5 must reads for your weekend

We keep our ear to the ground for the interesting stats, insights and discussion points you need to feel in the know this weekend.

1.???The future of work is hybrid

With 9 out of 10 people we surveyed saying that they want flexibility in where and when they work and over half saying that they’re likely to quit if they?are not?offered that flexibility. It’s clear that the future of work is hybrid. This will have an impact not only on workplace relationships, but in how tax and HR systems are managed. Get into the nitty gritty of this topic by signing up to the upcoming webcast where everything from business travel and vaccine requirements to taxation will be covered.

How to respond to the continued evolution of hybrid work

2.???Invest in what you know

This week saw this advice in action as a newspaper group famous for its word puzzles bought out the current talk of the gaming town. Perhaps the investment team had been playing the game and decided to follow the sage advice from Per M?ller, a seed investor for early-stage start-ups, who says: “The first thing I do when I look at an investment pitch is to see myself as the customer. So will I use this myself, or would I have used it in my previous professional capacity? That is where I start from. If I don't see myself as a user, I pass.” If you’re looking for more tips on how to find the right investment, or the right investor, back in 2018 we spoke to M?ller, co-founder of investor Blue Lime, to find out what he looks for in an investment opportunity.

What investors are looking for in early stage start-ups

3.???EV-friendly cities on the horizon

Over the last year, especially in cities, you can’t help but have noticed the increase in e-bikes, electric scooters and charging points for electrics cars. At the moment, e-vehicles are having to adapt to existing structures. But there is hope for change in this relationship: “electrification offers local and national governments an opportunity to make transportation more sustainable and improve their citizens’ lives, with cleaner roads and redesigned electric vehicle (EV)-friendly cities,” Randy Miller our Global Advanced Manufacturing & Mobility Leader writes. He goes on to outline five areas to focus on if eMobility is to truly thrive and move not just from the city, but out into towns and villages too.

The five focus areas to accelerate eMobility growth

4.???Every relationship requires balance

How do you strike the right balance between risk management and reducing cost with the challenges of retaining and transforming talent and future-proofing technology and data? Well 84% of organizations we surveyed are doing this by changing their tax and finance operating model and 95% say that they’re even going as far as reallocating some of the tax and finance budget away from routine activities to something more strategic. Whatever the approach businesses are finding the balance which suits their particular need.

Realizing the value of your tax and finance function

5.???Update your subscriptions

As the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) is on the verge of creating a new global corporate sustainability reporting standards body, the International Sustainability Standards board (ISSB), perhaps now is the time for a reminder that you can find the all the technical guidance, latest thinking and tools from EY financial reporting professionals in our IFRS technical resources which you can handily search and subscribe to for updates.

IFRS technical resources

If you do one thing:

Times are changing, now is the time to roll with it and see where it takes you. But be true and loyal to the relationships you build along the way.