What will finance look like in 2025?

Investment in automation and technology

In 2025, the finance function will benefit from significant investment in automation and technology. Finance Director at MHR Philip Edwards explains that this investment will help businesses grow and boost productivity while cutting operational costs. He said, “Incentives could include tax credits for investors, grants or subsidies for small businesses that innovate, and lighter regulations for companies that create jobs and operate sustainably.”

Organisations will make more progress with putting digital strategies in place and automating systems. This will cause a shift in the role of finance teams, allowing them to focus on providing valuable insights and strategies instead of spending all their time on low-level manual tasks. Enabling this automation and technology will allow your teams to be more productive, make smarter decisions, and drive strategic growth for your organisation.

Say hello to AI

Finance leaders’ opinions on AI are varied – some are keen to implement it, and others are more hesitant, wary of the risks it poses to their industry. The long-term benefits aren’t fully known, but it’s certain that in 2025 AI will be experimented with in low-risk environments that won’t cause compliance issues, such as low-level automation.

Generative AI will be used to automate complex processes and repetitive tasks, such as comparing purchase orders and invoices, and enable more accurate data validation and fraud detection. The impact this will have on finance professionals’ workload is crucial, given that it reduces the risk of error, improves efficiencies and allows them to focus on strategy and analysis. It’s clear to see that AI will add value to the finance function, allowing employees to leave manual tasks in the past and embrace more analytic roles instead.

Unifying data

Amongst a wider effort to streamline business functions into a single platform, finance professionals will have to focus on consolidating enterprise resource planning systems (ERPs). The aim is to improve efficiencies such as data accuracy and accessibility, but the move to consolidation may be met with resistance. This is due to the risk that comes with transitioning to new systems, but according to Rik Mellors, Principal Product Manager at MHR, “given the opportunities to save time, improve accuracy and compliance, and give decision-makers an immediate overview of business finances, professionals will embrace this major shift in mindset.”

A consolidated system with real-time information will ultimately lead to better management and cash flow forecasting, which is why finance professionals should embrace this change.

Here’s where our research comes in

To learn more about the changes you can expect for finance in 2025, such as the impacts of new innovations and the macro-economic policies including the Chancellor’s Budget, download our free World of Work 2025 guide. This research will help you plan for 2025 and feel confident that you’re ready for the future of finance.