Today during Friday Boss Talk,
one of my new colleagues asked me a very practical question.

“Boss, our industry got work-life balance or not?”

I looked at him.
Then I said,
“Frankly speaking…No.”

😂😂😂

Maybe not the answer a new colleague expects from the boss.

But I rather tell the truth.
Because our profession itself is becoming…
UNBALANCED.

More compliance.
More deadlines.
More law changes.
But fewer people.

And Johor got one additional problem.
Singapore is just across the Causeway.

We train good people.
They become experienced.
Then Singapore says,
“Come.”

😑😑😑

At the same time, fewer students are choosing accounting.

Good accounting personnel are already difficult to find.

Good accountants in the commercial and accounting industry who can think, communicate, understand business and still survive accounting pressure?

Even harder.
But the workload never says,

“Never mind lah. Not enough people. We reduce.”

No.
Tax changes.
SST changes.
E-Invoice changes.
Audit standards change.
MPERS standards change.
AML requirements change.

Sometimes we just finished learning one new rule.
Another update comes.

😂😂😂

So how do we create work-life balance?
Definitely not by telling everybody,
“Work harder.”

There is a limit to working harder.
24 hours is still 24 hours.
We need to change how we work.

For me, AI is part of the answer.

Use AI for repetitive work.
Research.
Extraction.
Drafting.
Checking.
Documentation.

Let accountants spend more time thinking and reviewing.
Less time behaving like human copy-and-paste machines.

We also need AI in training and development.

Today, a junior should not need to wait until the senior is free before learning something.

Ask AI first.
Read.
Understand.
Think.

Then ask the senior a better question.
That changes productivity.

Then there is audit exemption.

If smaller companies genuinely qualify and statutory audit is no longer necessary, our limited audit manpower can focus on work where audit creates greater value.

And finally…

Malaysian Institute of Accountants
I know nowadays big conference one after another.
Very busy.
But please…
give us some update on the new Accountants Act also.

Malaysian Institute of Accountants
After organising hundred of AI webinars and conferences,
MIA staffs still working with the old-school way…

Set a good example first.
then young accountants will also ask,
“Boss, why during conference they talk about AI until macam can fly to the moon, but once back in office, still Excel, email and copy-paste all the way?”

😂😂😂

Because I cannot keep telling young accountants.
“You can do it!”

Every year just keep 画大饼.
Later 饼越来越大,
人越来越少🤭.

“Work like cow first.
One day maybe can live like human

When the profession itself is not balanced.
More work.
Less people.
More rules.

Same old way of working.
That equation will never balance.