What is worrying CFOs and senior finance leaders in 2025?
CFOs are facing mounting stress – and admit they just can’t get their work done in a normal working week.
AccountsIQ’s ‘CFO Mindset Report’ found almost all (99%) of senior finance leaders across the UK and Ireland work evenings and weekends, with nearly two-thirds (64%) doing so ‘often’ or ‘always’.
When asked what is keeping them up at night CFOs ranked timely access to data (25%) as their top worry, overtaking both rising costs and inflation (25%) and cybersecurity threats (24%).
Compared with data from the Mindset Report 2024, concern over data access has increased by 5% from 20%, while anxiety about inflation and cybersecurity has fallen from 40% and 36% respectively. This signals a shift from external risks to operational challenges within finance teams themselves.
The data gap is having a real impact on decision-making too.
Some 65% of respondents said financial decisions are made with- out enough information, and 29% admitted this happens ‘often’ or ‘always’.
Darren Cran, CEO of AccountsIQ, said: “Finance teams are under intense pressure to deliver accurate insights faster, often without the right tools or timely data. Our research shows that this is leading to overwork and poor-quality decision-making.
Intelligent automation offers a real opportunity to change that, enabling CFOs to make better decisions based on live data and freeing up time for strategic thinking. A healthier work-life balance is achievable when finance functions are truly data-driven.”
