There is no doubt that the financial services industry is changing. It always does. The changes, regardless of shifts in technology, regulation, or global events, can be dizzying. From the largest multinational firms to the smallest community institutions, it is time to revisit future plans – because what has led to success until now may not work as well in the future.

   At most financial institutions, a digital future prompts both hope and concern. After all, legacy systems, processes, and relationships make innovation extremely difficult. Many firms still struggle with making a digital transformation, even as future growth may depend on it. Using data and analytics, firms may predict client needs and find new paths to profit. With artificial intelligence and digital labor, they can unlock powerful insights and move staff to higher-value work.

   When facing change, flexibility and creativity matter. All firms have to manage expenses, but the easy cuts for cost containment have usually been made first. Meanwhile, there are rapidly changing global trends and the effects of tightening monetary policy. For some firms, it is time to shake up business models, acquire technology, and more. And effective people strategy can help them benefit from diversity, sustain trust, and prepare their workforce for the future. 

   Cybersecurity continues to threaten profit, data privacy, and reputation, and regulators have been paying attention. In other ways, government policy is leaning in a more favorable direction, with a new set of referees in place at key agencies as regulatory easing kicks in. This means firms have room to think about how to make compliance investments more efficient. And as the government has worked on reforming the tax code, many firms have been ramping up tax planning to adapt to what may be a very different set of rules.

   Leading financial firms are starting to reap the rewards of investments in emerging technology. They are also taking steps to get ahead of regulatory changes and adapting their long-term strategies to reflect global and societal shifts. For those who are prepared, this may be a time to pull ahead of the pack.