Year-End Close Fuels Burnout Among Finance Professionals

The year-end close is becoming increasingly challenging for finance teams, intensifying workloads and leading to widespread burnout. December often compresses months of reconciliations, reporting, audits, and compliance checks into a matter of days. This situation is exacerbated by a heavy reliance on outdated tools and the slow adoption of artificial intelligence (AI).

According to the Medius Q2 2024 Financial Census, more than half of finance professionals, or 55%, report feeling burned out. This issue is particularly pronounced in mature markets: 58% of finance professionals in the United States and 71% in the United Kingdom are actively seeking new employment. The survey, which included 1,533 senior finance executives, highlights a significant concern; the individuals responsible for financial accuracy and compliance are facing unsustainable pressures.

Manual Processes Continue to Hinder Efficiency

Despite ongoing discussions about digital transformation, many finance departments operate with tools that are outdated. The Rossum AI Document Automation Trends 2025 report reveals that 49% of finance departments still rely on manual data entry and Excel spreadsheets. In the UK, 66% of finance teams remain dependent on Excel, while 35% of leaders describe their departments as “laggards” in adopting modern technology.

The Medius census further illustrates the inefficiencies in these departments, finding that 87% of finance professionals spend valuable time responding to vendor invoice emails, averaging 28 emails per day. This equates to approximately six hours each week dedicated to routine queries, time that could be better spent on higher-value activities.

AI Implementation Fails to Deliver Results

While a significant number of finance leaders acknowledge the deployment of AI, the Deloitte Finance Trends 2026 study shows that merely having AI in place does not guarantee its effectiveness. Although 63% of finance leaders globally claim to have fully deployed AI, only 21% report that it has resulted in clear, measurable value. Even more concerning, merely 14% of respondents have fully integrated AI agents into their daily operations.

This gap is critical, as many organizations hastily adopted AI tools without adequately redesigning their processes or ensuring data quality and security. Consequently, the automation introduced can lead to increased complexity during high-pressure periods, such as the year-end close.

Challenges related to adoption are further compounded by anxiety among finance professionals. The Deloitte study indicates that in the United States, only 12% of finance departments currently utilize generative AI. Additionally, 34% of finance leaders express more concerns than optimism regarding automation’s impact on their roles.

The consequences of these pressures extend beyond individual wellbeing; they pose significant operational and governance risks. As finance leaders grapple with the most sensitive financial information during the year-end close, security must be prioritized. AI and cloud platforms must be designed with robust access controls, audit trails, and governance frameworks to mitigate risks.

As the finance industry navigates these challenges, the question remains: is the traditional year-end close process still suitable for a modern finance function? With the current conditions leading to burnout and operational inefficiencies, it may be time for a reevaluation of existing practices.