If your team only works when watched, read this

Ever feel like your tech stack is stuck in the Stone Age? Below, you'll see why even a decades-old spreadsheet might be easier than what the Incas used. We're also talking about what to do when half your team only looks busy when someone is watching. 

But before we dive into ancient ledgers, do yourself a favor and check out this delightful roundup of gifts for the analog lover in your life. It's geared toward attorneys, but we know plenty of accountants who still get a kick out of the smell of a freshly sharpened pencil.

Ledgers of the Stone-Age: New study finds an ancient monument may be an early bookkeeping system.

Purpose problems: Workers with a sense of purpose are more engaged, but most are just punching the time clock.

Lean stacks: New firms skip tech's bells and whistles and choose what works.

Profit playbook: How top firms transform services and track profit drivers beyond tax and audit.

Build character to strengthen workplace conscientiousness

It's a classic leadership dilemma: how do you encourage employees to be conscientious because they want to, not because someone's watching? Sandy Pepper of the London School of Economics suggests ditching the micromanagement mindset and going old school, like ancient old school. Focus on modern versions of the four cardinal virtues: ethical intelligence, fairness, resilience and self-control. It helps you nudge people toward doing the right thing even when the boss isn't hovering. Instead of pushing performance metrics harder, Pepper says firms should invest in genuine character development. 

Why this matters: Firms thrive when people do the right thing, even when the audit partner isn't standing over their shoulder. Stronger workplace ethics mean fewer mistakes, smoother reviews and teams you can actually trust to close the books without drama. (INTHEBLACK)

One spreadsheet to rule your firm's workflow

Turns out, you don't need a tech stack that looks like a Silicon Valley starter kit to run a thriving bookkeeping firm. Jake Demi of Wenonah Bookkeeping walks through the exact spreadsheet he uses to manage 50+ monthly clients with just one remote employee, including how he prioritizes work, divides tasks with simple color-coding, tracks complexity and time and uses dropdown statuses to keep the month-end chaos contained. Demi also shares how inquiry sheets and Loom videos make training and delegation painless. 

Why this matters: It's a reminder that workflow innovation doesn't always mean adding yet another shiny app. Sometimes the most scalable system is one your team won't ignore the second things get busy. (Bookkeeping with Jake Demi)

$487

The average amount Thanksgiving hosts expect to spend on food, drinks and decor this year—up 13% from 2024. (LendingTree)

• GOP eyes another massive tax and spending bill, but hits serious resistance
• IRS gives employers some breathing room on new tip and overtime reporting rules
• "Big Short" investor places billion-dollar bet that Big Tech is hiding depreciation to pump up profits
• AICPA and CIMA launch global campaign celebrating trailblazing women in accounting
• Colorado Springs accountant sentenced after orchestrating $8 million tax fraud scheme

When big companies go boom (and what the numbers miss)

On paper, it looks like corporate carnage out there. Cornerstone Research found 32 mega bankruptcies—companies with over $1 billion in assets—in the 12 months ending June 30, blowing past the long-term average of 23. And it's not just the giants feeling the squeeze. Filings among companies with at least $100 million in assets also jumped 44% above historical norms. If you only read the numbers, you'd think the economy is hanging on by a thread.

But experts say the numbers alone don't tell the whole story. Inflation, stubbornly high interest rates, shaky consumer demand and regulatory curve balls play a part. Some companies are getting caught in crosswinds they weren't built to weather, from refinancing costs that exploded overnight to policy shifts hitting sectors like renewable energy squarely in the jaw.

 Why this matters: Your clients don't have to be billion-dollar enterprises to feel the same pressures. Accountants are often the first to spot liquidity problems, margin compression or financing risks. Being able to isolate the variables is how you help clients diagnose what's actually going wrong so they can act early instead of becoming another statistic. (CFO Brew)

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The Net Gains is curated and written by Janet Berry-Johnson and edited by Bianca Prieto.