id the technologies you invested in over the technology in your Finance organisation? past years deliver the anticipated benefits to Ranking from 5 (most important) to your Finance organisation? 0 (least important) Single choice 11
Digital Finance and Enabling Technology AI/machine learning, advanced analytics and data visualisation are considered the most promising technologies for Finance 01 Significant ambitions to make further and new use of technologies 02 3 4 out respondents aim to use 03 Digitisation within Finance is widely spread, with of six key technologies by 2022. differences between the particular technologies 04 100% Currently the most frequently used technologies are Interactive data visualisation, followed by Robotic Process Automation and 81% cloud computing (44% each) as well as process mining and data 80% 76% 76% 76% 73% 73% science (39% each). Looking towards 2022, these technologies will 05 63% 61% 56% gain further popularity. 60% 44% 39% 44% 39% It is interesting to see that Finance executives’ ambitions are high. 06 40% These scores indicate that approximately 75% of respondents will 27% 24% 20% 20% 22% 22% be launching improvement initiatives in the areas of advanced 17% 17% 07 20% 12% analytics, data visualisation, RPA, data science, cloud computing 5% 5% 7% 0% 2% and AI/machine Learning. Also process mining and cognitive 0% science are expected to have a significant take-up in the next Advanced Interactive Robotic Data science Cloud AI and Process Cognitive Blockchain analytics data Process computing machine mining science two years. visualisation Automation learning As in last year’s survey, blockchain is not yet expected to be widely Two years ago Today In two years used. This is not to say that there is no potential in blockchain, it Figure 7. W hich of the following technologies have you deployed in your Finance organisation 2 years is just that the number of blockchain use cases for the Finance ago, today and in 2 years’ time? function is limited to date. There are promising pilots in regard to Multiple choice intercompany eliminations. But these are still in the early stage. 12
Digital Finance and Enabling Technology There is considerable potential for further automation of processes and enhancement of planning, budgeting & forecasting 01 Planning & forecasting is to a large extent not yet leveraging available technologies 02 56% of Finance organisations still use only historical financial data 03 for their planning and forecasting processes. Only half of the organisations use business drivers for their planning & forecasting 04 We see that planning & forecasting capabilities We typically look at historical financial figures and extrapolate for the next year based on market expectations from business/controllers 27% largely do not yet utilise available technologies to improve forecast accuracy (e.g. predictive We look at historical financial data and relevant (historical) non-financial data 29% analytics based on both internal and external 05 sources in combination with market expectations from business/controllers data). In addition, the link between budget/ We use straightforward driver-based models for some of our plans/forecasts, forecast and strategic objectives is not always mainly based on historical internal data and market expectations from 06 12% business/controllers clearly established. Both leave considerable scope for Finance to support the achievement of We analyse business drivers and look at correlations between internal+external 17% financial and non-financial data for some items of our financial statement business objectives. Business drivers and correlations between internal+external financial & non- 07 financial data are structurally analysed and embedded in our planning processes 15% for our entire financial statement We have a fully linked and integrated Enterprise Data Model, which is linked to our strategic and financial plans, allowing all business users to access real-time, forward-looking data for all decision making 0% 20% 40% 60% Figure 8. H ow do you use data to support your financial planning & forecasting? Single choice 13
Digital Finance and Enabling Technology Automation of Finance processes is expected to experience a continued upward trend 01 Automation of Finance processes is expected to experience a continued upward trend 02 60% 89% of Finance executives indicate that 03 their organisation has automated Big appetite for automation of at least 26% of their Finance Finance processes 44% processes today. 42% 04 40% 64% of respondents reveal their intention to have 37% at least half of Finance processes automated by 2022. This level of automation will generate 29% untapped efficiencies and support Finance’s focus 05 on insight generation. 20% 20% 06 10% 10% 7% 07 2% 0% 75% automated automated automated automated automated Today In two years Figure 9. W hat (approximate) percentage of your Finance processes do you expect to have automated in 2 years? 14 Multiple choice
03 Case study: Predictive planning and forecasting 01 Analysis of business drivers for driver-based modelling and enhanced visualisation allowed accelerated decision-making 02 Multinational beverage company Key features Outcomes Challenges • Increased forecasting accuracy: 03 achieved 99.6% accuracy in full- • Lack of transparency due to year unit sales forecasting (1st business complexity, unclear year of 2-year horizon for full 04 accountability & unstructured Predictive Analytics Visualisation Socialisation and company) reporting & Driver Analysis Transition Management • Provided executives with • Limited analytical capabilities • Identified key drivers • Supplemented forecast • Drove consistency 05 and analysed their baseline and process & transparency by transparency into the drivers of resulting in lack of business the Business and corresponding relation to P&L changes with more producing consistent insights and understanding of financial impact dynamic & flexible results from forecasts, variance drivers • Leveraged statistical reporting standard reports, and 06 regression and driver- • Enabled better and quicker • Varying degrees of forecast structured routines based modelling • Enhanced visualisation decision-making in order to accuracy and inconsistent methodology for scenario approach to predict to help drive better • Provided Route to enhance future performance 07 business direction business decisions Market profit visibility planning to support performance • Defined and management and implemented enhanced accountability margin analytics • Developed visibility into revenue streams and opportunities for increased margins 15
04. Finance Talent Management 01 Summary New Finance will The responses show that: 02 increasingly require new skills: both • Technological acumen, in particular data science skills, are currently not • 42% s tate that the hiring of data science graduates 03 technological and yet widely present among Finance is increasing personnel, even though they are behavioural considered important • Although a great emphasis is put on 04 technological capabilities, only 36% of • 59% of Finance executives say that they are increasingly recruiting Finance/Accounting graduates executives indicate that they updated Finance job profiles within the last year 05 with an affinity for technology 06 07 16
Finance Talent Management Technological Finance skills are being challenged by a shifted focus on strategic decision-making and technological acumen 01 Gap exists between skills that are deemed important and those available in the talent pool 02 32% With of respondents claiming that the capability to drive strategic only decisions is very pronounced at their organisation, there is a Finance needs to address current gaps in skills 03 critical gap to be closed. The capabilities related to analytical skills and 100% 2% strategic decision-making are ranked highest in 04 7% importance, but it is striking that the current talent 22% pool does not seem to fully meet these capability 80% 32% requirements. Considering the evolution of the role of Finance and the importance for Finance 05 44% 34% 60% 54% to take on a strategic advisory role, it will become 19% imperative for organisations to focus on building 98% 91% 44% people’s capabilities and/or (re-)hiring. 06 40% 74% 63% 20% 51% 46% 44% 20% 32% 07 19% 19% 0% Analytical Driving strategic Project Technological Data skills decisions management acumen/awareness science Importance of skills Presence of skills Highly/very important Moderately important Highly/very present Moderately present Figure 10. P lease indicate how important the mentioned skills are and to what extent they are already present in your Finance organisation. 17
Finance Talent Management Behavioural skill requirements have been changing in terms of versatility 01 Change resilience appears to be a skill that has gained importance but is only moderately present in most organisations 02 61% of Finance executives state that change resilience is present in their Finance organisation to a limited extent only. While commercial acumen turns out to be 03 a relatively distinct skill, there is further optimisation potential for the remaining 100% 2% behavioural skills 04 7% 14% 20% 22% 17% Across the board, behavioural skills are considered 80% 15% 32% 17% quite important. Commercial acumen is the skill that is most prominent in Finance organisations, 05 44% 34% 60% 54% 59% 24% improvements can be made in change resilience, 61% 44% 19% 42% communication and influence, people and team 98% 84% 91% 44% development and advisory skills. Communication, 06 40% 78% 76% 74% 73% 63% 71% influence and advisory skills should receive 20% 46% 47% 51% particular attention, as these are considered 44% 20% 32% 29% 29% 29% key skills for effectively challenging and steering 07 22% 19% 19% the business. 0% Change Analytical Communication Driving strategic PeopleProject and team Commercial Technological Advisory Data resilience skills anddecisions influence development management acumen acumen/awareness skills science Importance Importanceof ofskills skills Presence Presenceof ofskills skills Highly/veryimportant Highly/very important Moderatelyimportant Moderately important Highly/verypresent Highly/very present Moderatelypresent Moderately present Figure 11. P lease indicate how important these behavioural skills are and to what extent they are already present in your Finance organisation. 18
Finance Talent Management Finance training offerings remain dispersed, with only a minority of respondents offering a holistic Finance development programme 01 Holistic training programmes remain to be scarce 02 With of companies offering e-learning for their Finance employees, 70% this cost-efficient training offering remains the most popular. Dispersed training offerings are efficient, but 03 do they suffice? The vast majority of the executives in our survey 04 E-learning 70% rely on e-learning and self-study materials as a way to enable Finance professionals to improve their skills. This clearly reflects the ease of use for both the training provider and the student. Only 05 Self-study material 63% a minority of Finance executives indicate that they offer a holistic Finance training programme. Classroom tranings To what extent a dispersed training offering will 06 34% address the requirements for today’s Finance professional can be questioned. The previous Holistic Digital Finance Academy addressing both technical and behavioural skills, incl . 17% survey sections have shown that both technical 07 standardised set of certification levels and behavioural capabilities will need to improve, which may justify a more comprehensive Finance None of the above as we expect training curriculum. our employees to be proactive 17% in this regard 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Figure 12. In the context of Digital Finance, please indicate which talent initiatives your Finance organisation has already started implementing or is planning to implement within the next year? Multiple choice 19
Finance Talent Management Although there is a clear gap in technological capabilities, only 36% of executives indicate that they updated their job profiles within the last year 01 Organisations are in the process of adapting their hiring strategy Finance job profiles not updated regularly of Finance talent 02 59% 36% of Finance executives say that Search for tech savvy of respondents indicate that Whether Finance job profiles 03 hiring of Finance graduates with their Finance job profiles an affinity to technology is Finance and data science were updated recently. reflect the importance of increasing, along with search for graduates increasing technological capabilities data science talents. remains questionable, 04 Results show that Finance I don’t considering that only know Increasing hiring of Finance/Accounting 59% organisations are increasingly 10% few have updated the job graduates with an affinity to technology hiring tech savvy Finance/ descriptions 05 Accounting and data science Less than Increasing hiring of Data Science/ 1 year ago Analytics graduates 42% graduates. More than 36% Despite shifting focus in the search for Finance talent, only 2 year ago 22% 06 Increasing hiring of project The importance of 36% of Finance executives say 39% management/consulting skilled talents technological and data that their job profiles were science skills is recognised, updated within the last year. Increasing hiring of IT graduates 15% yet currently these skills are 07 not predominantly present in This indicates that although most Finance organisations. 1–2 years ago Finance executives do see None of the above 15% 32% the need to recruit for new capabilities, job profiles being 0% 20% 40% 60% posted in the market may Figure 13. P lease indicate which hiring initiatives your Figure 14. W hen was the last time your Finance job not always reflect yet the Finance organisation has already started descriptions were updated? true requirements posed to implementing or is planning to implement Single choice Finance talent. within the next year? 20 Multiple choice
04 Case study: Learning and development for Finance talent 01 Mapping the required Finance skills and behaviours to the vision of the future of Finance 02 Ambitions Features of a Lab session Outcomes • Align the required skills with • Alignment of Finance strategic 03 re-defined vision and role of objectives with the Finance Finance organisation talent management 04 • Develop further analytical Talent roles and Skills ambitions Finance • Effective initiatives elaborated capabilities behaviours definitions and mapping roadmap • Enable talent to make effective • Based on strategic • Based on the roles and • Finance talent roadmap 05 objectives of the Finance expectations, required was developed use of the available data organisation, roles of skills, both technical and included the respective talent groups and behavioural, prioritised and detailed were defined were determined initiatives plans 06 • Expected behaviours • Existing skills were • Sponsors and owners were captured and value- mapped to the ambitions of initiatives have 07 adds derived been assigned • Gaps were identified and respective initiatives discussed 21
05. Finance Organisation Resilience 01 Summary Most Finance The responses show that: 02 organisations benefit from some degree • 46% of executives say that their operating model • Only 7% of companies have a ‘flat’ hierarchy with cross-functional task 03 of centralisation, consists of a local Finance organisation forces in place for country-specific topics combined with although there centralised delivery of transactional • Finance organisations demonstrate a 04 certain level of flexibility to deal with remains considerable Finance activities internal and external change but the scope to improve both efficiency and • 78% f respondents have o specific Finance activities centralised current structure is still somewhat rigid 05 operational resilience 06 07 22
Finance Organisation Resilience Although the majority of organisations have centralised transactional activities, only a minority benefit from more advanced delivery models 01 Most companies have centralised transactional activities Specialised Finance and Finance Transformations are areas that companies tend to centralise to the largest extent 02 46% 78% of executives say that their A large share of Finance of companies have centralised Moderate centralisation 03 organisation has local Finance specialised Finance activities, staff for country-specific topics organisations have majority of respondents also of Data analytics, RPA combined with centralised centralised transactional leverage central delivery of and FP&A delivery of transactional activities which could be Finance Transformation. 04 Finance activities. improved through more While it is not surprising Specialised Finance advanced delivery models 78% that specialised Finance and Each country has its own Finance organisation covering all areas of Finance, with their own country specific processes and dedicated country Finance staff 25% Finance Transformations 68% Finance Transformations 05 Half of the executives say tend to be centralised – most Transactional/repetitive activities are centralised (e .g . Shared Service Center/Global Business Services, that transactional/repetitive Digital Finance/Finance Innovation 44% commonly at headquarter BPO provider), each country has a Finance organisation 46% activities are centralised level – it is striking that Digital focusing on country-specific Finance topics only 06 Specialised activities (e .g . Business Intelligence, Data at their organisation. Robotics Process Automation 44% and Business Finance only Management, etc .) and transactional/repetitive activities are both centralised (Centres of Excellence + Shared 15% Over the years, executives show a moderate level of Services), countries only have a lean Finance organisation of business partners have understood that FP&A / Business Controlling 44% centralisation. This indicates Countries hardly have a dedicated Finance organisation: centralisation helps their that Centres of Excellence 07 they leverage a global/regional pool of business 7% Data Analytics 37% partners, supported by Global Business Services and Centres of Excellence organisations to operate are not yet widely utilised. more efficiently. However, Other Future improvements can be 10% Other models: business units have their own Finance organisation, central administration & centralised in HQ 7% this trend has not yet widely found in making effective use evolved towards more 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% of CoEs as part of Finance’s 0% 20% 40% 60% advanced service delivery operating model. models, and so there is room Figure 16. P lease indicate which of the following services Figure 15. W hich of the following operating models are centralised in your Finance organisation (for for additional efficiencies and describes your Finance organisation best? example in Centres of Excellence). quality improvement. Single choice Multiple choice 23
Finance Organisation Resilience Being resilient has never been more important than now, in order to cope with both externally- and internally-driven change 01 Finance organisations are fairly resilient to internal and external change 02 100% 39% of respondents evaluate that their 03 Finance organisation is at least Ability to deal with change quite flexible. 80% 39% of Finance executives are satisfied with their 04 organisation’s capability to cope with change. However, 61% of Finance executives indicate that 60% their organisations are not very flexible in dealing 51% with change. Given executives’ change ambitions 05 and expectations, it can be expected that this 40% perceived lack of flexibility will lead to organisational 34% tensions in coming years. Initiatives such as Finance 06 Transformation Centres, Finance Innovation Hubs and the application of agile principles are therefore 20% expected to play an increasingly important role in 07 10% the years ahead. 5% 0% Very Quite Flexible to Flexible to Not flexible flexible flexible a certain a very limited at all extent extent only Figure 17. D o you feel your Finance organisation is flexible enough to deal with change (internal/external)? Single choice 24
Finance Organisation Resilience Finance organisations are moving towards new organisational principles but the application of agile in Finance is rather limited 01 Flexible task forces remain rare in Finance organisations High level finance project plans are becoming increasingly flexible 02 59% 49% of executives in our survey state Finance organisations of Finance executives surveyed Finance project 03 that they have solid functional indicate that their high-level reporting lines along with dotted tend to be organised project plan allows a certain management is becoming reporting lines to the Business traditionally level of flexibility in execution. more flexible, but agile is in place. not yet a common notion 04 In order to become more customer-centric One quarter of respondents We create detailed project plans, with We have (solid) reporting lines to functional line managers and (dotted) reporting lines and deal with rapid predetermined phases and deliverables. Project execution is carefully managed in terms of timing, 27% indicate that they deploy 05 to business managers/other functional 59% organisational change, budget and quality agile concepts in their leads/project managers Finance organisations may project execution. However benefit from more agile the vast majority of Finance We have clear (solid) reporting lines to We plan our projects in terms of high-level phases 06 functional line managers, we don't have organisational principles and deliverables. We monitor project execution executives indicate that against plan, but if requirements change the plan 49% (dotted) reporting lines to business 34% going forward. However, allows for certain flexibility they use traditional project managers/other functional leads/project managers only a minority of Finance management methodologies. executives state that Detailed project planning and 07 We put (internal) client requirements first, if client they currently deploy requirements change that is more important than strict progress monitoring, We have a 'flat' hierarchy of cross-functional 24% task forces, dedicated to specific topics that 7% client/product-oriented adhering to a plan . We work in short sprints run by however, seem on self-empowered multi-disciplinary teams are empowered to make business decisions task forces as opposed the decline. to more traditional 0% 20% 40% 60% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% organisational models. Figure 18. P lease select the statement that describes your Figure 19. P lease select the statement that best describes Finance organisation best. the way you run Finance projects. Single choice Single choice 25
05 Case study: Centre of Excellence 01 Service delivery of controlling activities out of regional Centre of Excellence hubs, accompanied by a holistic Digital Finance curriculum 02 Global, leading manufacturing firm Key features 03 Deloitte supported a Swiss-based global manufacturing organisation to design, implement and optimise their Controlling Operating Model. Deploying a regional 04 Effective Business Process optimisation Digital Digital hub model, the client benefitted from Partnering and Hub setup quick-wins Finance Lab Finance Academy enhanced service delivery through harmonising activities which used to Teams in the Hubs were Motivating the new Global approach, including Easily accessible training 05 assigned to the respective employees to exchange their sprint methodology, was for all proficiency differ significantly across countries. Businesses to enhance knowledge across the hubs defined and a team set levels was introduced, Besides optimisation endeavours, a the delivery quality and has fostered a culture where up to bundle digitisation including webinars, virtual global Digital Finance Lab was created, to allow the employees quick fixes of processes could efforts across the classrooms, exams and 06 which not only revolutionised how digital to become experts in the be implemented Finance organisation a recognition system projects were carried out but bundled respective market digitisation efforts across Finance teams 07 as well. The introduction of a Digital Finance Academy targeting all Finance employees, along with the appointment of digital champions, were essential for this success. 26
06 Survey demographics 01 Industry coverage Workforce (Employees) Our survey population 02 2% 10k Services sector have the strongest representation. 41 32% 04 Finance 5 representatives 59% of respondents work for in leading functions across 10% companies with more than 05 seven industries 5,000 employees, and 17% in companies with more than 7 Annual turnover (CHF) 50,000 employees. 06 11 20 Billion CHF 10 billion, while 75% of Consumer Business Financial Services respondents represent Life Sciences Manufacturing and Energy companies with at least Services and Public Sector Other 24% 24% CHF 1 billion in revenues. 27
07 Contacts and Authors 01 Markus Zorn, Partner If you would like to participate in Finance & Performance Lead Switzerland our next survey and/or would like mzorn@deloitte.ch 02 to discuss the results, please do not hesitate to contact us. 03 04 For additional insights on the Roderik Olde Kalter, Senior Manager future of Finance, please refer Finance Strategy Switzerland roldekalter@deloitte.ch 05 to our Crunch Time series, www.deloitte.com/ch/crunch-time 06 Nicole Osiecki, Senior Consultant 07 Finance & Performance Switzerland nosiecki@deloitte.ch 28
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