Is productivity the key to business success - 7 hard truths for finance teams

Productivity is having a moment—and not just in headlines. 

As economic headwinds continue, working longer hours is no longer a solution. To stay competitive, businesses need to work smarter. Yet many are stuck with outdated systems, slow processes, and finance functions that create more bottlenecks than they create efficiencies.

So what is really holding teams back? And how can finance leaders shift the dial?

Here’s what the data tells us

Truth #1: Productivity is not a nice-to-have. It is how you stay in business.

When growth slows and costs rise, productivity is one of the few things within your control. But on the whole, productivity it is not improving. The average GDP growth per hour worked across G7 countries is just 0.5% (according to the Productivity Institute). That is stagnation—and it comes at a cost.

Put simply, if you are not improving how your teams work, you are falling behind.

Truth #2: Outdated financial processes are the problem.

Manual approvals. Endless reconciliations. Inflexible systems. Finance teams are under pressure, but many are still focused on fixing yesterday’s numbers instead of enabling tomorrow’s plans.

There is a gap between what leaders believe and what employees experience. Our research showed 86% of senior leaders say they trust staff to spend company money, but 76% also admit to missing growth opportunities due to a lack of access to budgets.

That disconnect is what we call “the spend perception gap”. And it is costing your business.

Truth #3. Delayed access to budgets = delayed results.

Four in ten employees (40%) say they would be more productive if they could access company money more easily. But in many organisations, even simple buying decisions are slowed by layers of approval and red tape.

The result? Missed targets, late launches, frustrated teams. You can’t expect people to drive results if you won’t give them the keys.

Truth #4. Finance should not be the blocker—it should be the enabler.

Done right, finance empowers every function to move faster. With controlled access to company funds, smarter workflows, and data-backed decisions, Finance becomes a growth driver—not just a cost centre.

This is the shift towards Progressive Finance : a decentralised, trust-based model where controlled spending and delivering with speed can coexist.

Truth #5. Empowering teams does not mean losing control.

Finance needs guardrails, not guesswork. With the right tools, you can give employees access to company funds with pre-set limits, automated top-ups, and a view of every transaction in real time. It’s not about giving everyone a blank cheque, but moving fast without losing oversight.

When teams are trusted to act—and the controls are already in place—it reduces risk and everyone can move faster and accomplish more.

Truth #6: The cost of inaction is lost revenue (and more).

Operational drag does not just hurt productivity. It affects employee satisfaction, customer experience, and revenue. One in three finance leaders say slow processes have led to failed product launches or missed marketing opportunities.

And when finance is stretched thin, the impact is felt across the business.

Truth #7: Productivity is your growth engine

Finance teams that automate admin, simplify spend processes, and empower their colleagues are not just reducing friction—they are building a competitive advantage.

The question is no longer should you modernise. It is whether your teams can afford to wait.