Four years after the start of the pandemic, many credit managers still work from home. But a growing number are back in the office five days a week. Why it matters: Understanding these labor market shifts and trends is key for credit professionals as it directly impacts their work environment, job security and workload management. Credit managers must remain aware of these pressures as workforce trends continue to change in 2024.

Four years since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, many workers still find themselves logging on from home at least part of the time. Zoom meetings with teammates, once thought to be a short-lived pandemic trend, have remained on work calendars. And these geographically flexible workers report increases in productivity and satisfaction.

Credit scores reflect how likely or unlikely a person is to pay any loaned amount of money back. Three digits, typically between the range of 300 to 850, can decide your fate in a multitude of purchases from vehicles to mortgages or student loans, for example. These scores are used by companies to determine the interest rates and credit limits you should receive.

Arbitration is an alternative dispute-resolution process that uses a neutral third party to make a binding decision. Disputes are inevitable in any business or partnership, but most do not expect future litigation against the other party. However, in the construction industry, the average value of disputes in North America increased by 42% in 2023, according to a report from Arcadis. And 70% of construction projects end up with claims.

The agricultural economy is expected to significantly expand by 2024. However, potential obstacles such as increasing production costs from inflation and high interest rates, fluctuating market prices, climate change and global crises like the Russian-Ukraine conflict may hinder this growth.

Credit scores reflect how likely or unlikely a person is to pay any loaned amount of money back. Three digits, typically between the range of 300 to 850, can decide your fate in a multitude of purchases from vehicles to mortgages or student loans, for example. These scores are used by companies to determine the interest rates and credit limits you should receive.

After a brief respite of bipartisanship in January, the border security and foreign aid package is officially dead in the water, and the Senate’s busy legislative calendar has effectively stalled the bipartisan tax package that the House passed last week. In other words, everything is back to normal in D.C. On Wednesday, Jan. 31, the House passed, by a strong margin of 357-70, a bipartisan tax package that extended the increased child tax credit for another two years as well as several business tax provisions that were part of the Trump tax cuts in 2017. Most notably:

Competition creates significant consumer benefits, including increased innovation, efficiency, variety, quality and lower prices. Antitrust laws, which prevent companies from unfairly dominating markets or stifling competition, ensure that customers have options. Why it matters: Understanding and complying with antitrust laws is essential in the credit industry to preserve competition, prevent violations that could lead to severe penalties including fines and imprisonment, and maintain a company’s reputation and future business opportunities.

In B2B credit management, where numbers often speak louder than words, it’s easy to overlook the human element behind the figures. However, credit managers are not calculators; they are visionaries, strategists and above all, individuals with voices longing to be heard. Whether they’re negotiating credit terms with customers or collaborating with internal teams, credit managers want to matter. They want a seat at the table, not just as silent observers, but as valued contributors whose opinions shape decisions and outcomes.