The value of "grunt" work for today's finance teams

Routine work has long been woven into the fabric of finance. Reconciliations, transaction checks and spreadsheet clean-ups are part of the daily grind.

That is why AI has found such an easy pitch in the accounting and finance profession — fewer hours lost to spreadsheets and administrative tasks means more room for analysis, problem-solving and work that demands judgement.

But the equation may not be so simple.

Diwas KC, professor of information systems and operations management at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School, says removing repetitive work should not automatically be treated as progress.

“Repetition is sometimes wasted time, particularly when the work is tedious and does not add much value to the output. But it would be a mistake to assume that all repetitive work is a waste.”

Some forms of routine work, he argues, do more than help get through a task list. They help professionals to build familiarity and confidence over time.

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